This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/mar/01/stephen-lawrence-turning-point-policing
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Stephen Lawrence inquiry 'could have been turning point' for UK policing | Stephen Lawrence inquiry 'could have been turning point' for UK policing |
| (4 months later) | |
| Attempts by the family of Stephen Lawrence to transform British policing have been undermined by delays, blunders and an establishment resistant to change, according to a key figure in the Macpherson inquiry. | Attempts by the family of Stephen Lawrence to transform British policing have been undermined by delays, blunders and an establishment resistant to change, according to a key figure in the Macpherson inquiry. |
| Dr Richard Stone, an adviser to Sir William Macpherson's inquiry in 1998, said its legacy had been seriously hampered by lack of leadership, Whitehall inertia and the failure to release the detailed files and correspondence that underpinned the judicial process. | Dr Richard Stone, an adviser to Sir William Macpherson's inquiry in 1998, said its legacy had been seriously hampered by lack of leadership, Whitehall inertia and the failure to release the detailed files and correspondence that underpinned the judicial process. |
| The supporting minutes, letters and memos, said Stone, were supposed to be released soon after the report to allow police trainers and academics to analyse the minutiae and disseminate good practice among Britain's police forces. And yet, Stone alleged, it took six years for the release of the inquiry transcripts. By contrast, transcripts from the Hutton report on the death of Dr David Kelly and the war in Iraq were made available for analysis and dissemination in just four months. | The supporting minutes, letters and memos, said Stone, were supposed to be released soon after the report to allow police trainers and academics to analyse the minutiae and disseminate good practice among Britain's police forces. And yet, Stone alleged, it took six years for the release of the inquiry transcripts. By contrast, transcripts from the Hutton report on the death of Dr David Kelly and the war in Iraq were made available for analysis and dissemination in just four months. |
| Stone said it took 12 years for correspondence from the Lawrence inquiry to reach the public archive and that even then, it was quietly deposited. | Stone said it took 12 years for correspondence from the Lawrence inquiry to reach the public archive and that even then, it was quietly deposited. |
| "Even now, some files appear to be missing," he said. "The delays were important and go some way to explaining the lack of sustained progress since the inquiry. By the time this important material was released, much of the attention and focus was concentrated elsewhere. The moment was lost. | "Even now, some files appear to be missing," he said. "The delays were important and go some way to explaining the lack of sustained progress since the inquiry. By the time this important material was released, much of the attention and focus was concentrated elsewhere. The moment was lost. |
| "There have been some improvements in the professionalism of the police but progress has been too slow and too patchy." | "There have been some improvements in the professionalism of the police but progress has been too slow and too patchy." |
| Stone said that in his search of the material, he was unable to find even his own notes. "I handed them in at the end of the inquiry and expected them to be part of the material at the national archive. It is clear that what we have is not the full record. If my notes are not there, what else is not there? | Stone said that in his search of the material, he was unable to find even his own notes. "I handed them in at the end of the inquiry and expected them to be part of the material at the national archive. It is clear that what we have is not the full record. If my notes are not there, what else is not there? |
| "At this stage removed, we are left trying to guess the unknown unknowns. That is not how it should be." | "At this stage removed, we are left trying to guess the unknown unknowns. That is not how it should be." |
| Stone said the inquiry, commissioned by the then home secretary Jack Straw, and its controversial conclusion should have been a huge turning point for policing theory and practice in Britain. | Stone said the inquiry, commissioned by the then home secretary Jack Straw, and its controversial conclusion should have been a huge turning point for policing theory and practice in Britain. |
| "The charge of institutional racism levied by the inquiry should have been a point of radical change, but 14 years later, racism still exists, there continues to be a significant racial disparity in stop and search, there is little progress in the recruitment and retention of minority ethnic officers and there's little engagement with those communities," he said. | "The charge of institutional racism levied by the inquiry should have been a point of radical change, but 14 years later, racism still exists, there continues to be a significant racial disparity in stop and search, there is little progress in the recruitment and retention of minority ethnic officers and there's little engagement with those communities," he said. |
| A Home Office spokesperson said the police had worked hard to respond to the challenges of the Macpherson report: "There has been significant progress. The new policing landscape presents great opportunities to ensure faster progress on equality and diversity and the College of Policing will have a key role in driving these improvements." | A Home Office spokesperson said the police had worked hard to respond to the challenges of the Macpherson report: "There has been significant progress. The new policing landscape presents great opportunities to ensure faster progress on equality and diversity and the College of Policing will have a key role in driving these improvements." |
| Stone has harsh words for the commissioner at the time, Sir Paul Condon, now Lord Condon: "We begged him to acknowledge institutional racism. If he had, it would have been a turning point." | Stone has harsh words for the commissioner at the time, Sir Paul Condon, now Lord Condon: "We begged him to acknowledge institutional racism. If he had, it would have been a turning point." |
| Stone, whose book Hidden Stories of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry is published on 19 March, likens the opportunity to the truth and reconciliation process in post-apartheid South Africa: "The commissioner lost the opportunity to move forward." | Stone, whose book Hidden Stories of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry is published on 19 March, likens the opportunity to the truth and reconciliation process in post-apartheid South Africa: "The commissioner lost the opportunity to move forward." |
| He said the repercussions had been grave. "We are still discussing institutional racism, rather than having dealt with it. Stephen Lawrence's brother Stuart says he been stopped [by police] 25 times, whereas my son was never stopped at all. It is very revealing. | He said the repercussions had been grave. "We are still discussing institutional racism, rather than having dealt with it. Stephen Lawrence's brother Stuart says he been stopped [by police] 25 times, whereas my son was never stopped at all. It is very revealing. |
| "I spoke to Stuart about it and asked whether he thinks it is because he is black or whether it is because he was Stephen's brother." The answer was inconclusive, he said. "But I think the very fact that they are still stopping lots of young black men, and doing it without justification, is quite clear. I recently met the commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, and know he has plans to address this. I am resting a lot of hopes on him." | "I spoke to Stuart about it and asked whether he thinks it is because he is black or whether it is because he was Stephen's brother." The answer was inconclusive, he said. "But I think the very fact that they are still stopping lots of young black men, and doing it without justification, is quite clear. I recently met the commissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe, and know he has plans to address this. I am resting a lot of hopes on him." |
| The 20th anniversary of Stephen's death on 22 April 1993 is being commemorated throughout the year. The Lawrence family will mark the event with a memorial service at St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, a concert, a gala ball and a criminal justice lecture. | The 20th anniversary of Stephen's death on 22 April 1993 is being commemorated throughout the year. The Lawrence family will mark the event with a memorial service at St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, a concert, a gala ball and a criminal justice lecture. |
| There were three advisers to Macpherson at his inquiry. Alongside Stone were John Sentamu, then the Bishop of Stepney and now archbishop of York; and Tom Cook, former deputy chief constable of West Yorkshire police. | There were three advisers to Macpherson at his inquiry. Alongside Stone were John Sentamu, then the Bishop of Stepney and now archbishop of York; and Tom Cook, former deputy chief constable of West Yorkshire police. |
| The least likely to add further reflection is Macpherson himself. The retired judge resolved some years ago to make no further comment. | The least likely to add further reflection is Macpherson himself. The retired judge resolved some years ago to make no further comment. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |