Offensive Weapons Bill—Lords Report Stage
There is understandable public concern about the recent spate of acid attacks and rise in knife crime in some inner-city areas. The government’s serious violence strategy recognises that many of the solutions lie in preventative rather than punitive measures, however proposals in the Offensive Weapons Bill, currently before Parliament risk undermining this valuable work.
The Prison Reform Trust co-signed a joint letter to the Home Secretary, outlining our serious concerns about the bill, and was covered by The Observer this weekend.
As the House of Lords prepares to debate the Offensive Weapons Bill on Tuesday 26 February, the Prison Reform Trust and Standing Committee for Youth Justice (SCYJ) have prepared a joint briefing to assist Peers.
We believe that many of the proposed measures within the bill will be ineffective in tackling the causes of violent behaviour. They increase the use of ineffective short mandatory minimum custodial sentences; create legal uncertainty; are likely to impact BAME communities disproportionality and further damage trust in the justice system.
We are extremely concerned about the government’s proposals for a Knife Crime Prevention Order (KCPO), which can be imposed on the balance of probability and are highly likely to be net-widening, labelling, disproportionately impact BAME communities, and impose more criminal sanctions on vulnerable children and young people. Earlier this month PRT and SCYJ, along with a coalition of organisations working with children and young people in the criminal justice system, wrote a letter published in The Times opposing the KCPO.
Click here to download a copy of the briefing.
There is understandable public concern about the recent spate of acid attacks and rise in knife crime in some inner-city areas. The government’s serious violence strategy recognises that many of the solutions lie in preventative rather than punitive measures, however proposals in the Offensive Weapons Bill, currently before Parliament risk undermining this valuable work.
The Prison Reform Trust co-signed a joint letter to the Home Secretary, outlining our serious concerns about the bill, and was covered by The Observer this weekend.
As the House of Lords prepares to debate the Offensive Weapons Bill on Tuesday 26 February, the Prison Reform Trust and Standing Committee for Youth Justice (SCYJ) have prepared a joint briefing to assist Peers.
We believe that many of the proposed measures within the bill will be ineffective in tackling the causes of violent behaviour. They increase the use of ineffective short mandatory minimum custodial sentences; create legal uncertainty; are likely to impact BAME communities disproportionality and further damage trust in the justice system.
We are extremely concerned about the government’s proposals for a Knife Crime Prevention Order (KCPO), which can be imposed on the balance of probability and are highly likely to be net-widening, labelling, disproportionately impact BAME communities, and impose more criminal sanctions on vulnerable children and young people. Earlier this month PRT and SCYJ, along with a coalition of organisations working with children and young people in the criminal justice system, wrote a letter published in The Times opposing the KCPO.
Click here to download a copy of the briefing.
