A month or so back, on Sunday nights, the BBC aired episodes of Jimmy McGovern’s “Time“, a drama about the prison system.  It was the best television I’ve seen in years and I ended up watching all three episodes, as if it were a film.  I’ve since re-watched it all and I hope it goes on to win recognition for its writing, acting and representation of the prison system.  Former prisoners and prison officers alike have commented that it’s the best representation of the reality of prison they’ve ever known.

Seen from mostly from the dual perspective of an English teacher (Mark, played by Sean Bean) convicted of causing death by dangerous driving whilst drunk and a senior prison officer, it took only a matter of minutes for the issue of mental health to be front and centre.  It was impactive and graphic, almost distressing.  Actor Stephen Graham (who plays prison officer Mr McNally) said in publicity ahead of the broadcast that he wanted his work to be uncomfortable to watch and it certainly was.

Spoiler alert! – please don’t read...

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In 2018, Professor Sir Simon Wessely concluded his review of the Mental Health Act 1983 and recommended certain actions.  In early 2021, the Government announced a consultation about the White Paper and today, they have published their response. To their consultation

This is an early post after a relatively light read.  It highlights the main points of the review as they affect the police service.

POLICE IMPLICATIONS

There are only two main issues emphasised, in addition to the general need for ‘awareness’ and improved focus in policing and the broader criminal justice system (for example around neuro-diversity).

But the two particular points are —

• Mental health holding powers for Emergency Departments —
• Currently, no-one in EDs perceived to be at risk can be subject to a ‘holding power’ under the MHA.
• There is endless, unresolved debate about the extent and applicability of the Mental Capacity Act in those circumstances.
• The Government White Paper therefore proposed ensuring clarification that ED staff could detain...
  
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"When we got to the incident the driver of the turntable ladder had seen the situation, there were people on the ledge about 100 feet up on the fourth floor of the building.

"They'd obviously managed to get out of the windows on to that ledge. A lot of heat and smoke [was] coming out of the building, flames on different levels.

"When the ladder was extended my boss was about to go up but he didn't have what we call a hook belt which was a security device.

"I'd managed to put one of those on so I called to him to let me go past him, which I did.

"As I'm going up the ladder about halfway up the people on the left hand side of the head of...

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a state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority or other controlling systems

absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a political ideal

a society being freely constituted without authorities or a governing body. It may also refer to a society or group of people that entirely rejects a set hierarchy. The word Anarchy was first used in English in 1539, meaning "an absence of government".

There is no doubt that the above concept is widely known to most in theory if not in practice.  Where its ideals have been translated into action the results have gone from causing inconvenience to revolution with the murderous results that those activities inevitably cause. 

Extinction Rebellion is just the latest form of direct action by those who believe that they have a god given right to disrupt society in which way they think better furthers their cause. It could be termed in general anarchy 21st century style.  Perhaps older readers will remember the words Greenham...

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While Civil Rights has been a catch all phrase from all parties to debates on justice, it remains the practical experience of a right that defines its existence and conformity with...

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