Una Padel
Encyclopedia
Una Padel was a British criminal-justice
reformer, known for her work in penal reform. She was the director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies
(CCJS) from 1999 until her death in 2006, after which the centre established the Una Padel Award.
, London, Padel grew up in Wembley and was educated at Preston Manor High School
and at the universities of Durham
, York
, and Newcastle, where she took a degree in psychology and diplomas in social administration and social work. She joined the Northumbria
Probation Service in 1980, became deputy director to Stephen Shaw
at the Prison Reform Trust
in 1985, and was made assistant director of the Standing Conference on Drug Abuse (now merged with the Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence to form DrugScope
) in 1989. She also did work in providing HIV education in prisons. In 1993 she started a project called the London Prisons Community Links (LPCL) whose aim was to set up visitor centres at all of London's prisons, and by 1998 she had achieved her goal. After this she founded CLINKS, an organisation whose goal was to encourage voluntary organisations to offer services in prison. In 2000 she was a member of the Laming committee which looked at penal reform. She was appointed OBE
in 2003. In the same year she became chair of the Penal Affairs Consortium, a group that coordinates organisations involved in the penal system. From 1999 until her death by cancer in 2006, Padel was the director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies
(CCJS), or the Institute for the Study and Treatment of Delinquency as it was then called when she joined. During her career she was involved in numerous advocacy groups and committees.
Padel left behind a daughter, her parents, and two sisters. An obituary in The Guardian
noted her "profound sense of social justice" which "stemmed from an incisive understanding of and empathy with the underdog. She kept a bright, well-organised light burning for decency and justice during a period when an increasingly party political mood of penal populism threatened to sweep away hard fought for principles and structures." Tony Pearson of the centre also paid tribute to her and used an anecdote to illustrate her qualities: "Who will forget her obvious delight only a few months ago when she appeared in court and successfully helped the driver who was ferrying her to and from the office as her health deteriorated in getting permission to start training as a black cab driver." After her death the CCJS established the annual Una Padel Award in her memory to recognise organisations and individuals in penal reform. The first in 2007 was awarded to Prison Chat UK and to Gillian Margaret Butler, the chair of Yarl's Wood Befrienders.
After reforms in 2001 that threatened to restrict jury trials to only serious offenses, Padel said "It seems unfair that the best quality justice is reserved for the most serious offences. Relatively minor offences can have a devastating impact on someone's life—by losing them their job, for example." She said that British criminals liked Spain because the two countries did not have an extradition treaty, and that "When a lot of criminals gather there, it becomes a community and the criminal feels like he is among 'his own'." When her daughter was robbed at the age of 13, she said she did not want the perpetrators to be jailed—which was "true to her principles" according to Charles Murray
. She explained: "I want them to stop robbing people, that’s the bottom line ... In an ideal world I would like them to be made aware of the impact they’ve actually had on my
daughter and, ideally, apologise." She supported allowing prisoners to vote and was involved in the Barred From Voting campaign by UNLOCK, The National Association of Reformed Offenders.
. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
reformer, known for her work in penal reform. She was the director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies
Centre for Crime and Justice Studies
The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies is a charity based in the United Kingdom focusing on crime and the criminal justice system. It seeks to bring together people involved in criminal justice through various means, including publications, conferences, and courses.The Centre was established in...
(CCJS) from 1999 until her death in 2006, after which the centre established the Una Padel Award.
Life and career
Born in HampsteadHampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, London, Padel grew up in Wembley and was educated at Preston Manor High School
Preston Manor High School
Preston Manor High School is one of the largest high schools within the London Borough of Brent, located in the Preston area.-Admissions:It has 1354 students in High School and roughly 260 students in Sixth Form. Its current headteacher is Mr M. Lantos, who recently took over from Mrs. Andrea...
and at the universities of Durham
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
, and Newcastle, where she took a degree in psychology and diplomas in social administration and social work. She joined the Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...
Probation Service in 1980, became deputy director to Stephen Shaw
Stephen Shaw (ombudsman)
Stephen Shaw, CBE is former Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales. He was first appointed Prisons Ombudsman in October 1999; from September 1, 2001 his remit was extended to take in complaints against the National Probation Service from those under supervision in the community...
at the Prison Reform Trust
Prison Reform Trust
The Prison Reform Trust was founded in 1981 in London, England by a small group of prison reform campaigners who were unhappy with the direction in which the Howard League for Penal Reform was heading, concentrating more on community punishments than on traditional prison reform issues...
in 1985, and was made assistant director of the Standing Conference on Drug Abuse (now merged with the Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence to form DrugScope
DrugScope
DrugScope is a UK based charity. It is the main UK membership organisation for those working in the drugs field and its aim is to inform the public about drugs, inform policy development and reduce drug-related harms...
) in 1989. She also did work in providing HIV education in prisons. In 1993 she started a project called the London Prisons Community Links (LPCL) whose aim was to set up visitor centres at all of London's prisons, and by 1998 she had achieved her goal. After this she founded CLINKS, an organisation whose goal was to encourage voluntary organisations to offer services in prison. In 2000 she was a member of the Laming committee which looked at penal reform. She was appointed OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 2003. In the same year she became chair of the Penal Affairs Consortium, a group that coordinates organisations involved in the penal system. From 1999 until her death by cancer in 2006, Padel was the director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies
Centre for Crime and Justice Studies
The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies is a charity based in the United Kingdom focusing on crime and the criminal justice system. It seeks to bring together people involved in criminal justice through various means, including publications, conferences, and courses.The Centre was established in...
(CCJS), or the Institute for the Study and Treatment of Delinquency as it was then called when she joined. During her career she was involved in numerous advocacy groups and committees.
Padel left behind a daughter, her parents, and two sisters. An obituary in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
noted her "profound sense of social justice" which "stemmed from an incisive understanding of and empathy with the underdog. She kept a bright, well-organised light burning for decency and justice during a period when an increasingly party political mood of penal populism threatened to sweep away hard fought for principles and structures." Tony Pearson of the centre also paid tribute to her and used an anecdote to illustrate her qualities: "Who will forget her obvious delight only a few months ago when she appeared in court and successfully helped the driver who was ferrying her to and from the office as her health deteriorated in getting permission to start training as a black cab driver." After her death the CCJS established the annual Una Padel Award in her memory to recognise organisations and individuals in penal reform. The first in 2007 was awarded to Prison Chat UK and to Gillian Margaret Butler, the chair of Yarl's Wood Befrienders.
After reforms in 2001 that threatened to restrict jury trials to only serious offenses, Padel said "It seems unfair that the best quality justice is reserved for the most serious offences. Relatively minor offences can have a devastating impact on someone's life—by losing them their job, for example." She said that British criminals liked Spain because the two countries did not have an extradition treaty, and that "When a lot of criminals gather there, it becomes a community and the criminal feels like he is among 'his own'." When her daughter was robbed at the age of 13, she said she did not want the perpetrators to be jailed—which was "true to her principles" according to Charles Murray
Charles Murray (author)
Charles Alan Murray is an American libertarian political scientist, author, columnist, and pundit working as a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington, DC...
. She explained: "I want them to stop robbing people, that’s the bottom line ... In an ideal world I would like them to be made aware of the impact they’ve actually had on my
daughter and, ideally, apologise." She supported allowing prisoners to vote and was involved in the Barred From Voting campaign by UNLOCK, The National Association of Reformed Offenders.
Sources
. Centre for Crime and Justice StudiesCentre for Crime and Justice Studies
The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies is a charity based in the United Kingdom focusing on crime and the criminal justice system. It seeks to bring together people involved in criminal justice through various means, including publications, conferences, and courses.The Centre was established in...
. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
- Murray, CharlesCharles MurrayCharles Murray is the name of:*Charles Murray, 1st Earl of Dunmore *Charles Augustus Murray , British author diplomat*Charles Murray, 7th Earl of Dunmore *Charles James Murray , British politician...
(June 2005). . CivitasCivitasIn the history of Rome, the Latin term civitas , according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the cives, or citizens, united by law . It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities on the one hand and rights of citizenship on the other...
. For the webpage at Civitas see "Why Punishment Is No Crime". CivitasCivitasIn the history of Rome, the Latin term civitas , according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the cives, or citizens, united by law . It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities on the one hand and rights of citizenship on the other...
. 27 June 2005. Retrieved 30 October 2010. Archived by WebCiteWebCiteWebCite is a service that archives web pages on demand. Authors can subsequently cite the archived web pages through WebCite, in addition to citing the original URL of the web page. Readers are able to retrieve the archived web pages indefinitely, without regard to whether the original web page is...
on 30 October 2010.