Met police to pilot facial recognition identity checks, mayor confirms Sadiq Khan reveals 100 officers will use roaming technology - basically scan someone's face with their phone - for six months but opponents call its use ‘alarming’ www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

New resources for justice practitioners in 2026 The newest additions to the Butler Trust Knowledge Exchange site for prison, probation and youth justice practitioners. www.russellwebster.com/new-resource...

CPS issues new guidance on ‘honour’-based and dowry abuse Updated guidance from Crown Prosecution Service covers forms of spiritual and immigration abuse for first time www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

David Lammy sets out vision for the CJS including: New AI courts assistant and National Listing Framework to standardise listing and limit unnecessary delays for victims ‘Blitz’ courts surge to tackle backlog of assault against emergency workers www.gov.uk/government/n...

Probation and AI MoJ has just published this: From 7 Oct 2025 - 12 Feb 2026 >150,000 meetings were summarised using Justice Transcribe, potentially saving 25,000 hours assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/699c4f...

HMP & YOI Low Newton inspection "Inspectors found a well‑run prison where strong, trusting relationships between staff and women were central to its success." via @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social cdn.websitebuilder.service.justice.gov.uk/uploads/site...

Criminal Crown Courts will be funded to hear as many cases as possible next year to tackle largest ever backlog. A further £287 million will also be invested into the fabric of the court estate itself www.gov.uk/government/n...

There are 87,367 people in prison today, a fall of 67 on last week.

Digital harm reduction services evaluation "Digital interventions like Here4UScotland offer significant benefits in enhancing harm reduction engagement and access, fostering new connections and community among vulnerable populations" link.springer.com/article/10.1...

HMP Coldingley inspection Drugs, serious prisoner-on-prisoner violence and staff performance all concerns. Education and sentence progression work not good enough. via @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social cdn.websitebuilder.service.justice.gov.uk/uploads/site...

HMP Thameside Progress Review Good progress in healthcare, teaching, regime & support for those at risk of self-harm. But, still too much violence and drugs Via @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social cdn.websitebuilder.service.justice.gov.uk/uploads/site...

Acquired Brain Injury and links to domestic abuse Dr Hope Kent and Professor Stan Gilmour highlight the prevalence of Acquired Brain Injury and links to domestic abuse in justice-involved women for @hmiprobation.bsky.social www.russellwebster.com/acquired-bra...

FIGHTBACK Centre for Women's Justice's new film exposes a stark injustice: women who acted in response to serious, often prolonged violence are serving life sentences, their experiences minimised or misunderstood by the criminal justice system. Watch 🔽 vimeo.com/1143761943/6...

Sentencing trends over the last 20 years The @sentencingacademy.bsky.social publishes a range of fascinating infographics on sentencing trends over the last 20 years via their Sentencing Hub. www.russellwebster.com/sentencing-t...

Latest probation staff numbers 5,454 FTE band 4 POs in post - UP 172 since 31 Dec 2024 but DOWN 122 FTE (2.2%) compared to 30 Sept 2025. There were 5,400 FTE band 3 PSOs: a slight increase of 84 since 31 Dec 2024 but no substantial change since 30 Sept 2025. www.gov.uk/government/s...

Latest prison staff numbers 22,067 FTE band 3-5 prison officers in post - down 974 since 31 Dec 2024 and 🔽467 since 30 Sept 2025 5,353 FTE band 2 operational support staff in post - down 157 FTE (2.8%) since 31 Dec 2024 and 🔽35 since 30 Sept 2025 www.gov.uk/government/s...

Today's knife crime stats for the year to Sept 2025 show a small overall increase: 20,771 offences (vs 20,457 in 2024) There was a slight fall in offences resulting in immediate custody - 63,97 vs 6,730 last year. Full details in my chart public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

‘Game-changer’ jab for opioid dependency treatment linked to lower NHS demand Buvidal injectons could ease pressure on healthcare services, but should be offered as part of a wider, person-centred treatment system www.herts.ac.uk/about-us/new...

Wasteman review – Brit prison drama is as lethal and nasty as a sharpened toothbrush Some of the tropes are familiar, but this brutally violent and gripping film sidesteps the cliches with committed acting and fierce storytelling punch www.theguardian.com/film/2026/fe...

Changes to Youth Justice Board are a 'power play' by central government John Drew analyses changes to the YJB in CYP Now www.cypnow.co.uk/content/comm...

New technology to help combat drug and alcohol addiction The AHG Catalysing Innovation Awards will award £20m for new medicines, medical devices, wearables, virtual‑reality therapies, treatment apps and artificial‑intelligence‑enabled tools. www.gov.uk/government/n...

A modern youth justice system The MoJ has published its policy for a modern youth justice system - but what does it say?https://www.russellwebster.com/a-modern-youth-justice-system/

There are 87,433 people in prison today, an increase of 121 on last week.

HMP Parc progress review Significant restrictions to the daily regime persisted, mainly because of staff shortages. However, drug use reduced. @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social cdn.websitebuilder.service.justice.gov.uk/uploads/site...

HMP Onley Progress Review Oversight of the use of force had improved, leadership better, attendance at education & work up. But drugs still a problem and physical security work not started. @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social cdn.websitebuilder.service.justice.gov.uk/uploads/site...

Tackling racism in prisons Zahid Mubarek Trust launches Movement for Race Equality in Prisons www.russellwebster.com/tackling-rac...

Great Mentoring Opportunity with National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance artsincriminaljustice.org.uk/our-work/cre...

Youth Justice - A Missed Opportunity? @robroballen.bsky.social casts his usual forensic eye over new youth justice policy reformingprisons.blogspot.com/2026/02/yout...

Criminals exploit ‘stigma and embarrassment’ to sell fake erectile dysfunction drugs UK officials have seized almost 20m fake pills since 2021, many containing incorrect doses or toxic ingredients www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

From Hope to Delivery: Five essential next steps for Government action on alcohol and other drugs via Collective Voice www.collectivevoice.org.uk/news/from-ho...

Children who carry knives to get support earlier David Lammy announces mandatory support and mentoring plan in wake of two stabbings at a school in Brent www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Wrongfully jailed men call for change to compensation law Justin Plummer, Oliver Campbell and Peter Sullivan tell parliamentary inquiry they do not yet qualify for compensation despite being exonerated www.theguardian.com/law/2026/feb...

Unpacking prisoner property: A hidden source of conflict and complaint. A key findings paper from @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social cdn.websitebuilder.service.justice.gov.uk/uploads/site...

Serco accused of ‘petty and vindictive’ removal of artwork from court cells Government contractor stripped custody suites of motivational murals, Lay Observers report says www.theguardian.com/law/2026/feb...

There are 87,312 people in prison today, an increase of just 63 on last week.

Synthetic opioids may have caused hundreds more UK deaths than thought Study find nitazenes, which are up to 500 times stronger than heroin, can degrade significantly in portmortem blood samples www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

HMYOI Wetherby inspection Levels of self-harm and violence were high and too few children said they felt cared for. @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social cdn.websitebuilder.service.justice.gov.uk/uploads/site...

Prisons & health struggle with rapidly changing drug threats NAO report says prison and health services need to work more effectively in partnership www.russellwebster.com/prisons-heal...

Justice That Works: Report of the Scottish Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission The Scotitsh equivalent of the sentencing review but with a wider remit covering early interventions too www.gov.scot/publications...

The probation service is teetering on the brink - Public Accounts Committee report says staff are working under immense pressure in a seemingly toxic environment, in a culture built on emotional strain and trauma www.russellwebster.com/the-probatio... www.russellwebster.com/the-probatio...

Government will work with children to create the first ever child-friendly version of the Victims' Code www.gov.uk/government/n...

10 New Prison Facts From The Winter 2025/6 Bromley Briefing @prtuk.bsky.social prison factfile shows indicators on safety, use of force, purposeful activity and overcrowding all deteriorating significantly in the past two years. www.russellwebster.com/10-new-priso...

Justice delayed is justice denied Part II of Brian Leveson's Court Review makes recommendations about court efficiency including more remote hearings. www.russellwebster.com/justice-dela...

‘Supermax-style units’ for most dangerous criminals to be introduced in England and Wales David Lammy also tells MPs he will draw up legislation to stop prisoners using human rights laws to challenge tougher conditions www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

New prison houseblocks under construction at MP Northumberland Prison will gain four new houseblocks, boosting its capacity by 240 places www.gov.uk/government/n...

Why probation officers quit - or stick it out New research by @Nicola Carr, Harry Annison, Lol Burke Matt Millings & Gwen Robinson looks at the complex reasons why people leave or stay working in the probation service www.russellwebster.com/why-probatio...

There are 87,249 people in prison today, an increase of just 37 on last week.

HMP Whitemoor inspection Whitemoor was doing a difficult job reasonably well but the daily routine was inadequate. via @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social cdn.websitebuilder.service.justice.gov.uk/uploads/site...

The latest criminal justice trends (January 2026) - Includes the highest ever number of prison recalls - 12,836 people were recalled to prison in the THREE MONTH period between July and September 2025. www.russellwebster.com/the-latest-c...

Yesterday the Government published its first ever annual prison capacity statement which includes hopeful projections of the impact of the Sentencing Act. Nevertheless, the prison population is expected to hit 92,000 by 2032 www.gov.uk/government/p...