Serious terrorists could be forced to take a lie- detector test before being allowed to leave jail under measures introduced in a new counter-terrorism bill. The number of counter-terrorism specialist probation officers will double and they will work to a set of updated national standards for managing terrorists on licence, with closer monitoring and reporting requirements including polygraph tests, the Home Office and Ministry of Justice said in a joint announcement. It is less than two months since convicted terrorist Usman Khan embarked on a killing spree armed with two knives and wearing a fake suicide vest after attending a prisoner rehabilitation programme near London Bridge. Home Secretary Priti Patel said the increased powers are the result of a review “to do whatever is necessary to stop these sickening attacks from taking place”. She and the Justice Secretary Robert Buckland confirmed a new Counter-Terrorism Bill will be introduced in the first 100 days of the Government. They said it will force “dangerous terrorist offenders who receive extended determinate sentences to serve the whole time behind bars”. There are also plans to also overhaul the terrorist licensing regime, doubling specialist counter-terror probation officers and increasing the number of places available in probation hostels. They will increase the number of specialist psychologists and specially-trained imams, who help challenge the beliefs of radicalised offenders, and increase resources for training front-line prison and probation staff. And new measures such as “polygraph testing” will be brought in by the Home Office to make sure offenders are sticking to their license conditions. David Merritt previously criticised Boris Johnson’s response to the London Bridge atrocity, accusing the prime minister of trying to score political points during last year’s election campaign. Lie-detector tests planned for convicted terrorists freed on licence. Is this the kind of blue sky thinking Cummings promised us his new generation of “weirdo” advisers would come up with – or a cynical, headline-grabbing gimmick to distract our attention? https://t.co/JiBTBI7kCb — David Merritt (@butwhatifitsall) January 21, 2020 Other measures in the new counter-terror legislation include: Forcing terrorists who receive extended determinate sentences to serve their full term in prison Ensuring individuals convicted of serious offences like preparing acts of terrorism or directing a terrorist organisation spend at least 14 years behind bars. Getting rid of early release for those classed as dangerous and given extended determinate sentences A doubling in the number of counter-terrorism probation officers. A cash injection of £500,000 to support victims of terrorism and a review of the current services on offer An increase in the number of places in probation hostels, designed to allow authorities to monitor terrorists in the weeks after their release A boost to counter-terrorism police funding of £90m year-on-year for the coming year to £906m More special psychologists and trained imams to help assess the risk of radicalised offenders More training for frontline staff in prison and probation, in order to identify and challenge extremism
Home Secretary Priti Patel said the increased powers are the result of a review “to do whatever is necessary to stop these sickening attacks from taking place”. She and the Justice Secretary Robert Buckland confirmed a new Counter-Terrorism Bill will be introduced in the first 100 days of the Government. They said it will force “dangerous terrorist offenders who receive extended determinate sentences to serve the whole time behind bars”. There are also plans to also overhaul the terrorist licensing regime, doubling specialist counter-terror probation officers and increasing the number of places available in probation hostels. They will increase the number of specialist psychologists and specially-trained imams, who help challenge the beliefs of radicalised offenders, and increase resources for training front-line prison and probation staff. And new measures such as “polygraph testing” will be brought in by the Home Office to make sure offenders are sticking to their license conditions.
David Merritt previously criticised Boris Johnson’s response to the London Bridge atrocity, accusing the prime minister of trying to score political points during last year’s election campaign. Lie-detector tests planned for convicted terrorists freed on licence. Is this the kind of blue sky thinking Cummings promised us his new generation of “weirdo” advisers would come up with – or a cynical, headline-grabbing gimmick to distract our attention? https://t.co/JiBTBI7kCb — David Merritt (@butwhatifitsall) January 21, 2020 Other measures in the new counter-terror legislation include: Forcing terrorists who receive extended determinate sentences to serve their full term in prison Ensuring individuals convicted of serious offences like preparing acts of terrorism or directing a terrorist organisation spend at least 14 years behind bars. Getting rid of early release for those classed as dangerous and given extended determinate sentences A doubling in the number of counter-terrorism probation officers. A cash injection of £500,000 to support victims of terrorism and a review of the current services on offer An increase in the number of places in probation hostels, designed to allow authorities to monitor terrorists in the weeks after their release A boost to counter-terrorism police funding of £90m year-on-year for the coming year to £906m More special psychologists and trained imams to help assess the risk of radicalised offenders More training for frontline staff in prison and probation, in order to identify and challenge extremism