How Not to Do It
Analysis6 Feb 2017

How Not to Do It

Jacqui Smith, the former Labour home secretary, investigates why government policies fail, focusing on one of her party's most cherished reforms.

Indeterminate sentences for public protection (IPPs) were devised by David Blunkett and the Home Office to reassure voters that those convicted of serious violent and sexual offences would stay in prison until they could show by their changed behaviour that they could safely be released.

But much larger numbers of offenders received the sentences than had been expected and, as the prison population rose, jails struggled to provide the facilities IPP prisoners needed to show that they had reformed. The new sentencing structure, first passed in 2003, had to be drastically changed by Labour in 2008 and finally to be repealed by the coalition four years after that.

Jacqui Smith discovers the reasons why the change in sentencing was embarked upon, why its potential flaws weren't detected before its introduction and why the policy was maintained even as problems mounted. She considers the difficult legacy of IPPs - for those still in prison and for politicians devising shiny new initiatives in other fields of government.

Among those taking part: David Blunkett, Kenneth Clarke, Lord Judge, Professor Nick Hardwick.

Producer: Simon Coates.

Avsnitt(389)

Holland's Challenge to Tolerance

Holland's Challenge to Tolerance

Why is liberal, tolerant Netherlands home to one of Europe's most successful anti-immigration, anti-Islamic parties?Geert Wilders' radical right-wing Party For Freedom (PVV) - which wants to close mos...

13 Mars 201728min

How do the SNP sell a second referendum?

How do the SNP sell a second referendum?

Could a second referendum on Scottish independence yield a different result? In September 2014 when Scotland voted against becoming an independent country it seemed like the question had been settled ...

6 Mars 201728min

How Voters Decide: Part Two

How Voters Decide: Part Two

What makes us change our mind when it comes to elections? We are all swingers now. More voters than ever before are switching party from one election to the next. Tribal loyalties are weakening. The e...

27 Feb 201728min

How Voters Decide: Part One

How Voters Decide: Part One

What does the story of the Downing Street cat reveal about the way voters decide? We are not taught how to vote. We rely on intuition, snap judgments and class prejudice. We vote for policies that cla...

20 Feb 201728min

Analysis Extra: The Pull of Putin

Analysis Extra: The Pull of Putin

Why do populist politicians across the West want warmer relations with Russia? Are they just Kremlin agents? Or are they tapping into a growing desire to find common cause with Moscow – and end East-W...

16 Feb 201737min

Is Talent a Thing?

Is Talent a Thing?

When hiring people, is the concept of talent so ill-defined as to be useless? Entrepreneur and author Margaret Heffernan thinks so and explores what characteristics recruiters might want to look for i...

13 Feb 201728min

Atom Man

Atom Man

The journey of an American 'cold warrior' from nuclear deterrence to nuclear disarmament. Former US Secretary of Defence William J Perry has spent his entire seven-decade career on the nuclear brink. ...

30 Jan 201728min

Populärt inom Politik & nyheter

svenska-fall
p3-krim
rss-krimstad
fordomspodden
aftonbladet-krim
spar
flashback-forever
rss-sanning-konsekvens
aftonbladet-daily
rss-vad-fan-hande
motiv
rss-krimreportrarna
politiken
rss-klubbland-en-podd-mest-om-frolunda
rss-frandfors-horna
rss-aftonbladet-krim
krimmagasinet
dagens-eko
rss-flodet
blenda-2