That this House recognises the failure of the Indeterminate Sentence for Public Protection (IPP) to provide an effective prison sentence; notes that the thematic review published by the Criminal Justice Joint Inspectorate has branded the current position as `unsustainable’; supports the Inspectorate’s calls for a major policy review at ministerial level to examine the efficacy and utility of the IPP, taking into account that IPPs confuse the public and fail to satisfy the victims of crime; notes that the IPP is destabilising the running of prisons and contributing disproportionately to prison overcrowding; recognises the large numbers of IPP prisoners unable to access courses required before their release, thus remaining in prison beyond their tariff; further recognises the double punishment imposed on those who are mentally ill or have a learning disability who are effectively barred from participating in such courses; notes that the criticisms of the IPP voiced by the Lord Chief Justice, the Chairman of the Parole Board and the Chief Inspector of Prisons, among others, have not been satisfactorily resolved by the amendments to the sentence introduced by the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008; and therefore urges the Government to commission a review immediately.
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26 responses to Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
If a crime is commited rehabilitation can only take place if the prisoner ias able to earn their release, yet under ipps prisoners have a black cloud looming over them with the uncertainty of how they can prove they are no longer a risk, lack of resources is a hinderence which needs to urgently be addressed. Hope of release is a necessity in the judicial process of ipps, without this the sentence snowballs
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
As a vicitim of attempted murder 5 years ago , I was relieved when an indeterminate sentence was passed on my ex husband and the sense ofsecuroty I felt knowing he was behind bars and would not be released until a panel decided he was nolonger a threat to us.
My daughter my son and I were in our home asleep when my ex husband broke in to the house in the early hoursof the morning and turned the gas on . When we were aroused by the gas fumes and the dog barking. We found him in the living room with a lighter. He attempted to light the gas and when this failed he grabbed me by the hair in fornt if my children and knowing I was allergic to latex he shoved a latex gloved hand in tomy mouth , when this failed he drew knife from hispocket and tried to stab me . To this day we are still traumatised by these events . It wasn’t the first time my huisband had travelled thousands of miles across the atlantic ocean to harrass us either.
The IPP is both a blessing and a curse. The date of his release still hangs like a cloud over our head. As the 6 years draw closer allowing him to apply for parole we feel that the day will come when he will find a way to pass the board and we will be unsafe yet again.
We are not in a financial position where we can afford to move away from the area and he knows where we live. Despite the suggestion by the judge that he be deported at the end of the sentence we have little faith in the immigration system as despite having been removed from the UK just weeks before the attempted murder , access to the UK was all too easy for him and he was not queried by immigration on his return.
The IPP is both a blessing and a curse , not for the Home Secretary but for the victims of crime who are left with no real support after the sentence is passed.
If IPP’s are to be quashed my ex husband will be in a position where after a parole hearing he could be released.What support will be in place for the victims of serious crime who are not in a financial postion to disappear or take steps to be safe in their homes following this decision?
Absolutely , none …….
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
My son is being punished for something he might never do,he`s already served double his tarrif and yet still waiting for parole.over 4,500 prisoners on i.p.p.yet only 75 have been paroled.this is an unjust sentence and must be scrapped.my son enterd prison just turned 19 he`s now nearly 23.we read week in week out about violent crime yet the really serious ones never seem to get an i.p.p.i`m all for rights for the victims,but where`s my son`s rights.
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
Ipp Prisoners Familys Campaign on facebook pliz join.
please can some one with a look at life from a diffrent light,people need a chance to prove them self if this word need’s to sort it’s self out,i think there should be a big change in the law,this ipp sentcents should be done away with,it’s cost to much of the tax payers money,when some one is sent to prison for a crime let them seve there time and let them prove them self on the out side and if thay get into troulbe when thay have just come out then put them back to start there time again i bet that will stop a lot of prisoner’sgoing back to jail.
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
i ask? if anyone committed the same sentence after July 2008 (CJA) they couldnt recieve IPP for under 2 year tariff than an ipp that got sentenced between April 2005 July 2008 which means they would recieve a normal 4 year setence for same crime and yet be releases after half way piont in 2012? yet i recieved an 18 month tariff which ended sep 2008 only had first parole in Jan 2010 i would still be wating for secound parope reveiw (LONG DELAYS) just as the person that committed eaxact same of offence (August 2010) walking free That isnt British Justice we used too lead the world in Justice pre-2005(CJA 2003)lets go back and review ipp sentence or release after serving full sentence on a 10 year licence risk of being recalled for upto 2 years and thats without any other offence being committed you now get recalled for just missing 1 appointment at probation with all the parople delays its 2 years before your case will be decided think about a 2 year prison sentence for missing up dates your due at appointment 97 ipp have already been recalled for falling to abide by licence condiction and NOT for committing any other crime thats not justice please support iip inmates in any way you can just by telling other people about ipp word of mouth helps public knowledge helps
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
lets get a march for the prisons thay march for ever thing els so come and chat to me on face book thanks
yes rosie i think you are right money should be spent on the poor and homeless for god sake some one of the goverment do something about this silly ipp sentces give the prisons a chance to prove them self i cant see how the prole bord is dealing with this ipp there must be some thing dune
I am a serving inmate with IPP i recieved a 18 month tarrif which expired Sep 2008 i have fully completed every course sentence plan objectives and had my first parole hearing in Jan 2010 a delay of 17 months after it was due even with 100% prison file completed all accredited programs and all 3 recomendation for release by life department, psychology & offender manager all recommended release yet the parole board over ruled that and i recieced a 18 month knock back so even IPP with 100% are still getting refused release i have progressed onto cat D yet could serve anoth 2-4 years on top of the 4 years i have already served for a sentence that carried a 4 year for original offenc (Sentercing guildline council) because i commited offence in 2006 it carried IPP yet if i committed same offence after Oct 2008 i couldnt recieve IPP which meens that anyone that commitetted exact same offence as me would recieve a 4 year normal sentence and will be release after 2 years on licence for 2 years yet i will of done 5 years? or more plus on licence for 10 years recalled indefernitly with all the delays with parple hearing no set hearing date there is 6000 lifers all due parole hearing in 2010 yet the parole board can only deal with a max 1200 hearing which is causing long delays it cant cope with so many IPP in the system which is unlawful? knowing dealays are a clear breach of European law yet its been going on since 2007 and will still happen until change in law i recommend relese on tarriff on 10 years licence without parole process i recieved IPP for first speicified offence under section 224 without previours conviction there need a change of policy cost £48 000 Grand to keep one IPP in prison a year over tariff there is over 13000 lifes/IPP thats more that every European county put together which says it all European poplation? 400 million yet less life than England something is wrong with sentencing policy IPP suside has increasd with IPP in prison and a report out says 5 out of 10 IPP was on medication before offence are we locking away the mental ill? sentence policy lock them away and throw away the key ?
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
well ever one lets see how good and far david cameron is going to be for the prisons,i just hope that he as a hart he looks like a fair man i do wish we could all do a march up london for the poor prisons cos it just mite help,,,find me on face book please lets do some thing about this ill thought out sentences..
hi
how do i go about of getting a solicitor to re look into a case where a ipp was made but no one has actually made a formal stand??
Cost to tax payers
I ask, how much money is IPP costing this country and tax payers. With the number of Shortterm IPP sentences been handed out I can only see this failed system costing more money, not to mention the extra cost supporting prisoners childten and families. Life means life but surely 2 years should mean 2 yrs?!
my son is serving an ipp sentence its been a very emotional time for me and him as he was on suicide watch several times feeling of no hope this sentence is one of mental torture as theres no date for release,its barbaric and unjust to keep anyone like this.
I agree with you, my son was given an IPP in 2007 has tried to get on most of the courses but has had knock backs due to the demand and moving to different prisons where it all has to start over again. he had many dark days in the beginning, it is barbaric to treat a person in this way, all prisoners must have a target date, it gives them a reason to change their ways.
My partner was given a 18 month tariff on ipp in 2005 and he has now served just over 5 years. His last parole hearing was in Nov 2007 and he has now completed the offending behaviour course. We have had a nightmare with this sentence, especially because my partner had to wait to get on the relevant course which took three years as he was on a waiting list. This sentence is the worst thing that could happen to anyone because its not just the offender who suffers but the whole family suffers. The prisons, psychologists, probation and espcially the parole board do not care about anything because they think you committed the offence now deal with it.The parole board do not listen to any positive information you teke to the hearings, its like they are deaf. They are so risk averse they are not giving anyone a chance to move on in thier lives. Are we not humans, do we not have a life or feelings. I cannot belive Britain has come to such a point that the unfair position of so many ipp subjects is just ignored and nobody is doing anything because they do not want to upset the public. Labour are the worst thing to happen to this country and Ipp is there dumb and not thought of sentence. I really hope all IPP prisoners and their families get some hope and positive news wirh regards to the review of this sentence. I really hope they take the decision of abolishing this terrible sentence and this nightmare ends for all of us. Please help us please do something.
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
i know how you fill but i think we should get a march going to let people know that are in prison that the publice are not all going to try and keep the men in prison beoned there tarrif so please write back to me on face book rasie cash is my name or my friends name on face book is pip price get back to me thank you x
please let the people see the way the famileys are hurt be such a ipp sentces it has mad me so bad to see my brother in prison and dont know when he will come home to his two little girls some one have a hart for these people in prison and the famileys lefted on the out side how can the prole bord make the chose of some ones life with out knowing them or even trying to get to know them you cant juge some one in 60 to 90 minits cos that how long the prole people take to review some one.
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
Thank you for your response so far. Please could someone advise. I keep on hearing different information. One minute i hear that they will review the IPP and next minute they say any changes wont affect the ipp prisoners who are already subject to it. I dont understand what is going on. Is there anybody with concrete information on what is going to happen with IPPS’s will they be reviewed and and is there a chance that changes will be made. Also if these changes are made will people like my partner be in the criteria to have any difference made to him and his case. I just wish someone would be able to give me some information and advice around this so i know what is going on. My partners solicitor is saying the new changes might not even make a difrence to my partner. He also said that he may have completed his course but it depends what his reports say and they could ask for more courses to be completed despite him bing 4 years over his tariff. Apparantly if the parole board dont feel his risk is totally decreased then they will want him to complete the other courses in custody despite the non availability of courses and years of waiting lists. What are you suppose to do with this situation. Yes your right how can you get to know someone in 60 min interview or even less. Even probation dont give accuaret reports and information they need to be challenged too just to make sure they dont cut and paste previous reports, because they are too busy to update information, its not there relative so why would they care. I know my partner committed an offence but this situation is just getting harder by the day. The professionals will make thier minds up and give a decision and disappear for another few years not looking back or thinking twice about our lives. I really really hope this review brings some good news for all of us whose lives are on hold and are suffering due to somebodys misconception of such a pathetic sentence.
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
comment on MP Early Day Motions: Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
My son received an IPP sentence of 18 months and will have served 6 years in October. The judge at the time of sentencing said had he given him a Mandatory sentence it would have been 3 years. My son has served the equivalent of a 12 year mandatory sentence and as yet no hope of being released any time soon, his parole hearing is in November 2011 but the course he is supposed to complete is not until 2012 and he may not be given a place on this due to demand. My son has completed numerous courses over the years including life skills and educational ones to keep occupied and has had no judicial reviews, in other words he has done everything he can to reduce his offending behaviour. However the constant changing of the goal post, for example 4 years ago his probation officer and other professionals assessed that he did not need to complete the course he is now waiting for, but his probation officer left her post 2 years ago and a new probation officer decided he did need to complete this course. After moving to his 6th prison around 18 months ago he asked to be placed on the course and was informed that he could not be assessed for the next available course because the course was a 3 month low risk one and he needed to be assessed for the 6 month higher risk course which was not available until March 2011, however in March 2011 he was assessed for the 6 month higher risk course and was informed he was not suitable for it but would need to wait until 2012 for the next 3 month lower risk course. He will have to wait another 2 years for a parole hearing even if he is allowed to complete the 3 month course. Even then now that his new probation officer has left her job who knows what the next one will have to say or what goals he/she will set. No new reports have been prepared for his November parole because the work he is doing and his conduct is irrelevant to the parole hearing without the completion of the course. so the same old rehashed reports go forward and my son would have served the equivalent of a 14 year mandatory sentence by the time he is eligible for parole again. even then he will not be released because the structure of the IPP means he will have to serve more time in an open prison before release.
For those of you who do not know, my understanding is that an IPP prisoner begins his/her sentence in a category A prison (regardless of the crime or risk of re-offending) is then transferred to category B then category C then category D open prison. The courses are only available in a few prisons so IPPs get moved around or exchanged (one prisoner for another so they may attend many category A. B. or C prisons on their way to finding one that provides a course suitable for them and not necessarily in the order of A. B. or C), most prisons that provide courses provide 1-2 of a particular course per year depending on resources. Parole is every 2 years but can be anything up to 4 years depending on resources (parole can be postponed 3-12 months because reports have not been completed). The majority of courses have a 1-3 year waiting list. Completion of courses does not mean your loved one will be released as the goal post may change depending on the whim of the professional/non professional who writes the reports and moves the goal post. It makes no difference they have had no dealings with your loved one, may have met them once for 20 mins or less, or have never met them at all. It makes no difference either that the prison staff (personal officers) have a different opinion. Your loved one can complete every life skill course, educational program/course that a prison provides, but if they have not completed the course/courses in their report/assessment then they are deemed not to have reduced their risk of re-offending and more often than not the courses they have completed will not be mentioned in the report to the parole board. and lastly and IPP sentence is a life sentence of 99 years so the prison service can keep him/her for anything up to 99 years regardless of the courses completed or their behaviour, a model prisoner who has completed all courses can still be refused parole.
Radical Prison reform is needed it is inhumane to keep someone in prison with no end date, any time up to 99 years is not an acceptable end date.
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
hi
i just want to say to this government to fuck themself and i would love to see the fucking prime minster get done for ipp and sit and rot for 99years. in my book the prime minster is a total wanker
There seems to me a simple way to sort this problem of ipps in a fair way and that is to let all the prisoners out of jail at the end of their tarriff automatically unless they have refused to do their courses. The prisoners I feel sorry for are those like my friend who believe they are innocent but get an ipp and have to falsely say they are guilty just to get on an SOTP programme wheras if they had received a mandatory sentence they would get an automatic release date even ifthey still protested their innocence. I dont think much is discussed about this aspect of the IPP.
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
I agree that prisoners should be free after their sentence if all their courses have been completed. Im sure they have learnt their lesson i know my son has and he still has 18 months until his tariff
These ipps need a desperate review if they ever want prisoners to change. These prisoners got their sentence in court. How on earth can these judges that sentence these people have any inkling of what they might do in the future. That is what the ipp is -- what you might do when you get out, not what you have done and what you are in prison for. They have already got their sentence for that. You have all these do gooders that make the decisions that they are high risk, but how can a probation worker that has not had any training in pyschology be able to say this and also in a matter of minutes of meeting them. They write the pre-sentence reports for the judges to read. I agree that a march should be set up, it is not just the prisoners that are serving a sentence it is their families aswell -- mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. In this country we wouldnt be able to treat animals like this, so why are we treating humans this way. They have served their sentences for the crime they committed at the time so when their tariff is finished, release them so they can get back into society and turn their life around. I dont think that there would be many prisoners after serving many years inside would really want to go back to that way of life.
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
jacqeline delaney.
I couldn’t have put it better myself jacqeline.
My son is awaiting his sentence, and is expecting an ipp. i dread to think how it will affect him. its asolutely appalling that the goverment were ever allowed to make this law!
and i know that courses that they have to do, before even being elligible for parole, are so hard to get on, as there is a long waiting list, due to overcrowding in the prisons, and the courts demanding these prisoners attend such courses.
the goverment say they need to make cutbacks, yet they are sending out signals that the country is made of money, by handing out ipp’s. if they actually got their finger out and looked at the state of the prison system, they would realise that it would be to their advantage, to give these prisoners a release date, thus encouraging them to rehabilitate themselves.
ipp sentencing should be abolished immediately. and we families should do something together to make the government listen!!
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
ipp sentences should be stopped as soon as possible and tarif date should be end of sentence date
Reading these comments makes me feel sick! My son started a four year IPP in February, reduced to 3 years on appeal, so I naively thought he would be home Feb 2014. This sentence is totally unfair, he is only 19 with his whole life ahead of him, how can they say he is going to be dangerous forever? Dont we all grow up? He is locked up for 2 assaults, 2 drunken fights that he doesnt even remember! 5 lads arrested but only my son charged, probably because he was already on licence so made an easy target. Its like a horrible nightmare that you never wake up from. Something has to be done to end this horrible sentence. It is inhumane to keep people locked up with no date to aim for, they have to have a goal or else whats the point!
Indeterminate Sentences For Public Protection
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