The Johnson Partnership, News

20/03/25

Fewer than 1 in 200 crimes result in jail time, with career criminals often avoiding justice, new analysis reveals. An estimated 13 million crimes occurred in the year to September 2024, but only 71,573 jail sentences were handed down, equating to just 0.5%. This data highlights that prolific offenders, responsible for a significant portion of crime, continue to evade prison. The number of prolific offenders has risen over the past decade, with many being spared jail despite having dozens of prior convictions.

24/02/25

Criminals sentenced to community service are being allowed to complete up to 30% of their required hours at home, according to a watchdog report. The HM Inspectorate of Probation found that offenders were spending this time on online education and training (ETE) courses—despite most considering them unhelpful and lacking valid certification.

27/01/25

Organised crime gangs using drones to smuggle contraband have effectively seized control of the airspace over two high-security prisons, posing a serious risk to national security, according to Charlie Taylor, the Chief Inspector of Prisons. Taylor revealed that HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire and HMP Manchester have become hubs for illegal trade, with organized criminals using drones to deliver drugs, mobile phones, and weapons to inmates, including gang leaders and terrorists.

18/12/24

Metropolitan Police civilian staff, including 999 call handlers and child protection officers, have voted to strike in protest over a requirement to spend more time working in the office.

More than half of the 2,400 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union supported the industrial action after being told they would need to return to the office starting in January.

27/11/24

Recent reports reveal a dramatic increase in "crash-for-cash" scams involving moped riders, with incidents up by an astonishing 380% over the past year. These scams, where fraudsters stage accidents to make false insurance claims, have been primarily driven by the rise of pay-as-you-go insurance for delivery drivers.

According to Direct Line, the ease of obtaining insurance for mopeds has allowed scammers posing as delivery riders to exploit the system.