This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6498003.stm
The article has changed 14 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Review targets career criminals | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| New ways to rehabilitate offenders and target the most prolific criminals are among the latest ideas for combating crime being unveiled by Tony Blair. | |
| The policy review announcement will recommend tougher community sentences and units for prisoners with mental illness in England and Wales. | |
| The plans also include proposals for a reorganisation of the police service. | |
| The measures, a bid to improve the way forces fight crime, aim to improve accountability and flexibility. | |
| The PM's review will identify ways to cut red tape, make the police more accessible to the public and give forces greater say over their budgets. | The PM's review will identify ways to cut red tape, make the police more accessible to the public and give forces greater say over their budgets. |
| However, the restructuring of forces - a plan abandoned when John Reid became home secretary - is not on the agenda. | However, the restructuring of forces - a plan abandoned when John Reid became home secretary - is not on the agenda. |
| Judges' powers | Judges' powers |
| One of the more radical ideas in the policy document is for special units to house mentally-ill prisoners, where drug treatment would be available. | One of the more radical ideas in the policy document is for special units to house mentally-ill prisoners, where drug treatment would be available. |
| "Career criminals" could be prevented from mixing with former associates when they are freed from prison. | "Career criminals" could be prevented from mixing with former associates when they are freed from prison. |
| Other steps being considered include removing non-cash assets and driving licences, more rehabilitation in jails, keeping prisoners in contact with their children, more therapy and less reliance on drugs to treat mentally ill offenders. | Other steps being considered include removing non-cash assets and driving licences, more rehabilitation in jails, keeping prisoners in contact with their children, more therapy and less reliance on drugs to treat mentally ill offenders. |
| Judges would have more powers to impose licences to get offenders to stay away from particular locations or individuals, or to send them for treatment for drug or alcohol addiction. | Judges would have more powers to impose licences to get offenders to stay away from particular locations or individuals, or to send them for treatment for drug or alcohol addiction. |
| The review will also look at identifying children who are in danger of "going off the rails". | The review will also look at identifying children who are in danger of "going off the rails". |
| Penal policy | Penal policy |
| However, shadow home secretary David Davis said the review was "recognition of the abject failure of criminal justice policy in the last 10 years". | |
| He said: "This rag bag of ill-thought-through ideas is likely to go the same way as government proposals for 'cash point fines for yobs' and 'night courts'. | He said: "This rag bag of ill-thought-through ideas is likely to go the same way as government proposals for 'cash point fines for yobs' and 'night courts'. |
| "What we need is a clearly thought out penal policy that takes the worst criminals out of circulation, punishes them, gets them off drugs and, where possible, rehabilitates them. | "What we need is a clearly thought out penal policy that takes the worst criminals out of circulation, punishes them, gets them off drugs and, where possible, rehabilitates them. |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said it was a "welcome, if belated U-turn" on sentencing policy. | Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said it was a "welcome, if belated U-turn" on sentencing policy. |
| "We have been warning for years that New Labour's obsessive pursuit of headlines, over-reliance on ever more illiberal legislation and fanatical 'get tough' rhetoric do little to tackle either the fear of crime or its root causes," he said. | "We have been warning for years that New Labour's obsessive pursuit of headlines, over-reliance on ever more illiberal legislation and fanatical 'get tough' rhetoric do little to tackle either the fear of crime or its root causes," he said. |