Latest news with #prison
Fox News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Evening Edition: AG Pam Bondi Tours Alcatraz For Possible Reopening
President Trump has said he wants to turn Alcatraz back into a working prison, and he sent Attorney General Pam Bondi and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on a fact-finding mission to the island. Alcatraz closed in the 60's but gained for housing crime boss Al Capone and other notorious criminals of the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. Fox's John Saucier speaks to David Spunt, Washington-based correspondent for the FOX News Channel, who joined the tour of the once supposedly inescapable prison. Click Here To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Prisoners let out ‘in error' or held illegally beyond their release date in ‘squalid' prison, watchdog warns
Criminals have been released early by mistake or held illegally beyond their release date in 'appalling conditions' inside a chaotic and squalid prison, a watchdog has warned. The chief inspector of prisons Charlie Taylor has issued an urgent notification to the government over the state of medium security HMP Pentonville. The overcrowded Victorian jail in north London, where most prisoners share cells designed for one person, is infested with mice and cockroaches. Inspectors discovered 10 inmates in the Category B jail had been released early 'in error' between July 2024 and June 2025 because staff 'failed to calculate sentences accurately'. The prison holds a wide range offenders, including some jailed for violent crimes. A further 130 inmates – 20 per cent of those eligible for release – had been held illegally after their release date in the last six months. In a letter to justice secretary Shabana Mahmood, the chief inspector said arrangements for new prisoners' first night at the north London jail and induction were 'chaotic and even frightening'. Men were held in dirty cells missing bedding, furniture, telephones and pillows, the watchdog said, while the majority of prisoners were locked in their cells for more than 22 hours a day. Inspectors took emergency action after they found oversight of prisoners at risk of suicide and self-harm was 'shockingly poor', with one prison officer found asleep when they were supposed to be monitoring at-risk prisoners. Two were found reading books and another was 'completely absent', despite three self-inflicted deaths at the prison in 2025. Mr Taylor said: 'Pentonville is an overcrowded, inner-city, Victorian prison with a record of poor performance over many years. 'Too many of its staff have become disillusioned about the possibility of improvement or their capacity to affect change. Yet many of its shocking failures are firmly within the control of leaders.' A survey of prisoners also revealed 44 per cent felt unsafe at the time of inspection, which is the highest figure recorded during Mr Taylor's tenure as chief inspector. Pentonville is the tenth prison to be issued with an urgent notification since November 2022, following Exeter, Cookham Wood Young Offender Institution, Woodhill, Bedford, Wandsworth, Rochester, Manchester and Winchester prisons. The Howard League for Penal Reform described the findings as a 'new low' for the prisons system. Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns, said: 'The details emerging from this inspection are appalling and outrageous, and they represent a new low for an overcrowded and under-resourced public service that stands on the brink of collapse. 'While the government inherited a dire state of affairs in prisons, it has had more than a year to bring about change. As report cards go, such a dire account of dysfunction in Pentonville instils little confidence that ministers have a grip of the situation.' Pia Sinha, of the Prison Reform Trust, said the damning report must serve as a rallying cry for action. 'Prisoners illegally held after they should have been released, or others released early in error, further undermine effective sentence planning and erode public confidence,' she added. 'This urgent notification must be a rallying cry for immediate action – fix the failing infrastructure, improve staff training, and treat prisoners with dignity.' Prisons minister Lord Timpson said: 'This is a deeply concerning report and reflects the crisis that has gripped too many of our prisons for far too long. 'Yesterday, I visited HMP Pentonville and met with staff. The team is already working to urgently address the concerns raised by the Chief Inspector. We will publish an action plan in the coming weeks to support them in these efforts. 'This Government will end the chaos we inherited in our jails. We are building 14,000 new prison places and reforming sentencing so our jails reduce reoffending, cut crime, and keep victims safe.'
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
'Chaotic' Pentonville prison released criminals too early and kept others locked up for too long, damning report reveals
A 'chaotic' prison released criminals too early – and kept others behind bars too long – amid a series of 'shocking' failures, a watchdog has revealed. Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor placed HMP Pentonville on special measures after uncovering a series of major problems at the jail. Prison staff had a backlog of release dates to calculate leading to mistakes being made, an official report said, including some prisoners being freed earlier than they should have been. In a further serious failing, jail guards who were supposed to be carrying out a 24-hour watch on suicidal or self-harming inmates were asleep, reading books or even missing, it added. 'The prison was chaotic, with staff often unaware of who prisoners were or where they were located,' the report said. 'First night and induction arrangements were chaotic and even frightening.' Staff at the Victorian jail in north London had 'failed to calculate sentences accurately', the watchdog said. Prison data showed 10 prisoners had been released early 'in error' between July 2024 and June 2025. In addition, 130 inmates – 20 per cent of those eligible for release - had been held after their release date in the last six months. It opens the prospect of criminals being able to bring compensation claims for being released too late. The report went on: 'The oversight of prisoners under constant supervision was shockingly poor. 'During the inspection, we found staff who did not know the name of the prisoner they were caring for, two who were reading books, one who was asleep, and, in another case, one who was completely absent.' Mr Taylor said: 'Pentonville is an overcrowded, inner-city, Victorian prison with a record of poor performance over many years. 'Too many of its staff have become disillusioned about the possibility of improvement or their capacity to affect change. 'Yet many of its shocking failures are firmly within the control of leaders. 'The governor will need significant support and investment from HM Prison and Probation Service to strengthen his senior leadership team, re-focus on the basics, and put in place effective oversight and assurance systems to turn this failing prison around.' The Category B, or medium security, jail was opened in 1842 and holds 1,200 men. Mr Taylor has placed the prison under 'urgent notification' which means Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has 28 days for formally respond to his concerns. His team also found a widespread infestation of mice and cockroaches at the 'squalid' jail, in Islington. Prison Reform Trust chief executive Pia Sinha said: 'Prisoners illegally held after they should have been released, or others released early in error, further undermine effective sentence planning and erode public confidence. 'This urgent notification must be a rallying cry for immediate action - fix the failing infrastructure, improve staff training, and treat prisoners with dignity." Andrew Neilson of the Howard League for Penal Reform said the inspector's findings were 'new low' for a Prison Service 'on the brink of collapse'.
CBS News
6 hours ago
- CBS News
Yarmulke-wearing Westmoreland County Prison inmate allegedly denied transportation to hearing over contraband concerns
An inmate at the Westmoreland County Prison was allegedly denied transport to a hearing on Monday because he wouldn't take off his yarmulke. In a brief phone conversation on Thursday with KDKA, Kort Eckman's attorney, Tim Andrews, confirmed that it appears his client was denied transport to the courthouse from the Westmoreland County Jail because he refused to take off his yarmulke. A yarmulke is a religious piece of Jewish headwear, and Eckman identifies as Jewish. Sources told KDKA that the prison is alleging that contraband could be brought into the prison with such a headpiece, so it was limiting what items were being transported with the inmate. KDKA reached out to Westmoreland County Prison Warden Steven Pelesky for comment on this story, but did not hear back on Thursday. KDKA was, however, able to connect with the prison's former warden, Bryan Kline, who says that not transporting a prisoner because of their yarmulke is impeding justice. "The religious headwear shouldn't affect anything," Kline said. "Any time a criminal leaves a correctional facility and comes back, there is always an opportunity for contraband to be introduced; that is the purpose of the pat down when they come back into the facility. So, anything that is brought into a correctional facility should be caught in the booking department of any correctional facility." Eckman was imprisoned for allegedly stabbing his mother nearly 20 times back in 2023 and allegedly trying to kill her because he thought she was a Nazi war criminal. Sara Rose, the deputy legal director for the ACLU of Pennsylvania, said that despite what crimes Eckman may have committed, Eckman's faith is protected by the Constitution and a law called the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. "Jails just can't just say, well, we think there might be a security issue with this, so we are going to restrict this person's ability to wear a yarmulke from the jail to the courthouse," Rose said. "No, it has to be this is the exact security concern we are worried about. We have tried other options, and none of the other ones are going to meet our interest in maintaining security." Now, Eckman is due back in court next week, and KDKA was told that the judge said that Eckman must be transported regardless of whether or not he is wearing his yarmulke.
RNZ News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Cook Islands: Jailed former deputy PM awarded project manager role for hostel renovation
Robert Tapaitau Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis By Talaia Mika , Cook Islands News The decision to appoint a convicted former Member of Parliament, Robert Tapaitau, as project manager for the recent renovations of the Tongareva (Penrhyn) hostel has raised questions, especially given his status as an inmate at Arorangi Prison. The appointment has sparked concerns in some circles, including a resident who did not want to be named but questioned the decision. Cook Islands News understands that the hostel's interim committee of management is under the leadership of current MP Tongareva Sarakura Tapaitau, wife of the former MP Robert Tapaitau. Willie John, a key community leader and committee member for the project, confirmed to Cook Islands News that Tapaitau was brought in to oversee the renovation works, which were completed just ahead of Te Maeva Nui celebrations. The work focused on improving key facilities such as the kitchen, showers, and toilets to meet health and nutrition standards. "We asked the government for him to come and help, but we try not to make publicity of him (as it) might affect his terms of release at some later date," John said. "We just want to call him a project manager without any name." John said the community of Penrhyn had met and approved Tapaitau to take on the role. "We had a meeting (in Penrhyn) and they approved of him. Yeah, the people approve that he be the project manager." He explained that Tapaitau, who was sentenced to jail for corruption-related offences in 2024, was allowed to manage the project daily. "Well, every day he goes back. He works from 8 (am) to 4 (pm), and then he goes back to jail, prison. About 8 weeks, 8 to 10 weeks," John said. The Corrections Services was contacted for a comment regarding Tapaitau's work scheme from prison. Papa Willie John at the Tongareva Hostel in Rarotonga. Photo: Cook Islands News / Teitimoana Tairi Asked if this was part of an official work scheme for inmates, John replied: "Yeah. It must be. I'm not sure." John further explained the nature of Tapaitau's involvement: "The supervision and making sure that all the repair work should conform to, you know, what is desired. Those areas that require health, you know, nutrition standards, that's really the part we focused on... Like toilet facilities, a shower, kitchen." When asked why someone else wasn't considered for the role instead of a serving prisoner, John said the former MP's experience was a major factor. "Well, we believe that he was involved with building (the hostel). That's why we didn't want anybody else," he said. "There may be, but the meeting didn't suggest any other person. That's why we approved that he be the project manager." Tina Browne, legal advisor for the Tongareva committee and leader of the Opposition, said she was aware that Tapaitau had taken part in the renovations but could not confirm whether proper processes were followed in awarding him the role. "The brief answer to that is I'm not sure, because I don't know what the process was in contracting him, other than the fact that I was aware that he was the one who was doing the renovations for the hostel," Browne said. "But I'm not quite sure what process was undertaken by the committee, by Willie. You'll have to ask him that question." The Penrhyn hostel, located in Tupapa, serves as temporary accommodation for Tongareva students and visitors to Rarotonga. The recently completed upgrades were intended to improve living conditions and ensure the hostel was ready to host the Penrhyn Te Maeva Nui team. According to an earlier report, community leaders and hostel caretakers had welcomed the completed renovations in time for the national celebrations. The work included repainting, cleaning, and refurbishing internal spaces, with the support of Penrhyn's Rarotonga-based community group. When asked whether any formal oversight or government approval had been obtained for Tapaitau's work, John said: "We got approval from the Corrective Services." The Ministry of Corrective Services and other responsible authorities have not yet publicly confirmed if Tapaitau's release for the project was officially part of a rehabilitation or work release scheme. The former MP was convicted and sentenced to prison to serve two-year-and-nine-months for three counts of cheque fraud. Last year, the Ministry of Corrective Services has said that Tapaitau, was on a work scheme programme, and was hired by his family "to do work at home". Tapaitau, the former minister for Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) and National Environment Service (NES), was sentenced alongside former NES director Nga Puna and his wife and former ICI secretary Diane Charlie-Puna. Puna was sentenced to five years in prison while Charlie-Puna received an 18-month prison term. The trio were accused of taking public funds amounting to $70,000 between April 2019 and March 2021. - Cook Islands News
