Louise Casey
Encyclopedia
Louise Casey is a British civil servant and former Victims' Commissioner of the United Kingdom. She became deputy director of Shelter
in 1992, the head of the Rough Sleepers' Unit (RSU) in 1999, the director of the national Anti-Social Behaviour Unit (ASBU) in 2003, and the head of the Respect Task Force in 2005, before being appointed the first Victims' Commissioner in March 2010, a role from which she resigned in October 2011. She is known for being outspoken.
, and began her career with the Department of Health and Social Security
(DHSS), administrating the benefit payments of homeless people
. After this she worked for St Mungo Association, a charity whose goal is to help homeless people, then became director of the Homeless Network in London, before becoming deputy director of Shelter in 1992. It was with Shelter that she "made her mark", gaining a "reputation as an ambitious, pragmatic worker who got results", according to BBC News. She was largely responsible for the creation in 1998 of Shelterline, the country's first 24-hour telephone helpline for homeless people.
, in December that year the new Labour
government created the Social Exclusion Unit (SEU), which made tackling rough sleeping one of its priorities. In April 1999 the RSU was created and Casey appointed by Prime Minister Tony Blair
as its head, referred to in the media as the "homelessness czar". With an eventual budget of £200 million, the RSU's aim was to reduce the number of rough sleepers in England by two-thirds by April 2002. The RSU published its strategy in December 1999. Casey caused controversy in November 1999 when she said the activities of some charities had the effect of keeping homeless people on the streets: "With soup runs and other kinds of charity help, well-meaning people are spending money servicing the problem on the streets and keeping it there. Even the Big Issue is perpetuating the problem." The editor of The Big Issue
criticised the comments. In November 2000 the government launched the RSU-led "Change a Life" campaign, which encouraged people to give money to homelessness charities instead of to beggars, following research suggesting that 86 percent of beggars used drugs. Casey said giving money to beggars was "misplaced goodwill". The donations hotline set up as part of the campaign was closed in March 2002, having collected £10,000, despite advertising spending of £240,000. The RSU achieved its target in November 2001, several months before the deadline, but allegations were made that they had used underhand tactics; Casey responded that they were false. With her work at the RSU finished, she became director of the newly created Homelessness Directorate.
. Introduced in 1998, an Anti-Social Behaviour Order
is a civil order made against a person who has been shown, on the balance of evidence, to have engaged in anti-social behaviour
. During an after-dinner speech at a private function in June 2005, she said that ministers would perform better if they were drunk and, "doing things sober is no way to get things done". She also said: "There is an obsession with evidence-based policy. If No 10 says bloody evidence-based policy to me one more time I'll deck them one and probably get unemployed." The remarks, defended by the Prime Minister's office, led to an inquiry, after which Casey, having apologised, was allowed to keep her job.
, whose job is to "promote the interests of victims and witnesses, encourage good practice in their treatment, and regularly review the Code of Practice for Victims which sets out the services victims can expect to receive". As Victims' Commissioner, she said crime victims were treated poorly by the system, and suggested jury trials were unnecessary for many lesser offences.
It was reported in September 2011 that she would work with Prime Minister David Cameron
in dealing with the aftermath of the 2011 England riots
. She accordingly resigned from the position of Victims' Commissioner on 12 October 2011.
Shelter (charity)
Shelter is a registered charity in England and Scotland that campaigns to end homelessness and bad housing. It gives advice, information and advocacy to people in need, and tackles the root causes of bad housing by lobbying government and local authorities for new laws and policies to improve the...
in 1992, the head of the Rough Sleepers' Unit (RSU) in 1999, the director of the national Anti-Social Behaviour Unit (ASBU) in 2003, and the head of the Respect Task Force in 2005, before being appointed the first Victims' Commissioner in March 2010, a role from which she resigned in October 2011. She is known for being outspoken.
Early life and career
Casey grew up in PortsmouthPortsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, and began her career with the Department of Health and Social Security
Department of Health and Social Security
The Department of Health and Social Security was a ministry of the British government in existence for twenty years from 1968 until 1988, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Social Services.-History:...
(DHSS), administrating the benefit payments of homeless people
Homelessness in the United Kingdom
In England the homeless are categoriesed into two different groups by the government - statutory homeless, and non-statutory homeless.-Reasons for homelessness:...
. After this she worked for St Mungo Association, a charity whose goal is to help homeless people, then became director of the Homeless Network in London, before becoming deputy director of Shelter in 1992. It was with Shelter that she "made her mark", gaining a "reputation as an ambitious, pragmatic worker who got results", according to BBC News. She was largely responsible for the creation in 1998 of Shelterline, the country's first 24-hour telephone helpline for homeless people.
Rough Sleepers' Unit
Following their election victory in 1997United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, in December that year the new Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
government created the Social Exclusion Unit (SEU), which made tackling rough sleeping one of its priorities. In April 1999 the RSU was created and Casey appointed by Prime Minister Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
as its head, referred to in the media as the "homelessness czar". With an eventual budget of £200 million, the RSU's aim was to reduce the number of rough sleepers in England by two-thirds by April 2002. The RSU published its strategy in December 1999. Casey caused controversy in November 1999 when she said the activities of some charities had the effect of keeping homeless people on the streets: "With soup runs and other kinds of charity help, well-meaning people are spending money servicing the problem on the streets and keeping it there. Even the Big Issue is perpetuating the problem." The editor of The Big Issue
The Big Issue
The Big Issue is a street newspaper published in eight countries; it is written by professional journalists and sold by homeless individuals. It was founded by John Bird and Gordon Roddick in September 1991...
criticised the comments. In November 2000 the government launched the RSU-led "Change a Life" campaign, which encouraged people to give money to homelessness charities instead of to beggars, following research suggesting that 86 percent of beggars used drugs. Casey said giving money to beggars was "misplaced goodwill". The donations hotline set up as part of the campaign was closed in March 2002, having collected £10,000, despite advertising spending of £240,000. The RSU achieved its target in November 2001, several months before the deadline, but allegations were made that they had used underhand tactics; Casey responded that they were false. With her work at the RSU finished, she became director of the newly created Homelessness Directorate.
Anti-Social Behaviour Unit
In January 2003 Casey became head of the ASBU at the Home OfficeHome Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
. Introduced in 1998, an Anti-Social Behaviour Order
Anti-Social Behaviour Order
An Anti-Social Behaviour Order or ASBO is a civil order made against a person who has been shown, on the balance of evidence, to have engaged in anti-social behaviour. The orders, introduced in the United Kingdom by Prime Minister Tony Blair in 1998, were designed to correct minor incidents that...
is a civil order made against a person who has been shown, on the balance of evidence, to have engaged in anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour is behaviour that lacks consideration for others and that may cause damage to society, whether intentionally or through negligence, as opposed to pro-social behaviour, behaviour that helps or benefits society...
. During an after-dinner speech at a private function in June 2005, she said that ministers would perform better if they were drunk and, "doing things sober is no way to get things done". She also said: "There is an obsession with evidence-based policy. If No 10 says bloody evidence-based policy to me one more time I'll deck them one and probably get unemployed." The remarks, defended by the Prime Minister's office, led to an inquiry, after which Casey, having apologised, was allowed to keep her job.
Respect Task Force; crime adviser
In September 2005 Casey was appointed head of the Respect Task Force as part of Blair's "respect agenda", becoming known as the "respect czar". The Respect Action Plan, launched in January 2006, was designed to deal with anti-social behaviour and problematic young people and families. In December 2007 the task force was closed down, and Casey moved to another job involving community policing. In 2008 her review of "Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime" was published, based largely on her contact with the public. In June 2008 she was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath. She recommended the requirement, introduced in December 2008, that offenders doing community work should wear fluorescent orange jackets with the words "community payback" printed on the backs. In October 2009, while working as the government's neighbourhood crime adviser, Casey said that the justice system favoured criminals, and the public wanted a justice system that was not a "criminal's justice system".Victims' Commissioner
On 30 March 2010 Casey was appointed to the post of Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses, created under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004
The Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is concerned with criminal justice and concentrates upon legal protection and assistance to victims of crime, particularly domestic violence...
, whose job is to "promote the interests of victims and witnesses, encourage good practice in their treatment, and regularly review the Code of Practice for Victims which sets out the services victims can expect to receive". As Victims' Commissioner, she said crime victims were treated poorly by the system, and suggested jury trials were unnecessary for many lesser offences.
It was reported in September 2011 that she would work with Prime Minister David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
in dealing with the aftermath of the 2011 England riots
2011 England riots
Between 6 and 10 August 2011, several London boroughs and districts of cities and towns across England suffered widespread rioting, looting and arson....
. She accordingly resigned from the position of Victims' Commissioner on 12 October 2011.