Monthly News Bulletin
Email bulletin December 2011
Please note that the December bulletin is shorter than normal due to the holidays. Best wishes to all our supporters from the Centre
The Centre offices close on 23rd December and re-open on 3rd January
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO?
December 2011 CJM: Coalition commitment to protect civil liberties and roll back state intrusion is unfulfilled, argue criminal justice experts
This issue of CJM has wide-ranging review of the Coalition government's promise to `reverse the substantial erosion of civil liberties and roll back state intrusion'. The authors argue, amongst other things that, that at the front end of criminal justice, changes to stop and search, anti-social behaviour orders, police bail, decision-making on charging, and legal aid have resulted in the police having greater, often summary and arbitrary powers over the individual and less accountability for their actions.
You can read the press release here. If you don't receive cjm and would like to, why not look at our membership package. Here
COMING UP
Centre for Crime and Justice Studies Annual General Meeting
The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies AGM is to be held on Tuesday 17th January at 4.30pm, on the ground floor area at our Vauxhall offices. The AGM is a member's only event. Along with the usual AGM business, there will be time to hear about and discuss the work of the Centre over the last twelve months and the plans for the year ahead. Formal notification of the AGM and further details have been sent to all members. Please note that the formal AGM proceedings will begin at 5.30pm. If you are a member and wish to register now, please email
CJM seminar: `That's not my name: Prisoner deference and disciplinarian prison officers' Friday 20 January 2012 - 2pm - 3.30pm
A paper by Dr David Scott, University of Central Lancashire. If you would like to register an interest in this seminar please send an e-mail to, Natalie Mazin at:
. Places are now very limited, so registration is essential to ensure a personal invitation. The seminar will take place at the Centre's offices in Vauxhall.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS...
`Young and Homeless' - A study from the charity homeless link
A study conducted by the Charity Homeless Link, has revealed shocking statistics on today's homeless. The Report shows that almost half of homelessness agencies, including homeless charities, are turning away young single homeless people because of a lack of resources. You can download the full report here. For more on this topic, see the Housing Statistical Release (08/12/11)
`Divided We Stand': Why Inequality Keeps Rising
A new OECD report has revealed that the gap between the rich and poor in OECD countries has reached its highest level in over 30 years. Follow this link to download the overview of growing income inequality in OECD countries report.
Asia: Stop execution and unfair trials
On the 6 December, The Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) launched a report revealing how a small group of Asian countries are defying the global trend against the death penalty; putting to death thousands of people after unfair trials every year. Follow this link to download the two reports, published by ADPAN.
Police in Britain considered as untrustworthy compared to other European countries
The European Social Survey (ESC) has shown that repeated stop and search tactics and other unsatisfactory police contact `damages trust and erodes the law enforcers' legitimacy in the eyes of the community'. The report also show that the British are less likely to `trust in the police of rate their legitimacy highly' than Germans, Swiss and Scandinavians. The Guardian (13/12/2011)
IN THE NEWS...
Plans for specialist YOI units 'nonsensical', claims Howard League
Prison reform group, the Howard League, have hit out at proposals to develop small, specialist units in young offender institutions (YOIs), labeling the idea as `nonsensical'. Children & Young People Now, (01/12/11)
Warnings of a rioting return
Lord Stevens, former chief of Scotland Yard, has warned that the UK may experience years of public disorder in the form of riots as fuelled by the economic crisis. The Guardian, (07/12/11). In agreement, the Archbishop of Canterbury has expressed similar concerns, see The Guardian, (06/12/11). For more see `Police dismiss claims that they are to blame for the summer riots', amid the release of the Guardian's and LSE study on `understanding the England riots from a different perspective'. The Daily Mail (06/12/2011). `Rioters to face plastic bullets and water cannons in wake of the August riots'. The Independent (01/12/2011). `These were not race riots, but for many, race was still an issue'. Reading the Riots - The Guardian, (09/12/11)
Police testing reveals cocaine can be traced on 11% of Britain's banknotes
An inquiry by the Home Office's Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has been informed that 11 per cent of bank notes in general circulation test positive for traces of cocaine, compared with 4 per cent in 2005. The finding reinforces surveys that show use of cocaine powder in Britain is the highest in Europe. The Guardian, (02/12/11)
Britons increasingly becoming targets under European extradition rules
Under the `controversial' European Arrest warrant, an increasing number of Britons are becoming targets and being sent abroad for trial. A total of 48 British citizens were surrendered to other European countries last year, and 1,173 suspects were handed over by UK authorities as suspects or wanted criminals in 2010-11. The Daily Telegraph (01/12/11)
Drink drivers go on to kill, after wrongly being returned their licences
Almost 8,000 drink drivers have been given back their licences, without proper checks, two of whom went on to kill in motoring accidents. The Daily Telegraph (08/12/11)
A deadly trade: How US sells its guns to Mexico's drug gangs
In a macabre merry-go-round, Mexican cartels use money from narcotics to buy weapons over the counter in America. The Guardian, (09/12/11)
Lads' mags `echo language of rapists'
A study of quotes taken from FHM, Loaded, Nuts and Zoo, showed that their descriptions of women can be more extreme than views expressed by convicted rapists. Dr Peter Hegarty, of the University of Surrey, has said: `There is a concern that the content of such magazines normalizes the treatment of women as sexual objects'. The Daily Mirror,, (12/12/11)
Helping young people to get back on track
A coaching scheme which was made up of a team of five coaches, employed by Tower Hamlets council, set up in order to reduce the number of pupils in the borough ending up not in education, employment or training, has been unable to continue supporting those deemed most at risk due to cuts, despite a claimed 98 per cent success rate. For more on this see The Guardian, (14/12/11)
COMMENT OF THE MONTH
Human rights laws are thoroughly bonkers?
`Human rights laws are being interpreted in a way that is thoroughly bonkers, laws have fallen into disrepute, seen as protecting criminals, terror suspects and illegal immigrants at the expense of everyone else'.
Trevor Phillips, head of equalities and human rights commissions. The Daily Mail, (12/12/11)
CARTOON OF THE MONTH
David Cameron's `Bulldog spirit' at the EU summit - By Steve Bell, The Guardian, (14/12/11)
QUOTE(S) OF THE MONTH
`At the centre of it all, driving the economic vortex that is controlling public life, are "The Markets", a merciless, amoral, almost mythical force, behaving with the irrational self-indulgence of a Greek god'.
Andy Zaltzman. The Guardian, (10/12/11)
First Collector: `At this festive time of year, Mr. Scrooge, it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the poor and destitute'.
Ebenezer Scrooge: `Are there no prisons?'
First Collector: `Plenty of prisons'
Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol. 19 December 1843