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Clinks Members’ Policy Briefing | April 2014
In this month's edition...News[[{"fid":"2087","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Policy News","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Policy News"},"type":"media","attributes":{}}]]Books in prison There has been much in the press about the ‘books in prisons’ issue which relates to changes made in November 2013 to the 'Incentives and Earned Privileges' prison service instruction (PSI 30) restricting items that can be sent to prisoners. You can read Frances Crook, director of the Howard League for Penal Reform’s article on the issue here. The article draws attention to the fact that the PSI has an impact wider than books, and also restricts other items being sent directly to prisoners including arts materials, musical instruments and access to pens and paper for writing letters. The PSI can be accessed here.
Update on progress made on the strategic objectives for female offenders In March 2013, the MoJ published strategic objectives for female offenders and announced the formation of an Advisory Board for Female Offenders, chaired by the Minister for Justice and Civil Liberties, Simon Hughes. The strategic objectives intend to ensure: there are robust and effective sentencing options in the community that will enable female offenders to be punished in the community where appropriate; community sentencing options address the specific needs of female offenders, where these are different from males; the women’s custodial estate is tailored to their needs; and the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms support better life management to reduce women’s reoffending. The MoJ have now published an update on the progress made on the delivery of the strategic objectives and detail what they aim to achieve in the year ahead.
Write to be Heard: Supporting offender learning through creative writing The Arts Alliance's creative writing programme 'Write to be Heard' aimed to encourage ‘hard-to-reach’ offenders to engage with education and arts opportunities in prison. The project’s evaluation report explores the perspective of prisoners, participating arts organisations and competition entrants to highlight the links between creative writing, literacy, numeracy and factors that can support the desistance process. It found that creative workshops are a catalyst for change and can offer a pathway into engagement with more formal learning opportunities.
Publications
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Women
The relationship between debt and financial issues and women’s offending This Clinks briefing examines the complex relationship between debt and financial issues and women’s offending. It focuses on case study examples submitted by Clinks’ members and evidence from our ongoing research into the current experience of projects providing community-based female offender services.
Brighter Futures: Working together to reduce women’s offending This briefing by the Prison Reform Trust highlights the specific needs of female offenders, outlines existing initiatives and partnerships that aim to respond more effectively to women’s offending, and provides links to useful resources. The briefing asserts that ‘proportionate, informed and timely interventions designed to meet the needs of women at key points of entry into the Criminal Justice System can help prevent offending and reoffending. Evidence increasingly shows that these can be cost-effective in providing positive outcomes for women, their families and their communities.’
Evidencing Domestic Violence: A year on Published by Rights of Women, this report details the main findings from their recent research carried out in conjunction with Women’s Aid and Welsh Women’s Aid. The research found that ‘nearly half of women affected by violence do not have the required evidence to prove they have experienced domestic violence in order to be eligible for family law legal aid.’
Women’s access to justice This joint report, published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Domestic and Sexual Violence and Rights of Women, concludes an inquiry into women survivors of domestic violence’s access to justice. The report gives five recommendations including: the government reviewing its data collection procedures relating to domestic violence; police and justice officials receiving domestic violence awareness training; the government reviewing current legislation around domestic violence; the police moving away from evidence solely based on victim testimony; and the Criminal Justice System taking a more victim-centered approach.
Girls and gangs This report by the Centre for Social Justice and XLP (also known as the ‘eXceL Project’) examines the experiences of girls and young women in gangs. It suggests five initial areas where action could be taken including; effective mapping of the problem; taking advantage of specific ‘windows of opportunity’ to access girls; providing effective mentoring; ensuring an appropriate police response; and making sure gang-affected schools are open to support.
Criminal Justice System
UK Justice Policy Review This report by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies is the third in an annual series that tracks criminal justice and social welfare developments across the UK. It analyses main developments in policing, the courts, prisons, probation and welfare and includes a special focus on ‘Third sector involvement in outsourcing.’
A joint inspection of the Integrated Offender Management Approach This joint inspection report by HMI of Probation and HMI of Constabulary aims to assist with assessing the impact of Integrated Offender Management (IOM) and to disseminate good practice. The inspection found that most individuals working in IOM have commitment to the approach locally and have high expectations that it can reduce reoffending. However, it was also found that ‘not all areas had embraced IOM in an effective way.’
Personalisation in the criminal justice system: what is the potential? This briefing, published by the Criminal Justice Alliance, highlights the key elements of personalisation and describes how greater personalisation in the criminal justice sector could give criminal justice reform ‘a new direction and impetus.’
Process evaluation of Neighbourhood Justice Panels This report by the Ministry of Justice gives the findings from a qualitative process evaluation that explored the set-up, delivery and perceived effects of the Neighbourhood Justice Panels (NJPs); a form of restorative justice conference that brings together victims and perpetrators. Panel meetings are facilitated by trained volunteers.
Police and Crime Commissioners
Improving responses to young adults This briefing written by Revolving Doors Agency for the Transition to Adulthood Alliance comprises a checklist for PCCs to consider as they develop their strategic approach and review their police and crime plans. It suggests that all PCCs should: include specific provision for young adults in local diversion and crime prevention strategies; work with partners to reduce young adult offending; champion improved policing of young adults; and engage with young adults.
The Revolving Doors Checklist This briefing also by Revolving Doors Agency focuses on how PCCs can help to improve responses to those experiencing multiple and complex needs, including those with poor mental health, who come into repeat contact with the Criminal Justice System. It suggests how PCCs can: reduce demand on frontline police through effective diversion and crime prevention strategies; help to tackle ‘revolving door’ offending; involve people with direct experience of the problem; and adopt a ‘whole system’ partnership approach to tackling multiple and complex needs locally.
Domestic Violence
Everyone’s business: Improving the police response to domestic abuse This report by the HMI of Constabulary explores the police response to domestic abuse. It found that ‘the overall police response to victims of domestic abuse is not good enough. This is despite considerable improvements in the service over the last decade, and the commitment and dedication of many able police officers and police staff. In too many forces there are weaknesses in the service provided to victims; some of these are serious and this means that victims are put at unnecessary risk.’
Early intervention in domestic violence and abuse This report by the Early Intervention Foundation found that domestic violence and abuse is highly prevalent and can cause long term problems for children, families and communities and that improvements in early intervention and prevention ‘could have a potentially significant impact on reducing these long-term negative consequences.’
Mental Health
Young adults (18-24) in transition, mental health and criminal justice This is the second of three briefings by the Centre for Mental Health that report on areas that were under-developed in the Bradley Report. The briefing considers the needs of young adults, defined as those aged 18-24, in contact with mental health and/or learning disability services and the Criminal Justice System. It also offers a series of practical and policy solutions for individuals working with and commissioning services for young adults.
Gypsy and Traveller Prisoners
Gypsy and Traveller Prisoners: A good practice guide This guide has been published by the Irish Chaplaincy in Britain as part of the Traveller Equality Project. It aims to answer some of the most common questions asked of the project by prison staff and to help prisons meet the needs of this group more effectively.
People in prison: Gypsies, Romany and Travellers This report by HMI of Prisons aims to provide an overview of the potential issues faced by Gypsy, Romany and Traveller prisoners and considers whether these difficulties are unique to this group. It also aims to review the resources available to those in prison identifying as Gypsy, Romany or Traveller.
Ex-Service Personnel in Prison
People in prison: Ex-Service personnel This report by HM of Prisons gives a summary of literature concerning ex-Service personnel in prison and aims to provide an overview of the potential issues faced by this group. It considers whether these difficulties differ from those faced by the general prison population. The report also aims to review resources available to those in prison who are ex-Service personnel and the outcomes for this group.
Justice Data Lab: One year on This blog by Jess Mullen, Senior Policy and Projects Officer at Clinks gives a quick update summarising some of the key information in the MoJ’s report on the learning from the first year of the Justice Data Lab pilot.
Space for innovation… in the NOMS grants programme This is the second in a series of blogs by Nathan Dick, Local Development Team Leader at Clinks. It focuses on the NOMS grants programme for the voluntary sector, giving information about what it is and providing some insights into what the grants are aiming to do.
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