We all know how lazy journalism is becoming more and more common, and a terrible thing. In the last couple of weeks I have spotted this with a couple of stories. One was about Ken Clarke, the Conservative Secretary of State for Justice. He announced new plans to reform the punishment and rehabilitation of drug addicted criminals. Rather than being instantly jailed, they will be offered treatment on the NHS. This means that they will not be under lock and key, but instead free to walk away after treatment. What are your thoughts on this?

Drug-addicted criminals roaming our streets? Well, not exactly. If an occasional cocaine user commits a murder, they are going to prison. The proposals are an effort to avoid locking up those with histories of drug use for minor offences. In Ken’s defence the minister showed figures that 70% of prisoners have taken drugs in the year before being jailed, and many try harder drugs such as heroin for the first time in prison.  Speaking on his hopes for the move, he said “for those for whom drugs are the main problem, it is obviously sensible to tackle their addiction outside prison, if that is what is needed to stop them committing crime, rather than incarcerate them with more drug addicts.” 

The Guardian’s Polly Toynbee, hardly the Conservatives’ biggest fan, heralded Clarke in a piece titled ‘If only Labour ministers had shown Ken Clarke’s bravery’. It is worth mentioning that the reforms have not been given extensive coverage in many of the more conservative newspapers. You’d like to assume reaction would have been no different had it been introduced under a Labour government. 

Paul, our MD here, has declared his support for the proposals. He said that this approach seems to be practical, humane and cost-effective. He also said that in the past, you could be imprisoned for adultery or homosexuality. There will come a time when drugs will not be illegal and the underlying symptoms of unhappiness which cause drug taking will be addressed as heartily as today’s culture seeks to condemn people for their weaknesses.

We would love to know your thoughts, pleased leave a comment below; we are always keen to hear what others have to say on matters that are interesting-to us anyway!

There may come a point when you find that you are involved in a process that will need to go to the court. If this is the case, you will surely need to know how to find a good litigation lawyer. As you begin to look through all the lawyers available in your area, there are a few things you should keep in mind before hiring any lawyer you are considering for your case. And these are:

·        What cases have they tried?

·        How many cases have they tried?

·        How long have they been doing it?

·        Do they do cases similar to yours?

·        Do they have the respect of their peers?

Civil litigation usually involves disputes of private law issues between individuals, businesses or non-profit organizations. But at the same time, civil litigations can entail public law issues. Whether you are entering the civil litigation lawsuit as the petitioner or the defendant, it is important to have a qualified and specialised litigation lawyer by your side. A litigation lawyer must know these rules and understand how courts apply these rules so they can use them in your favour.At Beech Jones we understand the complexities of dispute law, providing experienced guidance and skilled legal support to clients on either side of any complex dispute. We always consider your short-term and long-term objectives, helping you decide what approach to take with your best interests in mind. If you start to check out the blog then you will see here that we look further into these points, talk about industry news and give you a feel for what Beech Jones is all about.