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News

News Archives: Index

October 7, 2010: Probation Set For Industrial Action

October 5, 2010: Turning Prisoners Into Taxpayers

October 4, 2010: Murder Changes Now In Force

September 20, 2010: Probation Programmes Face Cuts

August 24, 2010: Victorian Poor Law Records Online

August 10, 2010: Justice Job Cuts

July 28, 2010: Prison Violence Growing

July 22, 2010: Police Numbers: Latest Figures

July 22, 2010: New Jurisdiction Rules

July 16, 2010: CCJS On Prison And Probation Spending Under Labour

July 15, 2010: Latest Statistics On Violent And Sexual Crime

July 15, 2010: Latest National Crime Figures

July 15, 2010: New Chief Prisons Inspector

July 14, 2010: Hard Times Ahead For Prisons: Anne Owers

July 14, 2010: Prison Does Not Work: Ken Clarke

July 13, 2010: Criminal Justice Reform: Sentencing and Rehabilitation

July 13, 2010: Criminal Justice Reform Priorities

July 12, 2010: What Price Public Protection, Asks Probation Chief Inspector

July 12, 2010: NOMS has failed, says Napo

July 10, 2010: IPCC To Investigate Death of Raoul Moat

July 9, 2010: Women In Prison: New Report

July 9, 2009: Unjust Deserts: Imprisonment for Public Protection

July 8, 2010: Police Search Powers Change

July 7, 2010: Make 'Legal High' Illegal, Says ACMD

July 2, 2010: Failing Children In Prison

July 2, 2010: Police Buried Under a Blizzard of Guidance: HMIC

July 1, 2010: Freedom To Change The Law?

June 30, 2010: A New Outlook On Penal Reform?

June 30, 2010: Revolving Door Of Offending Must Stop, Says Clarke

June 30, 2010: Ken Clarke: Speech on Criminal Justice Reform

June 29, 2010: No More Police Targets

June 26, 2010: Family Intervention Projects Questioned

June 25, 2010: Cutting Criminal Justice

June 24, 2010: Napo on Sex Offenders Report

June 23, 2010: Closing Courts: The Cuts Begin

June 23, 2010: Strategy To Tackle Gangs

June 15, 2010: Courts and Mentally Disordered Offenders

June 8, 2010: Working With Muslims in Prison

June 1, 2010: Your Chance To Nominate a QC

October 15, 2008: Jobs Axed in Probation, Prisons, And Courts

According to a report in the Times today, almost 10,000 jobs are to be cut in the probation, prison and court services. It is clear that the criminal justice system will not be immune from the drastic impact of the current economic turmoil.

At £900 million is to be saved by the Ministry of Justice over the next 24 months. According the Times, a confidential presentation by a top civil servant at the Ministry of Justice has outlined the measures which are to be taken in order to save the required sum. This is indicative of the wide-ranging impact of the current economic turmoil.

These measures are alleged to include the axing of 9,891 jobs in the prison, probation and court services. This is more than one in every ten workers in these areas. There will also be a freeze on new recruiting. One hundred courts may have to close.

Other policies which will be affected are said to include the creation of an independent commissioner for victims of crime, and funding for moves to combat teenage gang violence.

Responding to the news story, detailing the job losses across the criminal justice system, Harry Fletcher, Assistant General Secretary of probation union Napo, said:

“The criminal justice system is already in crisis. Both the Prison and Probation Services are full and the courts are overstretched. Losing 10,000 jobs over the next two years will result in system meltdown. The cuts will come at a time of a major recession which will result in a surge in property and acquisitive crime. This coupled with the cuts will mean that the criminal justice system will be unable to fulfil its statutory duties.”