Decade after inspector left in disgust, report tells of filth

UK: Dirty, mice-infested cells, high levels of self-harm, and widespread bullying over drugs and medications were just some of the damning findings of a report into conditions at Holloway, Britain's largest women's prison.

Nearly a decade after her predecessor, Sir David Ramsbotham, walked out of the jail in disgust over conditions, the chief inspector of prisons, Anne Owers, found that many of the north London jail's "fundamental problems" remained.

In particular, Ms Owers said that four out of seven key recommendations made by an inspection team nearly three years ago had still not been met. She also criticised the jail for failing to meet a principal recommendation from 2002 that girls should no longer be kept at Holloway.

However, she praised the prison's management team for making significant improvements since her last inspection, to Holloway's healthcare system and the amount of time inmates were spending out of their cells.

Designed in the 19th century as a mixed prison, Holloway has been plagued with problems ever since the 1970s when it began admitting increasing numbers of women.

In 1995 Sir David called for "immediate improvements" when he pulled out of an inspection after seeing rats, ants and cockroaches, and finding heavy-handed security, bullying, inadequate education facilities,low staff morale and poor healthcare.

In recent years, prison reformers have expressed concerns about levels of drug abuse, self-harm and suicide. And last year, Inquest, an organisation that works with families of those who have died in custody, reported that Holloway officers were cutting down as many as five women a day from nooses.

In her 2002 report, Ms Owers said it was "inexcusable and depressing" that young girls were being held on wings alongside older women inmates.

In her new report Ms Owers found the practice continued.

She also found "unacceptable" standards of cleanliness and parts of the jail with serious infestations of mice, pigeons and insects.

Inmates were forced to use sanitary towels as improvised seats on filthy toilets and to plug gaps under doors in an attempt to keep out rodents.

"Holloway has undoubtedly progressed since the last inspection but not to the extent that managers had hoped and we had expected," said Ms Owers.

"The previous management team have tackled some of the acute problems with enthusiasm but aspects of the underlying culture remained unaddressed."

The chief inspector also revealed that none of the staff working with children and young adults had received enhanced checks from the Criminal Records Bureau and highlighted the "extremely unsafe practice" of locking young women in bathrooms while showering.

"While the intention was clearly to keep others out, the reality was that juveniles and young adults were locked in showers in groups of three without prior risk assessments and without constant staff supervision," said the report.

Yesterday Tony Hassall, the governor of Holloway, said this practice had now been discontinued. He also said he planned to transfer the last juvenile to more suitable accommodation this week.

According to the chief inspector's report, half the inmates of Holloway felt "noticeably less safe" than in other women's prisons and staff are having to manage a "very high level of distress".

Minority ethnic and foreign national prisoners were particularly vulnerable, said Ms Owers.

Although Ms Owers recognised that pressures on staff and management should ease following the opening last year of HMP Bronzefield, a new women's prison in Ashford, Middlesex, she recommended that Holloway should rework its anti-bullying strategy, comprehensively review its procedures for managing women at risk of self-harm and suicide and ensure that under-18s were no longer held.

Welcoming the chief inspector's findings, Phil Wheatley, the director of prisons, pointed out that Holloway had just opened a new mother and baby unit and a refurbished healthcare centre was due to be completed in April.

"The governor and senior management team are determined to maintain the impetus for change," he said.

However, Mark Leech, editor of the Prisons Handbook, said it was high time that Holloway was demolished.

"This prison has had more than enough 'final chances' and if nobody can improve it, I believe it is time to make a radical decision about its future."

By Mark Honigsbaum posted 31 March 05

End of years of despair as Holloway closes its doors

But now Holloway prison in north London - where Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain, was hanged in 1955 - has been earmarked for closure, along with several other women's prisons, which have been hit by a spate of suicides.

Related:

Most women 'should not be jailed'
Women make up 6% of the prison population in England and Wales. Imprisonment of women should be "virtually abolished", a prison reform group has said. The Howard League for Penal Reform said jail should be reserved for women who commit serious or violent offences and remain a danger to the public.

Youth 'murdered for officers' pleasure'
UK: An Asian teenager was murdered by a white racist after they were placed in the same cell as part of a game to fulfil the "perverted pleasure" of prison officers, a public inquiry heard on Friday.

Inquest blames jail for overdose death
UK: An inquest jury returned a verdict itemising a catalogue of faults at Styal prison in Cheshire, concluding that the prison's "failure of duty of care" contributed to the death of Sarah Campbell, 18, who took an overdose of tablets on the first day of her three-year sentence.

Put in the way of self-harm in a place intended to protect others
UK: Sarah Campbell, 18, spent the last hours of her life in the segregation unit of Styal prison, Cheshire. "The seg", as those places are referred to, used to be known as "the block", short for punishment block. [ Seg is a bullshit word for Punishment, Solitary Confinement, Torture, Mental Illness, Self-Harm, Human Rights Abuse and that is State Terror.]

Britain 'sliding into police state'
The home secretary, Charles Clarke, is transforming Britain into a police state, one of the country's former leading anti-terrorist police chiefs [false flag police chiefs] said yesterday.

UK solitary confinement
UK: Segregation units are prisons within prisons - the places where the most unchecked brutality is meted out to prisoners. In recent years conditions in high security segregation units have deteriorated, and the use of long-term segregation as a control mechanism has increased.

Inquiry must root out prison racists
UK: It is difficult to imagine a more brutal murder than that of Zahid Mubarek. The 19-year-old was clubbed to death by his cellmate at Feltham Young Offender Institution in the early hours of 21 March 2000. He was due to be released just a few hours later.

Prison suicides soar as jails hire 'babysitters'
UK: Prison officers are being taken off suicide watch and replaced by unqualified 'babysitters' because the system is overwhelmed by an epidemic of self-harm.

Plan to sell off juvenile jails as job lot
UK: The government is to put out to tender all its dedicated juvenile jails that hold children under 18 in a departure in Whitehall's privatisation programme.

Failure to sack 'racist' prison staff condemned
UK: Two prison officers suspended for racism are still on full pay three years after a stash of Nazi memorabilia, neo-fascist literature and Ku Klux Klan-inspired 'nigger-hunting licences' was found in a police raid on their home.

Report slams 'unjust' jailing of women on remand
UK: Six out of 10 women sent to jail while they await trial are acquitted or given a non-custodial sentence, a report published today reveals. Introducing the report, Lady Kennedy QC calls for a complete review of the use of remand and bail for women saying it is "inhumane and unjust".

Concern as UK prison suicides hit record level
UK: More prisoners took their own lives in English jails in August than in any other month since records began, prison reformers said today.

End of years of despair as Holloway closes its doors
But now Holloway prison in north London - where Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in Britain, was hanged in 1955 - has been earmarked for closure, along with several other women's prisons, which have been hit by a spate of suicides.

How detox and self-help brought suicide jail back from the brink
UK: Six suicides in 12 months made Styal jail notorious and the Prisons Ombudsman criticised the prison and its staff for serious failures. But things are changing.

Belmarsh detainees consider suicide, says freed man
UK: The first of the Muslim detainees released from Belmarsh high security prison after being held on suspicion of terrorism has told the Guardian his fellow prisoners are suffering such severe mental problems that they constantly consider suicide.

Suicides and unrest have soared, admits Home Office
UK:The already overcrowded prison population is set to go on rising and will top 80,000 within the next three years, a senior Home Office civil servant warned yesterday.

England tops the EU in imprisonment
England and Wales jail more offenders per capita than any other European, Union country, according to new figures.

Rau ordeal a raw deal

Rau ordeal prompts call for separate Qld inquiry but the community calls for a public inquiry!

The Queensland Government has been urged to hold its own inquiry into mental health and corrective services in light of the Cornelia Rau case.

The Queensland Alliance, which represents mental health and prisoner groups, says Ms Rau's treatment after she was picked up by police on Cape York Peninsula exposes significant systematic failings.

Ms Rau spent time in a Queensland prison and a hospital before being handed to immigration authorities who kept her in detention for another four months.

Alliance executive director Jeff Cheverton says mental health sufferers are being abused in Queensland and it is time to find out why.

"There needs to be a thorough ongoing investigation," he said.

"I don't think there's been an inquiry into mental health in Queensland since the 1970s and the latest inquiry was the Burdekin inquiry in 1993, which found enormous human rights abuses.

"Clearly the Government isn't giving mental health the priority that we believe it deserves."

The Federal Fascist Government has appointed a former Federal Police commissioner to look into the case? Police investigating themselves!

What will we get from this fascist governments private police enquiry? A whitewash, new draconian legislation (that oppresses the community further), certainly not the truth, or even a better policy that ensures that this doesn't happen again. Not even those responsible taken to task. Argue for reverse surveillance! We want a public inquiry!

By Public Inquiry 9 February 05

Australian held in Baxter detention centre
It has been revealed an Australian resident has been locked up in Baxter Detention Centre in South Australia for the past four months. Authorities had been unable to establish her identity since she was found wandering in far north Queensland last September.

Lawyers want Baxter detainee released for treatment !
Lawyers acting for a hunger-striking detainee inside South Australia's Baxter detention centre have asked the Federal Court to order a psychiatric assessment for the man, saying he needs to be in mental health care, not detention.

Baxter protesters 'being denied water, sleep'?
One of the three Iranian men has been on the roof of the gymnasium since Sunday last week, with two others joining him on Tuesday.

Detainees urged to abandon rooftop protest!
Kathy Verran from Rural Australians for Refugees, says one of the men has since come down and has been taken into the management unit. [solitary confinement for Xmas?]

Advocates warn of detention centre riot risk
A prominent refugee advocate warns South Australia's Baxter Detention Centre is on the brink of a major riot. A protest involving about 25 male detainees broke out at the centre on Tuesday, over a new system which is delaying the process of dispensing medication to detainees.

Villawood detainees go on hunger strike
A refugee advocacy group says up to 200 detainees at the Villawood Detention Centre, in Sydney, have begun a hunger strike to draw attention to their situation ahead of the federal election.

Afghan children lose High Court battle against detention
Lawyers have lost their constitutional challenge to the detention of four children at a South Australian immigration centre. Four siblings from Afghanistan, aged between seven and 15, have been in detention since they arrived in Australia in 2001.

Australia's "GITMO" System
Australia's "GITMO" System In June 2002 on the PM program on ABC radio, PHILIP RUDDOCK is quoted as saying: "Well, let me just say, detention centres are not prisons. They are administrative detention.

Senior cleric damns Baxter as 'disgraceful'
A senior world religious figure has called on the Federal Government to scrap its mandatory detention policy after visiting the Baxter detention centre in South Australia's north.

Detention centre media ban criticised
The Howard Government has been criticised in a report by media freedom advocate Reporters Without Borders for stopping journalists covering the conditions in refugee detention centres.

Baxter detainee continues hunger strike
A detainee at the Baxter detention centre near Port Augusta in South Australia has been on a hunger strike for a week. Sri Lankan Zeldon Daggie, 23, says he has been detained since arriving in Australia four years ago.

Democrats to keep up pressure over asylum seekers
The Australian Democrats will maintain their pressure on the next federal government over Australia's treatment of asylum seekers, if the party can retain its strength in the Senate.

DNA leads 'CSI' cold-case squad to first arrest?

Breakthrough? ....Johanne Coral Hatty, was murdered 21 years ago now police say they have DNA evidence? But what they have is Mind-Set!

Frozen case? I don't really know what to say about them until they come up with their case. They say it involves DNA evidence but that's the only stuff we know.

It has been almost 21 years since the night Johanne Coral Hatty was murdered in a Neutral Bay scenic reserve when the Sydney restaurant hostess returned home from work.

The hunt for her killer waned as the decades passed. But it gained new focus six months ago when the newly formed NSW Unsolved Homicide Unit reopened her case file after watching 'CSI' on CH/9 for the last three weeks at 8.30 pm on Sunday night? - Just in case you missed it!

Now in the remote south-west Victorian grazing hamlet of Willatook yesterday, police from the unit took another step in attempting to solve the unsolved case, no mystery?

At 7am they knocked on the door of David Graham Fleming. The 51-year-old wheelchair-bound invalid pensioner with one leg was arrested on a warrant for the murder of Ms Hatty, 24, on Saturday, February 18, 1984, in the Spains Wharf Lookout Reserve.

Fleming, a married man, is the first person - in a case book of 400 unsolved murders in NSW spanning back to 1970 - to be arrested by the unit, which was formed to see if new forensics could shed light on unsolved cases.

One wonders where they got his DNA evidence from?

The arrest came after it was revealed that the nine-member unit believed it was close to cracking its first case?

Just before 4pm yesterday an unshaven Fleming, who has lived in Willatook for three years, wearing a workman's orange fluoro jacket, was wheeled before the Warrnambool magistrate, Michael Coghlan.

He said 'nothing' as Mr Coghlan read the warrant seeking his return to Sydney, 'nor did police reveal in open court how they had come to link him to the crime or his ties to the North Shore in 1984? The homicide squad's commander, Detective Superintendent Paul Jones, did say, however, that the breakthrough in the case resulted from DNA evidence?

Fleming's lawyer, Cherianne Lenehan, opposed the application, saying Fleming had a severe spinal problem that affected his ability to travel, made it difficult for him to sit in one spot for too long, and forced him to sleep sitting up because he had difficulty breathing.

She said Fleming's wife, who sat alone in the court, was his sole carer and relied on Centrelink for support.

But Mr Coghlan said he would grant the extradition for his appearance in Sydney's Central Local Court tomorrow, saying to Fleming: "Do you understand?" A loud "Sir" was the reply.

The Police Commissioner, Ken Moroney, yesterday praised the detectives involved, saying: "This result is a combination of the very best technology and persistence and sheer hard work."?

Rubbish this is a promotion for noble cause corruption and Maroney is in on it. In short a blatant lie by the commissioner of police to promote unsound evidence for noble purposes and validate the expense of the Cold Case operation.

Just read the links about DNA and then get Maroney to tell us how he got this man's DNA? Then get an independent witness to test the evidence before you disrupt other people's lives!

It looks bad. A bunch of NSW cops in the media spotlight to solve old cases for which a lot of the evidence will be gone and no one will be able to confirm alibis any more. Sounds like a recipe for dodgy investigations and unsafe convictions. But that's hardly anything new in this state.

In a prepared statement Ms Hatty's parents, Bill and Coral, thanked detectives.

"It has been 20 years since the murder of our daughter Johanne and this has been an extremely difficult time for our family," they said.

"We would like to sincerely thank the NSW Police Unsolved Homicide Team for their perseverance and efforts in the investigation of the crime, and their courtesy in dealing with us during their investigations.

"As the matter is now before the court, we of course are not able to comment further. We request the media respect our privacy and not attempt to contact the family at this difficult time."

It would be nice if they actually got their act together to allow prisoners access to DNA to prove their innocence instead of always spending so much time and effort using it to arrest and harass people - but that's never going to happen under a Carr government of course.

Mind Set

Welcome to the Cold Case guide at TV Tome.

Cold Case stars Kathryn Morris as Lilly Rush, the lone female detective in the Philadelphia homicide squad who finds her calling when she's assigned to "cold cases" -- crimes that have never been solved. When she hits a dead-end, Lilly seeks advice from her respected mentor, Lt. John Stillman (John Finn). Also on the team are Det. Scotty Valens (Danny Pino), Rush's confident and strong-willed partner, Det. Will Jeffries (Thom Barry), who's been around long enough to know where all the bodies are buried and Det. Nick Vera (Jeremy Ratchford), a tough cop who's considered the go-to guy for getting a confession. Lilly makes it her business to ensure that no victim is ever forgotten.

Produced by Warner Bros. Television
In association with CBS Productions.

No link available

Noble Cause Corruption

A corrupt way to treat the community?
NSW: CH/9 Sunday: "The suicide of one of NSW's most senior investigators in August has underlined a crisis gripping the state's police service"? [police force.]

Trial By Media

Ch/9 News? Or Ch/9's Department of Public Prosecutions?
Channel Nine is thinking of taking over from the Department of Public Prosecutions in the Falconio case.

Supreme Court rejects Nine appeal
CHANNEL Nine lost a Supreme Court appeal today to have a suppression order on details of the case of missing backpacker Peter Falconio lifted. The Full Bench of the NT Supreme Court today ruled Magistrate Alasdair McGregor had the power to make the order banning from publication some details of the case.

Changes to Evidence Laws
Evidence law reform a boost for business: ALRC
"The Evidence Act regulates the way in which evidence is collected, presented and evaluated in criminal and civil court proceedings. The rules of evidence contained in the Act are, therefore, central to operation of the whole justice system.

By Les Kennedy, Glen Bernoth and Just Us 19 January 05

Related:

Safeguards demanded for DNA database
Privacy safeguards are required to combat the intrusive effects of the police DNA database, it has been claimed.

I tracked down Janine's killer, says MP
A Miscarriages of Justice ... MP Peter Breen and Inset Innocent Stephen Wayne "Shorty" Jamieson cemented into Goulburn Prison for Life and Victim Janine Balding.

Criminal's DNA filed under relative's name
The New South Wales Opposition is calling for an investigation into claims that police have entered DNA data for serious offenders under incorrect names.

DNA fingerprinting 'no longer foolproof'...
The genetic profiles held by police for criminal investigations are not sophisticated enough to prevent false identifications, according to the father of DNA fingerprinting.

THE BUTLER DIDN'T DO IT!
PROFESSOR BARRY BOETTCHER: Now, there should be a law enacted within Queensland so that when cases come up like this they can be brought to attention and if an appropriate authority such as a judge of your Supreme Court considers that it merits further inquiry, an inquiry be ordered.

'Rape' officer clears his name
UK: A former policeman has been cleared of rape after protesting his innocence for 15 years. Judges at the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh ruled that Brian Kelly, 47, had suffered a miscarriage of justice over crucial DNA evidence.

New unit investigates unsolved deaths?
A new police unit has been established to investigate more than 360 unsolved deaths in New South Wales, with many of the deaths dating back more than 30 years.

Prisoner's bid for review denied
Prisoner Roger Cheney has lost a Supreme Court action to have a judicial review of his 1993 convictions an 30-year jail sentence. Justice Shaw said he was concerned about the prisoner's claim that DNA evidence held by the police could prove his innocence. Although Cheney had requested the results of the DNA tests, he had been denied access to the forensic analysis.

QLD Prisoners DNA Bid THE curious case of Queensland's "cat lady" murder is set to test the state's legal authorities again, with the man convicted of the killing asking the Attorney-General to take the unprecedented step of releasing blood samples for DNA retesting.

Database clears up crimes?
NSW Police Minister John Watkins said at the launch of a Sydney conference of international forensic experts meeting to mark 100 years of fingerprinting in NSW. He said the collection of DNA from prisoners and suspects in NSW during the past two years had led to more than 5,400 matches on the forensic database.

A Question of Innocence
Katrina Bolton: The promise of DNA freeing the innocent as well as convicting the guilty has been repeated by politicians across Australia, usually while DNA laws are being expanded. The promise was made as a national DNA database, ‘Crimtrac’ was created, and it was made as NSW introduced legislation giving unprecedented powers to take DNA samples from prisoners, by force if necessary.

Weak Carr Government suspends Innocence Panel
It's a callous disregard for justice! The panel takes applications from convicted prisoners for DNA evidence to be analysed a move that may help in a future court appeal.

JUST BEAT IT! Govt lauds crime-solving technology?
The New South Wales Government says advances in crime solving technology are helping the progress of hundreds of police investigations.

DNA testing causes debate in murder case
The use of voluntary DNA testing in the investigation of a murder case in New South Wales has been applauded by victim support groups who are ill informed about the process said Justice Action's spokesperson Gregory Kable.

Abolition of double jeopardy law a political stunt: NSW Opp
Why draconian laws? What about the re-trial by media that goes along with it? Twice shy?

ARE YOU INNOCENT?
The NSW government has finally appointed somebody (Justice John Nader) to head up its Innocence Panel and has produced leaflets and forms for people convicted of serious crimes (eg murder) to apply for DNA testing if they believe it may help prove their innocence. You can get the info by phoning 1300 881 717 or writing to the panel at GPO Box 45 Sydney NSW 2001.

Is the Westminster System flawed?
Most people would say Lady Di got the boot and NSW has so much trouble getting the Innocence Panel moving. I said hey, what's going on!

Murder charge first for DNA data bank link, but not the same as solving the murder Mass DNA testing of prisoners has led to the first NSW case of a person being charged with a previously unsolved murder as a result of a controversial gene-matching data bank. The Herald reported 25 Nov 02 "a DNA saliva swab led to the charging of a former prisoner with the bashing murder of a woman. Police had been unable to find any witnesses or suspects following the murder in Sydney's inner city two years ago. Detectives had admitted they faced a tough job finding the killer."

Prisoners can prove innocence for $20
Les Kennedy Daily Telegraph reported today that" Prisoners who believe that DNA will prove they were wrongly convicted will have the chance to prove their innocence for a mere $20 administration fee. The move comes 20 months after NSW inmates were asked to provide DNA for comparison with a databank of DNA from unsolved crime scenes for possible convictions.

DNA yours or mine?
Now they have isolated two genes that they say tells you if you're more likely to be depressed. What does that mean? It could mean that you should stay in jail because you are more likely than not to continue your offending behaviour according to a Department of Corrective Services Forensic Psychiatrist.

DNA = Do Not Assume - DNA Controversies!
The national DNA database of all known offenders proposed by Prime Minister Tony Blair could mean that innocent people will be accused of crimes they did not commit.

DNA Evidence of Bipartisanship
Last week the U.S. Congress passed the Justice for All Act, which includes provisions of the Innocence Protection Act. As of this posting, the legislation has not yet been signed by President Bush. Attached is an analysis of the legislation prepared by the Justice Project.

DNA - A Shadow of Doubt
One case points to misinterpretation of evidence that helped put a man behind bars. The other shows just how easy it is to plant falsely incriminating DNA evidence. As our forensic techniques become ever more sensitive, so the possibility of abuse continues to grow.