12 December 201217 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Endgame for death penalty in California

originally by: SFGate
published: 8 Dec 2012

The election-night headlines didn’t seem cheerful for those dedicated to ending capital punishment in California. Proposition 34, the audacious attempt to use ballot initiatives to abolish the death penalty, was defeated. The narrowness of the final vote (52-48 percent) was some consolation, but this was in part the result of the lack of an energetic campaign by the state’s district attorneys.

And isn’t it folk wisdom that close calls only count in horseshoes? Don’t the anti-death-penalty partisans belong in the ballot initiative loser’s bracket for 2012 along with the food labelers and union busters?

11 November 201217 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Another death at Harmondsworth

originally by: Harmit Athwal
published: 8 November 2012

On 30 October, a man was found dead at Harmondsworth removal centre in west London.

The deceased has been named as 31-year-old Prince Kwabena Fosu from Ghana. The Home Office released a one-sentence statement and refused to answer any questions: “This death is being investigated so it would be inappropriate to comment at this stage. We will work with the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman during the investigation.” A post mortem has found no evidence of violence, restraint or suicide.

28 October 201217 December 2022 4WardEverUK

200 deaths of imprisoned young people in ten years

originally by: Prison Reform Trust
published: 24 October 2012

A new evidence based report examining the experiences and treatment of children and young people who died in prison custody in England and Wales is published by INQUEST and the Prison Reform Trust today. Fatally Flawed: Has the state learned lessons from the deaths of children and young people in prison? is an in-depth analysis of the deaths of children and young people (aged 18-24) while in the care of the state.

Following the death of Joseph Scholes, a 16 year old boy who died at Stoke Heath Young Offender Institution in 2002, there was widespread public and parliamentary concern and calls made for a public inquiry.