'Criminals' details should be published'
'Criminals' details should be published'
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By Adam Leveridge. |  |
Thursday, 03, Dec 2009 10:35
By Alex Steger.
Criminals' personal details should be published according to new Ministry of Justice rules released today.
They should not be available indefinitely though.
The new rules state that a criminals' name, age, where they are from and their offence should be routinely published by police forces. But they should only remain on police websites for a month, after which time they should be taken down.
The detailed rules say there should be a presumption in favour of publishing case information from crown and magistrates courts.
Human rights and data protection laws mean that there are limits on what can be published and for how long. Officers would need a specific reason to publish photographs, and are advised to take into account the impact publishing may have on an offender's family.
Officers are further advised to consider whether it is 'proportionate' to publish the verdict and sentence of a case and to consider the whether publishing may have an 'unjustifiably adverse effect' on a criminal.
For minor crimes only the number committed and dealt with can be published.
Publishing is not limited to the web, leaflets can be handed out or information made available at public meetings.
Jack Straw, justice secretary, said: "This guidance explains, once and for all, that authorities can publish the details of crimes and the punishments criminals have received, and that the Government actively encourages them to do so."
Long term fears about the adverse consequences for criminals mean that the data might be limited only to those who live close to where the crime in question was committed.
Dominic Grieve, shadow justice secretary, said: "This is too little, too late. We have long called for new rules to make it crystal clear that public protection, for police, prison and probation officers, comes before the privacy of criminals."
"That guidance should be clear and user-friendly for those on the frontline charged with protecting the public, not vague and riddled with uncertainty."