Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 594 | 26th July 2019

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In this week's edition...

 

CLINKS EVENT: reviewing the inspection criteria for adult women prisons

HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) is reviewing and updating its expectations (the criteria used to inspect) for adult women prisons. This follows their work to review their expectations for the male prison estate in 2017. Clinks is holding a consultation event for members to feed into this process [19 August, Manchester, Free | 20 August, London, Free]. Register for London here and Manchester here

CLINKS RESPONSE: tackling homelessness together consultation

Clinks has responded to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s tackling homelessness together consultation. We outline that if Homeless Reduction Boards are created, they should follow a set of core principles including: having both a strategic and operational approach; being held to account through national oversight; representation from experts; and facilitating a joined-up approach with criminal justice partners. We also highlight the need for the development of a cross-departmental accommodation strategy. Find out more here

CLINKS RESPONSE: the Justice Select Committee Inquiry into prison governance

Clinks' response to the Justice Select Committee’s Inquiry into Prison Governance has been published. We highlight the considerable political instability that has taken place in recent years and the impact this has had on voluntary organisations. We make a series of recommendations, including: the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) proactively work to consult with voluntary organisations in the development of policy reform; that key performance indicators are developed for prisons, in partnership with prison governors and with input from other stakeholders; and that every prison should consider adopting Clinks’ Good Prison model of voluntary sector coordination. Read more here 

CLINKS BLOG: criminal justice forums

Clinks’ area development team recently held criminal justice forums in Gateshead, Bradford, Manchester and Newport for people working in the criminal justice system to take some time out of their day-to-day work to find out about national policy changes, and consider how these changes may impact their organisations. Read our blog here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: criminal defence in an age of austerity

Transform Justice has published a new report on the quality of criminal defence advice and advocacy. Those accused of crimes need good lawyers to defend their liberty, but the report finds that quality is being compromised by cuts to legal aid fees, court pressures and an overreliance on competition and client choice. The report recommends that feedback and quality assurance mechanisms be improved, a review of legal aid fixed fees and the expansion of not-for-profit defence companies. Read the full report here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: play and workshop package

Imagine If would like to start conversations with prison establishments about Jadek, their new play and workshop package available from mid-October to December. Jadek deals with mental health, exploitation and PTSD for prisoners, through a professional theatre production and intensive drama-based workshop. For further information and to book, please email Tamsin on tamsin@imagineiftheatre.co.uk as soon as possible, as there are limited tour dates available.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: new government cabinet

The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP has reshuffled the government cabinet following becoming Prime Minister on Wednesday 24th July. The Rt Hon David Gauke MP resigned his position as Secretary of State for Justice and has been replaced by Robert Buckland QC MP. The Rt Hon Nicky Morgan is now Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. There are likely to be further changes in the coming days, which Clinks will work to inform our members of. We will also be writing to Ministers to congratulate them on their new roles and advocate on behalf of our members.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: probation review engagement and events

The Probation Review programme continue to engage with stakeholders as they develop the future model of probation. An overview of their plans along with updates and details of engagement events can be found here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: prostitution: how can we tackle inequalities and harm?

The Women and Equalities Committee has launched a new inquiry into sex work. There are between 60,000 and 80,000 sex workers in the UK, the majority of which are women. The Committee wants to hear views from organisations and is particularly interested in receiving submissions which address the harms associated with buying and selling sex and how buying and selling sex affects attitudes towards women more widely. The closing date for written submissions is Friday 20 September. Find out more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: inquiry into children and young people in custody

The Justice Committee have launched an inquiry into children and young people in custody. The inquiry will look at how the young estate population has changed, whether the secure estate is a fit and proper place to hold children, as well as arrangements for resettlement and rehabilitation. The Committee is particularly interested in hearing about the experience of black, Asian and minority ethnic children and young people across the system. The deadline to respond to the inquiry is 1st October 2019. Find out more information here

FUNDING: small, local housing projects

Quakers Housing Trust are offering grants for small, local, charitable housing projects providing real homes for people of all ages and with a wide range of needs, such as: mental & physical health problems; learning difficulties; would otherwise be homeless; escaping domestic violence; moving out of institutional care; addiction problems; refugees, asylum seekers, migrants; survivors of trafficking. Find out more and apply before 16th August here

FUNDING: local and community grants

Applications soon close for Rothschild Foundation’s Local and Community programme. The Local and Community Grants programme provides small grants of up to £5,000 for projects in the broad field of social welfare. Charitable organisations with projects benefitting people within 10 miles of the Waddesdon Estate are eligible. They also invite applications from charitable organisations working within the town of High Wycombe. Applications close 5pm Thursday 15th August 2019. Find out more and apply here

CLINKS MEMBER’S TRAINING: professional certificate in therapeutic practice with sex offenders

The Professional Certificate in Therapeutic Practice with Sex Offenders has been developed to provide counsellors, psychotherapists and other practitioners such as psychologists, probation officers, social workers and project workers with the necessary knowledge, skills and tools to work therapeutically with this client group. The course also prepares practitioners to work with partners of such individuals and with couples, where one party is at risk of sexual offending. Stopso are running the course, divided into five, two-day modules, offered at weekends. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: expert citizens conference and awards

Expert Citizens is a Community Interest Company led by and for people with lived experience of homelessness, mental ill- health, addiction, domestic abuse, poverty or histories of offending behaviour. Their INSIGHT awards celebrate examples of positive or and outstanding practice of working with people with multiple complex needs. People can be nominated from any level of an organisation or as an independent practitioner or professional. Nominate someone here and book to attend the conference here

EVENT: a night in the clink

Cardiff Papertrail are offering a unique theatre experience at the Clink in Cardiff. You will be served delicious tapas along with stories inspired by the people who are training as chefs and waiters as part of their prison sentence. A Night in the Clink reveals the dreams they hold for their life upon release. The stories have emerged from a series of workshops with the Clink Team at Cardiff. The production is directed by Bridget Keehan (The Container, Day to Go) and written by Matthew Bulgo, Branwen Davies and Tracy Harris. The show will run from 15 – 18 Sept & 22 – 25 Sept in Cardiff. Get tickets here

CONSULTATION: Arts Council England draft strategy

Arts Council England have recently published their draft strategy for 2020-2030, which will shape their development, advocacy and investment approach over the next ten years. They have opened a consultation on their draft strategy to run between 1 July and 23 September 2019. The consultation is open for anyone to take part in, but is primarily designed for those working within or with the cultural sector, and covers various aspects of the draft strategy and its delivery in detail. Complete the survey here

PUBLICATION: experience of long term imprisonment from young adulthood

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has published researched on the experience of long term imprisonment from young adulthood. Those serving sentences with a tariff of 15 years or more were surveyed and interviewed. The most severely felt problems related to missing others outside prison and feeling that one's life was being lost or wasted. Most participants reported changing profoundly as a result of having to cope within the prison environment and the problems they encountered over an extended time period, including social withdrawal which could act as a barrier to reintegration on release. Read the full report here

PUBLICATION: impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentences on reoffending

The Ministry of Justice has published research on the impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentence orders on reoffending. The study found that sentencing individuals to short term custody with supervision on release was associated with higher reoffending than if they had instead received community orders and/or suspended sentence orders. The average number of offenses after release was also found to be higher for those sentenced to 12 months or less in custody compared to those given a community order. This adds to the body of evidence which shows community sentences are more effective than short custodial sentences. Read the full research here

PUBLICATION: identified needs of offenders in custody and the community from the Offender Assessment System

To inform the evidence base for reforming short custodial sentences, the Ministry of Justice has published a paper on the identified needs of those serving custodial sentences and community orders based on information recorded on the Offender Assessment System (OASys). Analysis of the OASys database showed that for prisoners on determinate sentences, those serving sentences of 12 months or less had a higher proportion of needs than those serving longer sentences or those in the community. The majority of those serving short custodial sentences had employability and accommodation needs and those on recall had the highest prevalence of those needs. Women in custody were found to have a higher prevalence of relationship needs than men, as well as accommodation, drugs, alcohol and employability needs. Read the full report here

PUBLICATION: the economic and social costs of reoffending

An analytical report on the economic and social costs of reoffending has been published by the Ministry of Justice. The report found the total estimated economic and social cost of reoffending was £18.1 billion. The results indicate that for custody outcomes, it is those who previously received a shorter custodial sentence length who account for the largest proportion of the associated costs – especially those who had received a custodial sentence of less than or equal to 6 months. Read the full analysis here

PUBLICATION: Labour Party consultation on building an effective criminal justice system

The Labour Party consultation found several key themes, including: the need for early intervention; reducing the use of short sentences; bringing probation services back under public control; tackling the systematic discrimination against BAME communities and women in our criminal justice system and for a greater use of community sentences. The final paper will be published over the summer ahead of discussion at Labour Party conference. Ahead of this, the Shadow Justice Secretary will be publishing a series of articles on how Labour would make significant changes to the justice system. Read the first, titled “For Far Too Many, Prison Doesn’t Work – Let’s Invest in the Alternatives” here

OPPORTUNITY: seeking partners for prison dynamic purchasing framework

PeoplePlus is currently seeking partners to express an interest in joining their Prison Dynamic Purchasing Framework. They would like to develop a framework of individuals or SMEs who can: support the delivery of their existing contracts on an Associate basis; and/or partner on new bidding opportunities. They are looking for advisors, consultants and skills trainers with experience of delivering workshops and/or one-to-one support. Find out more here

SURVEY: Welsh housing support grant

The Welsh Government are in the process of writing guidance for the new Housing Support Grant in Wales, and one of the elements that needs to be included is how advice offered by support providers will be quality assured. Cymorth Cymru are conducting a survey on the Housing Support Grant, in order to advise the Welsh Government on the potential impact of any decisions made. Complete the survey by noon on 2 August here

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Caseworker with INQUEST [London], Recovery Coordinator with Humankind (formerly DISC) [Leeds], Support Worker Nights with Changing Lives [North East], Administrative Officer with The Forward Trust [HMP Wormwood Scrubs], Head of Housing & Support with Nacro [London or Birmingham], Youth Caseworker (Early Intervention) – County Lines with St Giles Trust [Gwent], Through the Gate Family Support Worker with NEPACS [HMP Holme House and Kirklevington Grange], Team Leader – Offender Services with Shelter (England) [Lancashire (based in Preston], Homelessness Forensic Mental Health Practitioner with Together for Mental Wellbeing [London], Young Persons Case Worker (x2) with Change, grow, love (CGL) [West Sussex], Director of Operations with the Lucy Faithfull Foundation [Bromsgrove/Epsom], Substance Misuse Administrator with EDP Drug & Alcohol Services [HMP Guys Marsh] For more information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: North Yorkshire getaway with dinner at spa hotel. Save up to 50%. Details
  • Tip of the week II: Entry to Shrek’s Adventure! London & DreamWorks Worlds. £15 instead of £30. Details
  • Tip of the week III: Rodizio Rico – All-you-can-eat Brazilian BBQ with a cocktail. 41% off. Details 

EXTRA INFORMATION


 

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