The latest design for the Wood Street hub (WF Council) A council has denied untrue claims that it plans to house a probation service next to a primary school. The former Wood Street library site in Walthamstow is to become a “families and homes hub”, with a planning application expected in January and demolition work already underway. The new building will include nearly 70 homes and office space for council services, including “a small number of” appointments for young offenders. A group of “concerned parents” have objected to the idea of young offenders attending appointments next to the Woodside Primary Academy, on the assumption they will misbehave in the area.
Fairer justice system for neurodivergent people to reduce crime
Review to look at how many offenders have conditions like autism and learning difficulties.
From:
Improving support could help end their cycle of crime and make the country safer.
Quicker recognition and better support for offenders who have neurodivergent conditions such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia, will help combat crime according to the Lord Chancellor, Robert Buckland QC.
Neurodivergent offenders often have speech and language needs which make it difficult for them to understand and take part in the processes from arrest, through court, and potential sentencing.
A new call for evidence will provide a clearer picture of how many offenders are affected by these conditions and what support is already available in the criminal justice system.
Supervision of terrorists reinforced with new powers and closer collaboration
The monitoring of convicted terrorists and others who pose a terror risk will be strengthened under plans laid out today (17 December 2020).
From:
doubling of specialist probation officers tackling terrorism
better intelligence sharing between police, prisons, probation and security services
The monitoring of convicted terrorists and others who pose a terror risk will be strengthened under plans laid out today by the government, in response to an independent review by Jonathan Hall QC.
While Jonathan Hall found well-established processes were already in place between police, probation and other agencies to manage terrorism-risk offenders, he made a series of recommendations to improve them.
Drive to find jobs for ex-offenders launches in north of England
Shutterstock
An organisation that helps ex-offenders find work has been contracted by the Ministry of Justice to boost employment levels among former inmates across the north of England.
More than 250 people across the north and south of Tyne, Hull and East Riding and South Yorkshire are set to be supported into jobs by recruitment specialist Offploy and the National Probation Service.
Re-offending
Since its launch in September, Offploy has secured employment for more than a dozen ex-offenders, including within the government’s Covid-19 testing programme.
The firm said offering more opportunities to people with convictions, who often struggle to find work because of prejudice, will help address the UK’s skills shortage and reduce offending. Some 62% of Offploy’s workforce are former offenders, including co-founder Jacob Hill.