Latest news with #prisonsystem
ABC News
2 days ago
- ABC News
Mother of man killed by Yatala prison cellmate tells court she feels let down by authorities
The mother of a man with mental illness who was killed by his prison cellmate two years ago has told South Australia's Supreme Court that she feels "let down by the government". Earlier this year, Benjamin Anthony Shuman, 35, was found not guilty by way of mental incompetence of the murder of 52-year-old Jason Douglas Wright in June 2023. Mr Shuman was arrested and charged with murder on June 17 after Mr Wright was found dead in his cell at Yatala Labour Prison in Adelaide's north. Justice Anne Bampton previously recorded a finding that the elements of murder were met, but that Mr Shuman was mentally incompetent at the time. During a brief hearing on Monday, a prosecutor read a victim impact statement on behalf of Mr Wright's mother which detailed her frustrations at how her son's mental illness was dealt with in the prison system. "We have been let down by the government and the departments of mental health through to correctional services," Frances Wright wrote. "Where is the duty of care when an acutely mentally unwell person … on remand with no previous convictions, is incarcerated in high security prison … then placed in a cell with inadequate supervision with somebody also suffering mental illness? "Why was he not placed somewhere safe, and where his mental health could be maintained and supported? "This is a serious issue seen as a violation of a person's rights." Ms Wright went on to detail the struggles she faced for "35-plus years" dealing with her son's mental health issues. "Over this time my input regarding his mental health was not taken seriously," she said. "Mental illness is a medical condition, but it is stigmatised, leading to misconceptions and discrimination." Ms Wright said she hoped "that other families don't have to go through this trauma caused by mismanagement". "Some things need to change and be addressed," she wrote. Ms Wright said that, given her understanding of mental illness, she did have "a compassionate understanding", but that it was "hard to forgive what has happened". A prosecutor told the court two psychological reports found "the defendant's risk of relapse and reoffending in the community remains significant without the appropriate supports and supervision". Defence barrister Casey Isaacs, for Mr Shuman, said his client is "in a far better mental state then he has been in the past", and apologised to Mr Wright's family on his behalf. He also said Mr Shuman is "open to rehabilitation". Justice Bampton remanded Mr Shuman to a limiting term of life at psychiatric facility James Nash House — which equates to the same amount of time he would be sentenced to if he'd been found guilty of murder. Acting SA Premier Susan Close said, although she did not "know the circumstances" of the case, she had "no doubt that it will be looked into very carefully". "It sounds absolutely … a heartbreaking tragedy. I feel very much for the mother and all my sympathy is with her," she said. "When we run our prisons, we try to run them with the best interests of all of the people living there at heart and the idea that this tragedy has happened is very distressing. A Department for Correctional Services spokesperson said the "circumstances surrounding Mr Wright's death will be the subject of a coronial inquiry". "The death of Mr Wright is a sad and tragic event, and the department extends its sympathies to his family and friends," they said.
Associated Press
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
UK will start chemical castration of sex offenders
LONDON (AP) — The British government is to rollout the use of medication to suppress the sex drive of sex offenders, as part of a package of measures to reduce the risk of reoffending and alleviate the pressures on the prison system, which is running out of space. In a statement to Parliament Thursday following the release of an independent sentencing review, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said so-called chemical castration would be used in 20 prisons in two regions. 'And I am exploring whether mandating the approach is possible,' she said. 'Of course, it is vital that this approach is taken alongside psychological interventions that target other causes of offending, like asserting power and control.' Though the review highlighted the treatment would not be relevant for some sex offenders such as rapists driven by power and control, rather than sexual preoccupation, Mahmood said studies show that chemical castration can lead to a 60% reduction in reoffending. It's been used in Germany and Denmark on a voluntary basis, and in Poland as mandatory for some offenders. The recommendation was part of a wide-ranging review led by former justice secretary, David Gauke. As well as looking at ways to cut reoffending, Gauke recommended reforms to overhaul the prisons system, which is running at near-capacity. One of the first things Mahmood did as justice minister after Labour returned to power after 14 years last July was sanction an early-release program for prisoners to free up space. She says she doesn't want to do that again and set up the review and appointed a Conservative predecessor to oversee it. The review recommended that criminals could be released from prison earlier than currently, while judges could be given more flexibility to impose punishments such as driving bans. It also recommended that sentences of less than 12 months would also be scrapped, apart from exceptional circumstances such as domestic abuse cases. It also called for the immediate deportation for foreign nationals handed a three-year sentence or less. The review called for higher investment in the probation service to allow officers to spend more time with offenders for their rehabilitation and extra funding for the tens of thousands more offenders being electronically tagged in the community. Mahmood responded by giving a 700 million-pound ($930 million) a year for probation within years. 'If the government doesn't put the resources into probation that is necessary, then the risk here is that we won't make progress on rehabilitation that we need, and there will be a public backlash against it,' Gauke said. The prison population in England and Wales has doubled over the past 30 years or so to nearly 90,000. That's despite a fall in crime rates and is driven in part by the fact that longer sentences are being handed out amid pressure to be tough on crime. Robert Jenrick, the justice spokesman for the Conservatives, was clear in his opposition to the proposals and warned that scrapping short sentences would be effectively 'decriminalizing' offenses like burglary, theft and assault. And tags, he said, are as useful as 'smoke alarms putting out bonfires' when it comes to stopping reoffending. Alongside accepting any changes, the government has said it will embark on a big prison building program, partly to replace some that have been used since Victorian times in the late 19th century.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Chemical castration of sex offenders ‘worthwhile' exploring
Exploring chemical castration for sex offenders is 'worthwhile' as a way to reduce reoffending, the head of the independent sentencing review has said. The review led by former justice secretary David Gauke recommended reforms to overhaul the prisons system and make sure there is space to jail the most dangerous offenders after a string of emergency measures to deal with the capacity crisis. It also looked at ways to cut reoffending, with one proposal to consider further use of medication to suppress the sexual drive of sex offenders, currently being piloted in south-west England. Chemical suppression has been used in Germany and Denmark on a voluntary basis, and in Poland as mandatory for some offenders. 'One of our recommendations is that we think that we should continue to explore this, this is drugs that reduces sexual desire,' Mr Gauke told Sky News. 'It's not appropriate for every sexual offender, and the evidence base for this does need to be built up.' A small pilot under way in the south west of England could be expanded, he said. 'I'm not going to claim it's the answer for everything. This is about reducing the risk of reoffending in future. 'There are some sex offenders who want to reduce their desires. And if we can explore this, I think that is something that's worthwhile,' he said. Problematic sexual arousal can be reduced by chemical suppressants and prescribed medication, but the review highlighted the treatment would not be relevant for some sex offenders such as rapists driven by power and control, rather than sexual preoccupation. Asked if this would be used instead of keeping sex offenders in prison, Mr Gauke said: 'The point being is at some point almost every prisoner will be released. We have to look across the system at doing everything we can do to minimise the risk of reoffending. You cannot remove that risk altogether.' Elsewhere the review recommended that violent criminals and sexual offenders could be released from prison earlier, while judges could be given more flexibility to impose punishments such as football or driving bans. Short sentences of less than 12 months would also be scrapped, apart from exceptional circumstances such as domestic abuse cases. It also called for the immediate deportation for foreign nationals handed a three-year sentence or less. Five key proposals put forward by Mr Gauke are expected to cut the prison population by around 9,800. Latest figures show the prison population in England and Wales is 88,103, just 418 below the record of 88,521, which was reached on September 6 last year, just before the Government began freeing thousands of prisoners early to ease overcrowding. The review chairman said: 'The scale of the crisis we are in cannot be understated. 'Overcrowded prisons are leading to dangerous conditions for staff and contributing to high levels of reoffending. 'These recommendations, which span the entirety of the justice system, are focused not only on bringing the prison population under control but ultimately reducing reoffending and ensuring victims are protected.' Under an 'earned progression model', violent or sexual offenders who are serving sentences of four years or more could be released into the community on licence after spending half of their sentence behind bars, or longer if they do not comply with prison rules. The review also suggested for the most dangerous offenders on extended sentences to be eligible for parole at half-way through their sentence, instead of two-thirds, if they earn credits to take part in rehabilitation activities in prison. They would only be released if the Parole Board decided it was safe to do so. The Government is expected to accept the review's key measures, but reject earlier release for the most dangerous cohort. Ministers launched the review to consider options to hand criminals tougher punishments outside prison in October last year as part of efforts to ease overcrowding. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood is expected to respond to the review in Parliament on Thursday, and announce a funding boost of up to £700 million a year for probation by the final year of the spending review. The review called for higher investment in the probation service and more use of voluntary organisations and technology to help process admin while probation officers spend more time with offenders for their rehabilitation. It also urged for extra funding as tens of thousands more offenders are expected to be electronically tagged in the community. Mr Gauke said: 'If the Government doesn't put the resources into probation that is necessary, then the risk here is that we won't make progress on rehabilitation that we need, and there will be a public backlash against it.' He said pressing demands on the Probation Service cannot be ignored, but spending funds in the community would be better value for money for the taxpayer and would do more to reduce crime. There is no estimate on how many more criminals will serve sentences outside prison if the proposals come into force. The review said: 'In the immediate term, the Probation Service will need to prioritise its resources and focus its efforts where it will have the highest impact in terms of reducing reoffending and managing risk of harm.' Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick warned that scrapping short sentences would be effectively 'decriminalising' offences like burglary, theft and assault. 'This is a gift to criminals who will be free to offend with impunity,' he said. 'If Starmer proceeds with halving sentences for dangerous offenders like killers, rapists and paedophiles that would be a slap in the face for victims.' But ending short sentences was welcomed by the Criminal Bar Association 'because they don't work'. CBA chairwoman Mary Prior KC said: 'There is no alternative but to make change. 'More than half reoffend compared to only a quarter who receive help from probation. 'Some of the more radical suggestions will require careful thought and may not be implemented by the Government.' The victims' commissioner for England and Wales also raised concerns that the Probation Service may not be able to cope with rising demand. Baroness Newlove said: 'I understand their necessity – but I do have concerns. 'The pace of change feels urgent, as if we are racing against the clock. 'My overriding concern is whether the already stretched Probation Service can withstand this additional pressure.' But Law Society for England and Wales president Richard Atkinson said: 'It is a positive shift away from an approach which has focused primarily on punishment without evidence that it better protects victims or reduces reoffending. 'However, to ensure the public can have faith in the criminal justice system, there must be investment in all parts of the system which are interconnected.'
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Daily Mail
MATT GOODWIN: Lucy Connolly was given a longer sentence than some members of a Pakistani grooming gang who sexually abused children. A very ugly authoritarianism is rising in this country
Sometimes, something happens that is so truly shocking, so deeply disturbing, that it makes you ask: 'What kind of country am I living in?' That's what I asked myself when I heard about the refusal, by the Court of Appeal, to reduce the prison sentence of Lucy Connolly.
