Policy reports

This section contains our major reports and reviews on a wide range of policy issues. It also contains green papers, white papers and government responses to parliamentary committee reports on major policy reviews.

Punishment and reform: our approach to managing offenders: Date: 17 December 2008; A summary of how the principles of punishment and reform underpin our approach to managing offenders.

Young black people and the criminal justice system - first annual report: Date: 16 December 2008; First annual report to the Home Affairs Select Committee on progress made in taking forward the recommendations of its inquiry, which considered how to tackle the over-representation of young black people in the criminal justice system.

Government response to the independent review of the use of restraint: Date: 15 December 2008; The government's response to the recommendations of the independent review of the use of restraint in juvenile secure settings.

Independent review of the use of restraint in juvenile secure settings: Date: 15 December 2008; An independent report by Peter Smallridge and Andrew Williamson reviewing the use of restraint across young offender institutions, secure training centres and secure children's homes.

Response to coroners' recommendations from Gareth Myatt and Adam Rickwood inquest: Date: 15 December 2008; An updated version of the action plan outlining the government's response to the coroners' recommendations following the inquests into the deaths of two teenagers in secure training centres.

Delivering the government response to the Corston Report: Date: 10 December 2008; The government's one year progress report on its strategy for addressing the needs of women offenders, in response to Baroness Corston's independent review of women with particular vulnerabilities in the criminal justice system.

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women: Date: 04 December 2008; An independent review of a protocol that allows women to take complaints directly to the UN if they believe their rights have been violated.

Government response to the Data Sharing Review: Date: 24 November 2008; The government's response to the recommendations of the Data Sharing Review.

Government response to Justice Select Committee report: towards effective sentencing: Date: 22 October 2008; The government's response to a Justice Select Committee report 'Towards effective sentencing' evaluating the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 2003.

Outcomes of applications to court for contact orders after parental separation or divorce: Date: 25 September 2008; A study commissioned by the government to research what happens between a contact case being brought to the family courts and a final contact order being made.

Pre-judgment interest on debts and damages: Date: 16 September 2008; The government's response to the Law Commission report on the amount of interest courts should award on debts and damages in court proceedings.

Equality policy for judicial office holders with disabilities: six-month review: Date: 13 August 2008; A review of the reasonable adjustments policy for judicial office holders with disabilities and an updated version of the policy.

Discussion Paper on Prison Mother and Baby Units: Date: 01 August 2008; Maria Eagle's response to the Children's Commissioner for England about the findings of his report 'Prison Mother and Baby Units'.

Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007: Progress towards implementation of custody provisions: Date: 21 July 2008; A report on the progress made by custody providers to prepare for the implementation of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.

Youth Crime Action Plan: Date: 16 July 2008; A comprehensive, cross-government analysis of what needs to be done to tackle youth crime.

An elected second chamber: Date: 14 July 2008; A White Paper setting out the government's proposals for the reform of the second chamber of the UK Parliament.

Sentencing Commission Working Group Report: Date: 10 July 2008; The final report of the Sentencing Commission Working Group set up by the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice in December 2007.

National framework for greater citizen engagement: Date: 09 July 2008; A discussion paper setting out the government's commitment to explore new methods of involving the public in debates and decision-making on national issues.

Government response to the Blakey Review: Date: 07 July 2008; The government's response to David Blakey's report on disrupting the supply of illicit drugs into prisons.

The Blakey Review: Disrupting the supply of illegal drugs into prisons: Date: 07 July 2008; David Blakey's report on the effectiveness of measures to disrupt the supply of illicit drugs into prison.

Governance of Britain: one year on: Date: 03 July 2008; A report setting out the progress achieved on the key commitments made in the Governance of Britain Green Paper for constitutional reform.

Delivering the government response to the Corston Report: Date: 24 June 2008; The government's six-month progress report on its strategy for addressing the needs of women offenders, in response to Baroness Corston's independent review of women with particular vulnerabilities in the criminal justice system.

Draft Charter for Bereaved People: Date: 18 June 2008; A revised draft version of the charter for bereaved people who come into contact with the coroner system, issued for comment.

Party finance and expenditure in the United Kingdom: Date: 16 June 2008; A White Paper that proposes measures to tighten controls on spending by parties and candidates.

Legal services reform update: Date: 06 June 2008; An update on the legal services reform programme and the implementation timetable for the Legal Services Act.

Alternative Business Structures fact sheet: Date: 09 June 2008; A fact sheet describing the main benefits of the Alternative Business Structures allowed for under legal services reforms.

Community Sentencing - Reducing Reoffending, Changing Lives: Date: 02 June 2008; A report showing how community sentences work and bringing together experiences of probation officers, offenders, victims, academics and third parties.

Claims Management Regulation: Impact of Regulation: Date: 22 May 2008; A study reviewing the impact of Claims Management Regulation over its first full year of operation, making an assessment of the impact in each of the regulated sectors.

Propriety and honours and propriety and peerages: Date: 16 May 2008; The government's response to recommendations made by the Public Administration Committee following its enquiry into whether the system of scrutiny for propriety of honours and peerages for political services was satisfactory.

Discussion paper - sensitive reporting in coroners' courts: Date: 27 March 2008; A discussion paper considering whether the Press Complaints Commission's code of conduct might be refined to ensure there is appropriate emphasis on the need for sensitive reporting of coroners' cases.

The government's response to coroners' recommendations following the inquests of Gareth Myatt and Adam Rickwood: Date: 27 March 2008; The government has drawn up an action plan responding to each of the coroners' recommendations in the inquests into the deaths of two teenagers in secure training centres. The action plan shows the volume of work being undertaken to safeguard the welfare of young people in custody.

A survey of buprenorphine misuse in prisons: Date: 13 March 2008; The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) commissioned a survey to assess the scale of the illegal use of the drug in prisons following the increased use of buprenorphine (Subutex) in the treatment of opioid dependence in the community.

Prison policy update - briefing paper: Date: 31 January 2008; A briefing paper providing an update on the government's prison policy, including steps we are taking in relation to the prison building programme, drugs, prison work and alternatives to custody.

Review of Voting Systems: the experience of new voting systems in the United Kingdom since 1997 (Cm7304): Date: 24 January 2008; The government has published its review of the experience of the new voting systems introduced since 1997.

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