Director @INQUEST_org expertise on contentious deaths & their investigation. Social justice research & policy. Feminist. Abolitionist. Advisor @cleanbrk
Positive response from Scottish Govt. Independent oversight & scrutiny of how this is translated into practice vital. Need to ensure processes are human rights compliant & enable bereaved people to uphold their rights & public authorities held to account. https://t.co/gPI6bjkOpr
Important thread announcing fundamental changes being enacted by Scottish Govt on deaths in custody. This has come about because of the campaigning of bereaved families who have endured protracted and distressing processes at great emotional cost.
In the wake of the FAI into the deaths of Katie Allan & William Lindsay, the Scottish government has just announced 1.The Scottish Prison Service will review its policy on items that can be used as ligatures, & the development of suicide prevention tech will be accelerated.
Kevin Clarke died in 2018 following police restraint by the Met whilst experiencing a mental health crisis.
Now 2 Met officers could be sacked for gross misconduct in connection to Kevin’s death.
https://t.co/1DJ07gQVqe
Full of respect and admiration for these families who have fought for truth for 6 years. The emotional toll placed on them is often overlooked and how others bereaved after state violence and neglect feel their pain as they see deaths repeated and no accountability or change.
This is why we need a national oversight mechanism , an independent public body to ensure those responsible must publicly account for their action or inactions and that these are tracked and followed up. Too often reports disappear into ether & deaths are repeated. #nomoredeaths
I've just seen that the new Chief Coroner has published a "naughty list" of organisations that have not responded to Prevention of Future Deaths reports. Several central government ministries, NHS Trusts, 3 royal colleges and NICE are all on the list. https://t.co/hRKAll8kha
2/2 None of the scrutiny or critical findings would have been exposed but for the determination of the families over 6 years to see justice for their loved ones against a backdrop of secrecy, delay, and denial. They deserve a legacy of action, systemic change & accountability.
Press conference on damming fatal accident inquiry report into preventable deaths in Polmont prison of Katie & William Lindsay. Shameful systemic failure and culture of denial, complacency and neglect at individual & corporate level.1/2
Over six years after the suicides of Katie Allan & William Lindsay, today’s release of the Fatal
Accident Inquiry delivered the most devastating indictment of the systematic failures by @scottishprisons - this is the full press conference with the families https://t.co/C1bSrf67Zc
Head of security at centre for disabled asylum seekers removed over alleged far-right views. The accommodation is managed by Clearsprings Ready Homes, which made profits of £90m from their Home Office contract to provide asylum seeker accommodation. https://t.co/sLWAc6tNVh
INQUEST’s Senior Caseworker Selen Cavcav spoke to @Channel4News about the failures of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in relation to the death of 18 year old Tia Wilson.
Watch the full segment to hear from Tia’s mother, Sharon Wilson.
This work is political: it is about whose lives are valued, the impact of poverty and racism, and the under resourcing of communities in contrast to the billions we pump into failing institutions. https://t.co/qCIdjEWFi6
Can’t even imagine the amount of money that has been spent prosecuting, caging, appealing these ten boys from starting trial to now. Thinking of everything involved in it, prisons, court costs, whatever.
Imagine that money in community.
Echo @LouiseSlorance “s comments. With deaths in prison custody even H&SW prosecutions are impossible due to crown immunity. No accountability, deaths keep happening under similar circumstances (a fundament of the FAI system ) @JohnSwinney@AConstance23
The cruelty and associated trauma of the IPP sentence.
“It is devastating to have witnessed how Haydar’s life was completely destroyed by the nature of his IPP sentence and the extensive delays he experienced when waiting to be released from prison”. https://t.co/gatVjn0nIX
This is why we need #HillsboroughLawNow. “Time and time again, we have seen senior managers and boards are more interested in preserving the reputation of their organisation rather than dealing with patient safety issues.” Former Parll/Health Ombudsman. https://t.co/r7UqWmutc7
Nearly at our target for the Big Give fundraiser - please support our work on contentious state related deaths and enable families to come together for support, solidarity and connection and to work together for systemic change. https://t.co/HUFJ6ymf3A