Noising off by judges
Recommend on Google+
More examples of judges in the press for those studying the judiciary or law and order
In recent years judges have taken on a much more high profile role with their comments to the media about the government’s handling of law and order issues.
This week the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips, has sounded off again about how the government are trying to look tough on crime with corrosive effects on the administration of justice.
“Lord Phillips, the lord chief justice, criticised the government yesterday over prison overcrowding which he described as a “very serious state of affairs”.
At a briefing to coincide with the publication of his first review of the administration of justice, Phillips, who is president-designate of the new UK supreme court, said the government’s plan for “titan” prisons, designed to house large numbers of inmates, were “largely dictated by economic considerations”.
He said that for the purposes of rehabilitation: “It’s plainly desirable that prisoners should be housed close to their families.” In his review, Phillips spoke of the “politicisation of sentencing”.
“The reaction of government to what they see as media pressure in relation to sentences can produce changes in legislation designed to counter what they see to be public opinion,” said Phillips.”
Consider:
To what extent have judges begun to act as a pressure group?
What impact have judges in influencing the direction of law and order policy with actions like these?
blog comments powered by Disqus
Judicial Independence [9 Feb 2011]
Getting into judges [30 Jul 2010]
AS exams update: judicial bias [19 May 2010]
Politics Classroom Posters - Judiciary [17 Dec 2009]
Supreme Court special [2 Oct 2009]
Heard the one about police fighting two year old terrorists? [19 Aug 2009]
Sotomayor and being sleepless in Seattle [18 Jul 2009]
Law Lords Rule Against Government on Human Rights Again [10 Jun 2009]
AS revision: the Human Rights Act [19 May 2009]
AS revision: What do Naomi Campbell and Prince Charles have in common? [20 Apr 2009]
Lobby Magazine is Here! [28 May 2008]
POLITICS TEACHER RESOURCE NEWSLETTER
Join over 1,600 Politics Teachers who receive the regular tutor2u Politics Teacher Resource Newsletter by email.
