There are 86,838 people in prison today, a fall of 124 on last week.

Prosecutions for strangulation in England and Wales increase sixfold in three years CPS says new law marked ‘significant shift in recognising serious nature’ of offence, often linked to domestic abuse and sexual assault www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Dame Carol Black appointed as independent advisor on drugs A little bit of positive news for Christmas: Dame Carol Black GBE has been appointed to the role of independent advisor to the UK government on drugs for a 3-year term until November 2028. www.gov.uk/government/n...

It's Day 22 of my Advent Calendar criminal justice quiz: www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

There are just six questions left in my Advent CalendarChristmas criminal justice quiz: www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

New 'gamechanging' spike detector technology that can tell if your vape has drugs in it to be trialled by police over Christmas www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

Incentivised Substance Free Living prison Wings work well for prisoners and staff Positive process evaluation of Incentivised Substance Free Living prison Wings www.russellwebster.com/incentivised...

The impact of Incentivised Substance Free Living prison wings Randomised Controlled Trial finds ISFL prison wings provide a more stable environment with fewer assaults and incidents of self-harm www.russellwebster.com/the-impact-o...

Urgent Notification on HMP Swaleside @HMIPrisonsnews has issued a UN after inspectors discovered "dangerously unsafe conditions for prisoners and staff". cdn.websitebuilder.service.justice.gov.uk/uploads/site...

Serious Further Offences keep rising HMI Probation's fourth annual report on serious further offences reveals poor communication with victims' families. www.russellwebster.com/serious-furt...

Looking for a new job in the New Year? @cjinnovation.bsky.social is looking for a new policy officer: www.russellwebster.com/job/cjipol12...

It's Day 15 of my Advent Calendar criminal justice quiz: www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

There are 86,962 people in prison today, a fall of 94 on last week.

Today's criminal justice quiz question asks about women in the CJS... www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

Influencing public opinion on crime Tom McNeill of Jabbs Foundation reviews the evidence on how organisations can influence public opinion on crime for the @clinks-charity.bsky.social Evidence Library. www.russellwebster.com/influencing-...

It's day 11 of my Advent Calendar criminal justice quiz: How much do you know about the CJS? www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

Neurodiversity in Custody: Screening Results for ADHD and Autistic Traits in Individuals Arrested by the London Metropolitan Police Interesting study by Dion Brown & colleagues onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Prisons must recognise the impact of childhood trauma @centreformh.bsky.social evaluation of @prisonadvice.bsky.social trauma-informed support project for young men at HMP Brinsford www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Prison education: it’s time to bridge the digital divide Cassie Edmiston, Head of Fundraising and External Affairs at @prisonersed.bsky.social , sets out how the government can boost digital learning in prisons. www.russellwebster.com/prison-educa...

Got 30 seconds to kill mindlessly? Why not try today's Advent Calendar criminal justice quiz? www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

Biggest reforms to policing since the 1960s ‘being threatened by lack of money’ Home secretary’s plans for a radical reshaping of policing could be delayed due to lack of funds via @VikramDodd And that sums up the current CJS situation in a nutshell www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Probation: An Extension of the Prison? "But the latest expectation, that probation practitioners will function as security guards or de facto prison officers, is a profound and dangerous misstep." Guest blog on @jimbrownblogger.bsky.social probationmatters.blogspot.com/2025/12/gues...

Three million people on remand worldwide More than three million people are held in pre-trial detention and other forms of remand in 218 countries. New report from World Prison Brief & ICPR www.russellwebster.com/three-millio...

There are 87,056 people in prison today, a fall of 7 on last week.

Russell's Advent Calendar Criminal Justice Quiz A new question every day this week... www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

HMP/YOI Doncaster inspection Committed leadership and dedicated staff driving progress although problems with overcrowding and regime persist via @HMIPrisonsnews cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...

Today's quiz question asks about #EarnedProgression www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

Probation officers in England and Wales to be given self-defence training after stabbings Pilot schemes for bodycams, knife arches and metal detectors in probation offices also approved after attacks in Oxford and Preston www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Prison population to top 100,000 by 2030 The prison population is projected to increase to between 98,000 and 103,600 by March 2030, with a central estimate of 100,600. www.russellwebster.com/prison-popul...

Built to Harm: how women's prisons take lives New @inquest-org.bsky.social report says that women who died in prison could still be alive today if the government had listened to calls from campaigners and years of evidence to end the imprisonment of women. www.inquest.org.uk/built-to-har...

Today's quiz question is about the Rademaker Review... www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

Working with veterans on probation HMI Probation Academic Insight on working with ex-service personnel in the community www.russellwebster.com/working-with...

Russell's Advent Calendar 2025 Today's quiz question ask about women on remand... www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

The latest edition of Probation Institute Probation Quarterly covers a whole range of issues including toxic masculinity, brain injury and public protection static1.squarespace.com/static/5ec3c...

All the latest resources for justice practitioners The newest additions to the Butler Trust Knowledge Exchange site for prison, probation and youth justice practitioners. www.russellwebster.com/all-the-late...

Lammy announces court reforms following Leveson review New ‘Swift Courts’ will see cases with a likely sentence of three years or less heard by a Judge alone Guaranteed jury trials for the most serious and almost all indictable offences

Day 2 of my Advent Calendar criminal justice quiz asks about girls in custody www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

For the last few years starting on 1 December I have run an Advent calendar criminal justice quiz with one question every day until Christmas. if you fancy getting involved, you can find this year's calendar on the link below. Festive greetings www.russellwebster.com/russells-adv...

Experts warn of ‘global crisis’ as number of women in prison nears one million Number of women incarcerated around the world rising at nearly three times the rate of men, with female prisoners often subjected to sexual violence and forced labour www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

Police protection: best evidence and practice @cjinnovation.bsky.social Innovation briefing finds a wide variation across forces in how police protection is used www.russellwebster.com/police-prote...

Bid to let drug users smoke cocaine in Glasgow consumption room Officials say a smoking space for taking cocaine is "critical in order to realise the full benefit" of the facility. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Children on remand: "A production line of pointlessness" @childrenscomm.bsky.social says custodial remand must not be a waiting room for children whose real need is care, housing or mental health support. www.russellwebster.com/children-on-...

Victims protected through domestic abuse orders - Over 1000 issued in the pilot sites - Greater Manchester, 3 London boroughs (Croydon, Bromley and Sutton), Cleveland and North Wales - in the last 12 months www.gov.uk/government/n...

Concern about epilepsy deaths in prison Prisons and Probation Ombudsman expresses concern about preventable epilepsy deaths in prison www.russellwebster.com/concern-abou...

There are 87,332 people in prison today, an increase of 153 on last week and 374 over the last fortnight.

HMP Ranby inspection by @hmiprisonsnews.bsky.social Good progress overall but investment needed in houseblocks & drone prevention cloud-platform-e218f50a4812967ba1215eaecede923f.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/site...

Join Coaching Inside and Out’s interactive lunchtime workshop for simple practical ways to boost energy and free up time. It's 10:00 - 11:30 on 25 November and free. Book here🔽 www.tickettailor.com/events/hmpps...

Nature for health and wellbeing in prison environments Interesting webinar 8 December ciria.org/CIRIA/Naviga...

The latest prison and probation staffing figures Winter 2025 HMPPS workforce bulletin shows fewer prison and more probation staff. www.russellwebster.com/the-latest-p...

MoJ to remove right to trial by jury for thousands of cases in controversial overhaul Courts minister Sarah Sackman says change needed to stop criminals opting for juries to delay cases, sometimes by years, and clear huge backlog www.theguardian.com/law/2025/nov...