ipp's

[bullseye]

Is it true that ipp's are being scrapped? My partner has been told that they are going to the high court this month regarding them, but can anyone tell me if this is true.

Thanks!

[Ethel]

?

[daffy654]

Do you mean PPI's?(Payment Protection Insurance).

[Buenchico]

If there's a relevant case going before the High Court this month, it's likely to be the government's appeal against the Court's ruling in the case of David Walker.

The previous court ruling did not state that IPPs are unlawful, per se. However, it ruled that they way that are actually operated can, in some cases, breach the prisoner's human rights. David Walker (a sex offender) was given an IPP which, like all such sentences, meant that he couldn't be released from prison until it was considered safe for him to rejoin society. However, his lawyers successfully argued that the parole system prevented him from ever being able to prove that he could safely be released.

For details of the ruling, see here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6923434.stm

For analysis of the possible legal implications, if the government lose the appeal, see here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6924266.stm

However, as the last sentence in that report indicates, it would probably require another test case before the government would be required to make any changes. Even then, they'd only be required to change the way that IPPs operate; there would be no requirement for them to completely abolish them.

Chris

[bullseye]

My partner thought that he may be at risk of an ipp as i explained in a previous question. However i have been told that this is usually mentioned when someone is found guilty. My partner also says that in prison one has to sign a declaration that an ipp is accepted. He has not been asked to do this and is due to be sentenced on friday. How likely is it that he will be asked to do this on the day?

[its_me_baby]

what happened in the high court was the organisation Justice have said it is a breech of human rights to keep people in prison after there minimum tarriff expires. This is because the government never put in enough resources and so many judges have issued ipp's that the prisons can't handle then neither can the parole board handle them either.
They won in the high court which could mean loads of prisoners some of whom are dangerous being released immediatly. But the judge has given the government chance leave to appeal. That means that the government will appeal then have to review ipp's and how they are handed out. My hubby has one even though the reports say hes not a risk but he's appealed to have his lifted