Tom Smith
@tpa-smith.bsky.social
Associate Professor in Law, UWE Bristol. Interested in neurodivergence in criminal justice, defence lawyers, pre-trial detention, open justice. Joint co-ordinator Neurodivergence in Criminal Justice Network (NICJN)
Pinned
Tom Smith
@tpa-smith.bsky.social
· Nov 28
www.itv.com
Absolutely tragic reading. Whilst the IOPC inquiry is ongoing, it is hard to escape the conclusion that Tamzin Hall is yet another victim of a criminal justice system that continues to fail #autistic people, with fatal consequences.
www.itv.com/news/westcou...
#autism #police #criminaljustice
www.itv.com/news/westcou...
#autism #police #criminaljustice
Reposted by Tom Smith
NEW BLOG: How embracing cognitive diversity and encouraging different styles of thinking can build a stronger police service
www.npaa.org.uk/bridging-min...
www.npaa.org.uk/bridging-min...
Bridging minds | National Police Autism Association
Empowering neurodivergent and neurotypical officers and staff to create a more innovative and inclusive police service by James BirdDetective Inspector & NPAA Coordinator | West Midlands PoliceDeputy ...
www.npaa.org.uk
December 13, 2024 at 5:11 PM
NEW BLOG: How embracing cognitive diversity and encouraging different styles of thinking can build a stronger police service
www.npaa.org.uk/bridging-min...
www.npaa.org.uk/bridging-min...
Reposted by Tom Smith
The backlog has become unsustainable... cases are being added to the system faster than they can be removed by trial and result. So this isn’t so much a challenge. It’s a crisis in the criminal justice system which has to be addressed”
www.theguardian.com/law/2024/dec...
www.theguardian.com/law/2024/dec...
Defendants could be ‘diverted’ from criminal justice system amid record backlog
Brian Leveson, leading England and Wales review, says number of prosecutions waiting to be dealt with is ‘unsustainable’
www.theguardian.com
December 14, 2024 at 7:41 PM
The backlog has become unsustainable... cases are being added to the system faster than they can be removed by trial and result. So this isn’t so much a challenge. It’s a crisis in the criminal justice system which has to be addressed”
www.theguardian.com/law/2024/dec...
www.theguardian.com/law/2024/dec...
Reposted by Tom Smith
Hundreds of trials derailed by failure to get defendants to court on time | UK criminal justice | The Guardian
@theguardian.com @michaelgoodier.bsky.social
and Matthew Weaver
www.theguardian.com/law/2024/dec...
@theguardian.com @michaelgoodier.bsky.social
and Matthew Weaver
www.theguardian.com/law/2024/dec...
December 10, 2024 at 9:30 AM
Hundreds of trials derailed by failure to get defendants to court on time | UK criminal justice | The Guardian
@theguardian.com @michaelgoodier.bsky.social
and Matthew Weaver
www.theguardian.com/law/2024/dec...
@theguardian.com @michaelgoodier.bsky.social
and Matthew Weaver
www.theguardian.com/law/2024/dec...
Reposted by Tom Smith
Woman says she was followed off a bus & sexually assaulted
Three-and-a-half years later, suspect is charged
Trial in Nov 2025
Judge: "It's especially horrendous as allegation is so old.
I regret the trial is so far off but counsel know the score - the woeful state of all crown court listings"
Three-and-a-half years later, suspect is charged
Trial in Nov 2025
Judge: "It's especially horrendous as allegation is so old.
I regret the trial is so far off but counsel know the score - the woeful state of all crown court listings"
December 11, 2024 at 11:22 AM
Woman says she was followed off a bus & sexually assaulted
Three-and-a-half years later, suspect is charged
Trial in Nov 2025
Judge: "It's especially horrendous as allegation is so old.
I regret the trial is so far off but counsel know the score - the woeful state of all crown court listings"
Three-and-a-half years later, suspect is charged
Trial in Nov 2025
Judge: "It's especially horrendous as allegation is so old.
I regret the trial is so far off but counsel know the score - the woeful state of all crown court listings"
Reposted by Tom Smith
We learned about neurodiversity and experiences in schools, physical education, relationships, and the Triple-A project. @dramypearson.bsky.social highlighted 2 recent articles that you can read in DRO durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2989850
durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2989850
durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2989850
“It's not a physical prison but you can't get out”. How autistic adults make sense of the experience of intimate violence and abuse
Background: Autistic people are more likely to experience intimate partner violence (IPV) than non-autistic peers, but our knowledge about how they recogni...
durham-repository.worktribe.com
December 11, 2024 at 2:50 PM
We learned about neurodiversity and experiences in schools, physical education, relationships, and the Triple-A project. @dramypearson.bsky.social highlighted 2 recent articles that you can read in DRO durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2989850
durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2989850
durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2989850
Reposted by Tom Smith
"British police arrest environmental protesters at nearly three times the global average rate."
No surprise given the plethora of new statutory protest-suppressing offences and powers combined with the pressure placed on forces by home secretaries.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
No surprise given the plethora of new statutory protest-suppressing offences and powers combined with the pressure placed on forces by home secretaries.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Britain leads the world in cracking down on climate activism, study finds
Research shows UK police arrest environmental and climate protesters at three times the average global rate
www.theguardian.com
December 11, 2024 at 12:04 PM
"British police arrest environmental protesters at nearly three times the global average rate."
No surprise given the plethora of new statutory protest-suppressing offences and powers combined with the pressure placed on forces by home secretaries.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
No surprise given the plethora of new statutory protest-suppressing offences and powers combined with the pressure placed on forces by home secretaries.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Tom Smith
Reposted by Tom Smith
Justice isn’t working.
The Guardian view on the courts in crisis: long waits are a route to injustice
@theguardian.com Editorial
Delayed trials don’t get enough attention. But they are harmful both to individuals and society
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Guardian view on the courts in crisis: long waits are a route to injustice
@theguardian.com Editorial
Delayed trials don’t get enough attention. But they are harmful both to individuals and society
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
December 10, 2024 at 5:40 PM
Justice isn’t working.
The Guardian view on the courts in crisis: long waits are a route to injustice
@theguardian.com Editorial
Delayed trials don’t get enough attention. But they are harmful both to individuals and society
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
The Guardian view on the courts in crisis: long waits are a route to injustice
@theguardian.com Editorial
Delayed trials don’t get enough attention. But they are harmful both to individuals and society
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Absolutely tragic reading. Whilst the IOPC inquiry is ongoing, it is hard to escape the conclusion that Tamzin Hall is yet another victim of a criminal justice system that continues to fail #autistic people, with fatal consequences.
www.itv.com/news/westcou...
#autism #police #criminaljustice
www.itv.com/news/westcou...
#autism #police #criminaljustice
www.itv.com
November 28, 2024 at 1:34 PM
Absolutely tragic reading. Whilst the IOPC inquiry is ongoing, it is hard to escape the conclusion that Tamzin Hall is yet another victim of a criminal justice system that continues to fail #autistic people, with fatal consequences.
www.itv.com/news/westcou...
#autism #police #criminaljustice
www.itv.com/news/westcou...
#autism #police #criminaljustice
Reposted by Tom Smith
The wait is nearly over! Tonight at 6PM, we're releasing The Cycle, a powerful short film made in partnership with @mediatrust.bsky.social which offers a glimpse into the relentless realities of the criminal justice system.
Don’t miss it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPu-...
#BreakTheCycle
Don’t miss it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPu-...
#BreakTheCycle
The Cycle | Criminal Justice Alliance
YouTube video by Criminal Justice Alliance
www.youtube.com
November 28, 2024 at 9:21 AM
The wait is nearly over! Tonight at 6PM, we're releasing The Cycle, a powerful short film made in partnership with @mediatrust.bsky.social which offers a glimpse into the relentless realities of the criminal justice system.
Don’t miss it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPu-...
#BreakTheCycle
Don’t miss it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPu-...
#BreakTheCycle
Reposted by Tom Smith
This is really something www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Top judge warns of 'drastic' situation in courts
The previous government left courts in financial limbo by failing to settle their funding, lady chief justice says.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 26, 2024 at 10:51 PM
This is really something www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Tom Smith
Great to see that RCSLTs updated factsheet on young people in contact with the criminal justice system is now available. Happy to have played a part in authoring it 😊 www.rcslt.org/wp-content/u...
November 21, 2024 at 5:14 PM
Great to see that RCSLTs updated factsheet on young people in contact with the criminal justice system is now available. Happy to have played a part in authoring it 😊 www.rcslt.org/wp-content/u...
Reposted by Tom Smith
In 2019/2020 there were 2,690 full time self-employed criminal barristers, now the figure is 2,384. Employed barristers have reduced in number from 902 to 844. This suggests a global reduction of 7%.
November 18, 2024 at 5:33 PM
In 2019/2020 there were 2,690 full time self-employed criminal barristers, now the figure is 2,384. Employed barristers have reduced in number from 902 to 844. This suggests a global reduction of 7%.
Reposted by Tom Smith
CLAAB - The Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Body - chair HH Deborah Taylor recommended that substantial immediate additional funding is required in all the areas that are highlighted to have any chance of meeting the objectives of CLAIR - Government commissioned Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid.
November 18, 2024 at 5:33 PM
CLAAB - The Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Body - chair HH Deborah Taylor recommended that substantial immediate additional funding is required in all the areas that are highlighted to have any chance of meeting the objectives of CLAIR - Government commissioned Independent Review of Criminal Legal Aid.