By Graham Clews
06 August 2009
Rights campaigners have expressed reservations about new court orders to limit the movements of convicted violent offenders even after they have served their sentence.
The Asbo-style Violent Offender Orders were introduced on August 5. They can impose strict curfews on former prisoners for between two and five years once they have been released from prison. It applies to those who were sentenced for more than 12 months for a violent offence.
A VOO can be issued by a magistrate, following an application from the relevant police force. But civil liberties campaigners have warned there is a danger that they could be used too widely.
Sally Ireland, criminal justice policy officer at legal human rights organisation Justice, said VOOs were another step in a trend of imposing legal restrictions on the movements of an increasing number of people.
‘Without clearer restrictions on their use, it will be completely within the courts’ powers to use them quite freely,’ she said.
‘As we’ve seen with Asbos, they can be long term and wide ranging, and once they are on the statute book they can be used in all sorts of circumstances.’
The introduction of VOOs is one of the last parts of the 2008 Criminal Justice and Immigration Act to come into force.
Under the scheme, police forces will assess the likelihood of a soon-to-be released prisoner committing another violent offence. A magistrate will then determine whether or not restrictions should be imposed, and what form they will take.
A VOO could bar offenders from certain places and events, and from meeting specific people. An offender can be subject to a VOO at any time after their release from prison, or on licence, until they die, and both the police and the offender can apply to have the terms of the VOO altered. Police forces can also apply for extensions of up to five years.
06 August 2009
Rights campaigners have expressed reservations about new court orders to limit the movements of convicted violent offenders even after they have served their sentence.
The Asbo-style Violent Offender Orders were introduced on August 5. They can impose strict curfews on former prisoners for between two and five years once they have been released from prison. It applies to those who were sentenced for more than 12 months for a violent offence.
A VOO can be issued by a magistrate, following an application from the relevant police force. But civil liberties campaigners have warned there is a danger that they could be used too widely.
Sally Ireland, criminal justice policy officer at legal human rights organisation Justice, said VOOs were another step in a trend of imposing legal restrictions on the movements of an increasing number of people.
‘Without clearer restrictions on their use, it will be completely within the courts’ powers to use them quite freely,’ she said.
‘As we’ve seen with Asbos, they can be long term and wide ranging, and once they are on the statute book they can be used in all sorts of circumstances.’
The introduction of VOOs is one of the last parts of the 2008 Criminal Justice and Immigration Act to come into force.
Under the scheme, police forces will assess the likelihood of a soon-to-be released prisoner committing another violent offence. A magistrate will then determine whether or not restrictions should be imposed, and what form they will take.
A VOO could bar offenders from certain places and events, and from meeting specific people. An offender can be subject to a VOO at any time after their release from prison, or on licence, until they die, and both the police and the offender can apply to have the terms of the VOO altered. Police forces can also apply for extensions of up to five years.
