abolish ipp sentences
Suggested by rlister and tagged sentencing. 7 Comments.
The big idea
the ipp sentence is barbaric it totally destroys prisoners and their familys not knowing when the sentence will end and be home with familys.the sentence is unjust and should be abolished,ok protect the public but not like this .the public are protected when someone goes into prison so theres no need to have a sentence like this.
Why does this matter?
because its totally wrong and unjust to lock people up and not give a date for release,
i think the ipp should be abolish.I know how it feels as son has an ipp.
ipp do need abolishin, my boyfriend is over his tarriff and is waitin for a course, but wen will that start, how long is a piece ov string, its all a waitin game.its puttin strain on our relationship, either ship him to a prison to do his course or let him out!!
i think ipp is babaric my son got 5years ipp he has no light at the end of the tunnel we all must stand together and get this abolished he did nothing violent yet the judges can just throw them in and forget about them this is so cruel
The IPP is inhuman and barbaric. If enough of us, families and friends took a stand against the IPP then maybe the government would stand up and listen.
A peaceful march thro London would do more good than harm – its worked for others – then why not for us? Were all suffering from this ridiculous made up sentence – instead of sat here moaning – lets do something positive! ‘
IPP Petition’s http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/33738
http://ippfanilycampaign.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02
Legislation has been passed to abolish the IPP sentence and has done so. But has done nothing about the thousands of prisoners already serving the sentence and who are completely unaffected by the recent legislation. This lack of action has resulted in no progress being made towards dealing with the thousands of IPP prisoners long overdue for release some by 5 10 years and who have no idea when or indeed if – they will ever be freed. This is a crime against humanity. We are talking about people here who have paid for their crime who have finished there sentence who want to return home to their family’s build their life’s back up. Apart from the IPP prisoners themselves, the real losers are their family and friends who are often left struggling to understand the realities of an IPP sentence often at a loss as to what to do about the nightmare situation in which they find themselves.
IPP failures force question in House of Lords
As the nightmare of Indeterminate Sentences (IPP) Most of the British public however do not even know that the sentence exists and that makes the IPP a low priority for the government.
As a result of the delays in releasing IPP prisoners thousands prisoners who may have received a 2 year …sentence remain in prison 5 years or more lather…. through no fault of their own and who have not been given any release date.
In the House of Lords former Chief Inspector of Prisons, Lord David Ramsbotham, is to ask the government exactly what it intends to do about releasing the 6,500 people serving the catastrophic, ill-thought out disaster of a sentence introduced by David Blunkett (on the instructions of Tony Blair.
On the one hand, it has passed legislation to abolish the IPP sentence and has done so in the face of severe political opposition from right wing MPs on both the Conservative and Labour benches; on the other, it has not introduced a timetable for the removal of the sentence from British Law. But has done nothing about the thousands of prisoners already serving the sentence and who are completely unaffected by the recent legislation.
This lack of action has resulted in no progress being made towards dealing with the thousands of IPP prisoners long overdue for release and who have no idea when or indeed if – they will ever be freed.
Whilst it is true that Blunkett has now publicly admitted in the Commons that the sentence “has not worked as intended”, he has also failed miserably to take responsibility for the disaster that he created and has certainly done nothing at all to help find a solution.
It should also be noted that apart from the IPP prisoners themselves, the real losers are their family and friends who are often left struggling to understand the realities of an IPP sentence often at a loss as to what to do about the nightmare situation in which they find themselves.
It is no good MPs and other sanctimonious people blaming the prisoner either, usually with phrases such as, “If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime”. The fact is that the offences for which an IPP must be given are laid down in Statute.
Many marches, petitions and letters to MPs produced by worried relatives have simply resulted in the government ignoring the plight of those already serving IPP sentences because the problem is too politically sensitive. However, ministers should be commended for taking the difficult step of pushing through legislation to abolish the sentence – although ministers have not yet told anyone exactly when that will happen.
SEVING IPP’S told the Prison Reform Trust: To lower my risk, I have to do ETS Enhanced Thinking Skills: a course offered imprison but because I learning differences can’t read and write, I can’t lower my situation. I’m just stuck. They are saying that until I can read and write I can’t do ETS and I can’t lower my risk. It’s hard. Hard dealing with the sentence let alone dealing with these tress of not being able to do the course It’s like when I’m trying to say I can’t learn no more. I’ve been to a special school and I’ve learnt as much as I
can but they don’t believe that. But why should I be punished for two things? I’m being punished for the crime and again for not being able to read and write.
Programme on learning difficulties or I like to say learning differences has found that 20-30% …..Of the prison population have difficulties that interfere with their ability to cope with in the criminal justice system. The courses that should be working on reducing their risk factors while inside, are not designed to meet their needs Research by the Prison Reform
Trust has found that there are a significant number of prisoners who, because they have a learning disability or differences, are excluded from aspects of the prison regime including offending behaviour programmes. A report by HM Chie Inspectors of Prison and Probation described this predicament – prisoners being unable to access the interventions they needed to secure their release as ‘kafka-esque’The Joint Committee on Human Rights found, in response to evidence submitted by PRT, that ‘people with learning disabilities may serve longer custodial sentences than others convicted of comparable crimes’. The report went on to say that ‘this clearly breaches Article 5 ECHR (right to liberty) and Article14 ECHR (enjoyment of ECHR rights without discrimination)’ There is a significant shortage of accredited offender behaviour programmes for IP Pprisoners, especially in local prisons. Only 68% of IPP prisoners have accessed at least one accredite do ofending behaviour programme. Many IPP prisoners attend their Parole Board hearing with little or nothing to show for their time in prison. Nearly 80% of IPP sentences for women surveyed by the Chief Inspectors
of Prisons and Probation were for offenses of arson. HM Chief Inspectors of Prisons and Probation have described those serving IPP sentences as ‘prisoners with many and complex needs, including learning disability’ HUNDREDS of people being held beyond tariff, many had not completed no accredited offending behaviour programmes. Hundreds of people serving IPP sentences had not completed an accredited programme.HM Chief Inspectors of Prisons and Probation has stated that ‘the situation is not sustainable. Even with the recent changes in legislation, these numbers far exceed the capacity of the probation service and the prison system (and the Parole Board for that matter) to deliver the necessary quality of service Many people given an IPP sentence under the old legislation, subsequently amended, are still in custody. In fact, given that the reckless
Framing of the sentence doesn’t even attempt to unpick ‘the vulnerability, . Beyond the moral problems of this, it is likely that people will be put in an environment that will make them less settled. It would be, for example a kind of torture As the Joint Committee on Human Rights put it report on deaths in custody:
The evidence suggests that prison actually leads to an acute worsening of mental health problems. By sending people with a history learning differences to prison placing the min an environment that is proven to be dangerous to their health and well-being. There are other groups for whom
prison is an ill-judged intervention, if the aim is to stabilize their behavior and to increase their future prospects for an orderly life. Research for the Prison Reform Trust’s Know One Knows programme on learning difficulties and learning disabilities has found that 20-30% …..of the prison population have difficulties that interfere with their ability to cope within the criminal justice system. The courses that should be working on reducing their risk factors while inside, are not designed to meet their needs. One young man
serving an IPP told the Prison Reform Trust: To lower my risk, I have to do ETS Enhanced Thinking Skills: a course offered imprison but because I learning differences can’t read and write, I can’t lower my situation. I’m just stuck. They are saying that until I can read and write I can’t do ETS and I can’t lower my risk. It’s hard. Hard dealing with the sentence let alone dealing with thes tress of not being able to do the course It’s like when I’m trying to say I can’t learn no more. I’ve been to a special school and I’ve learnt as much as I
can but they don’t believe that. But why should I be punished for two things? I’m being punished for the crime and again for not being able to read and write.”Not only have these teenagers /adults been let down by the systems a system that teaches one way or no way. They are again punished because they have learning differences tell that to your MP and the justice system”
“We are asking everyone who visits this site to take a moment to……….read the letter of protest (pdf file on link below) and if you agree with it ……….print off our letters……..sign them, and…. ….send 1 of them to the Minister of Justice at one of the addresses below….or to be on the safe side, print off 2 letters and send 1 to each of the addresses below, on the premis that if it doesn’t reach him at the first address it may reach him on the other…..and then print off the other letter sign it and post it to your own MP
IPP Sentencing … It’s a crime against humanity ippsentencing.com IPP sentencing ,includes a letter of protest to MP’s and Minister of Justice. Asking for the Abolition of IPP sentences and asking them to redress the damage caused to existing prisoners. http://ippsentencing.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/letteraboutippjustice.pdf
http://ippsentencing.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/letteraboutippmp.pdf
What is IPP? – IPP stands for Indeterminate sentence for Public Protection – What this actually means is if you were to go to court and receive a 2 year sentence, 3 years, 4 years, etc….. with IPP you could be imprisoned for up to 99 years.
At the moment it is still up to the prisoner to prove that they are safe for release which is what makes it impossible as you cannot prove you are safe to release as you are in prison.
It is then up to a parole board to decide if they feel you are ready to be released back in to society, so prisoners and their families do not know IF or WHEN they will EVER be released.
You may be thinking right now that “well, if they have committed murder or something along those lines then they deserve it” – But they have NOT committed murder, if you were sentenced for murder you would receive a determinate sentence of approx 25 years or more – but you would know when you were due to be released and have something to work towards, in retrospect these 3,200 prisoners left in limbo (Guantanimo Bay) would have actually been released by now had they committed a manslaughter or murder.
IPP Prisoners are literally being left in limbo. A lot of IPP prisoners do not have any family support and feel that there is no hope left for them and it is because of this that approx every 2 weeks a suicide is reported in prison.
Where has it all gone wrong? There are currently around 3,200… prisoners that are still incarcerated beyond their tariff – Prisoners that received 2 years that were supposed to be released 9 years ago are actually still serving that sentence because there is no effective system in place that works. Ken Clarke last year abolished IPP and stated that it is inhumane – so now we need to move forward and deal with the IPPs that were already serving before it was abolished last year.
This is why the UK prisons are overcrowded and it’s costing Tax-payers more and more every year, maybe this is one of the many causes as to why the United Kingdom has hit a debt of £3,000,000,000,000 -
It actually costs £41,000 per year per prisoner in the UK – Now, multiply that by 3,200 – the result of keeping just these 3,200 prisoners in past their tariff is costing us all £131,200,000 every year, that’s without the cost of the rest.
Now, the old saying goes – If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime – But, how can a prisoner serve their time if they do not know how much time they have to do?Ipp Prisoners Familys Campaign.
For thousands of IPP prisoners who are long past the tariff laid down by the courts when they were sentenced, this comes as worrying news indeed. To their families, it is nothing short of devastation.
The families and children of those incarcerated in an unjust and unfair penal system suffer as their loved ones remain in custody when they should have been given the chance of release long ago.Our 1 aim is to get a fixed determinate sentence for IPP prisoners.
Lobbying for change The Court of Appeal has ruled that it’s unlawful for someone given an “indeterminate sentence for public protection” (IPP) to be kept in prison beyond his ‘tariff’ (the period set by the sentencing judge as the minimum required for punishment, release thereafter being permitted on condition that the offender satisfies the parole board that he won’t reoffend) if he hasn’t been able to take one of the prison courses whose completion is a condition of release. It seems that a thousand or more prisoners serving IPPs are in this Kafkaesque, nightmare logical trap. It is a life sentence in all but name. The only real difference is that it can be given for far less serious offences. But even after the tariff, the person remains in prison until they have done the courses necessary to demonstrate they are ready for release. He would only be released if he “admitted guilt” Mr. Blunt commented that the previous Government had to reform the IPP arrangements in 2008, and that the current Government had inherited ‘a very serious problem’ with IPP prisoners. He said, ‘we have 6,000 IPP prisoners, well over 2,500 of whom have exceeded their tariff point. Many cannot get on courses because our prisons are wholly overcrowded and (they are) unable to address offending behaviour. For example if you had a prison term of 3years you may have five offending courses to finish as part of your sentence plan before you can be released. 18 month waiting list to do 1 course and that’s if they have the course at all at that prison .So instead of doing 3 years it may be 5 years or more until you have finished the courses. It seems you have to be smart to badger the prison to get on these courses..
Other links:
http://www.causes.com/causes/626316-campaign-to-put-an-end-to-the-ipp-in-its-place-improved-education-in-the-prison-system.
Britain is a country that now has so much criminal legislation that it is almost impossible for anyone to leave their home and get to work without breaking the law somewhere along the way. If they do break the law, people face some of the longest sentences in Europe
HATE THIS STUPID IPP SENTENCE IPP PRISONERS SHOULD AT LEAST BE GIVEN THE CHANCE OF OPEN CONDITIONS THEY WILL STILL BE IN PRISON BUT ALLOWED HOME LEAVE IF THEY MESS UP THEN PUT THEM BACK IN CLOSED CONDITIONS. MY HUSBAND IS IPP ITS NOT JUS THE PRISONER THAT SUFFERS HOW ABOUT THERE WIFES AND CHILDREN!!!
Keep fighting for your right’s everyone one keep’s saying what a wonderful country britain is.” Ha Ha” joke more like, we say that we are a country that give’s people a second chance more like no chance if you have done your time you have repaid the debt. The law society should be getting to grips with these issue’s.
I have never been in prison but I don’t shy away from people who have.