[[{"fid":"4746","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"150","width":"600","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]
Clinks Members' Policy Briefing | September 2017
[[{"fid":"4239","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"50","width":"600","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]
The Farmer Review of family ties for men in prison, led by Lord Farmer in partnership with Clinks, published its final report on 10th August. Secretary of State David Lidington welcomed the report, saying “Families can play a significant role in supporting an offender and I am grateful to Lord Farmer for his dedication and research on this important issue.” On 5th September, a launch event for the report was held at the Centre for Social Justice. The Prisons Minister Sam Gyimah spoke at the event, alongside Lord Farmer and the Chief Executive of Partners of Prisoners (POPS), Diane Curry. Oonagh Ryder, Clinks’ Policy Officer has written a briefing for Clinks members, outlining the report’s findings and recommendations.
On Friday 8th September, the final report of David Lammy's review in the treatment of, and outcomes for, black, Asian and minority (BAME) individuals in the criminal justice system was published. The report was launched with an event at the Royal Society for the Arts (RSA), where David Lammy discussed the areas of the criminal justice system (CJS) in which BAME people face bias and the importance of trust in the system for BAME defendants. The review found evidence of differential treatment at a number of points in the system, such as higher rates of arrests for BAME people and a higher likelihood for BAME defendants of receiving a prison sentence for drug offences. The report makes 35 recommendations, including that cross-CJS approach should be agreed to record data on ethnicity, that CJS agencies should introduce reform to address any disparities between people of different ethnicities that they are unable to explain, and that the Government should set a clear, national target to achieve a representative judiciary and magistracy by 2025. Clinks has released a statement on the review, calling for action to implement the report's recommendations.
This month, Clinks signed a letter from 122 voluntary organisations to Tracey Crouch, the incoming Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport and Civil Society, raising concerns about the effects of the Lobbying Act on charities’ ability to campaign on issues affecting the most marginalised groups in society. The letter highlights the confusing rules around the Lobbying Act, particularly affecting smaller organisations without the resources to enlist legal support.
[[{"fid":"4240","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"50","width":"600","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]
Prison reform must also factor in a new focus on rehabilitation Secretary of State for Justice, David Lidington, has written this article for the Evening Standard, emphasising the importance of rehabilitation in prison reform. He discusses the current conditions across the prison estate, highlighting the prevalence of violence and self-harm. The article announces that the Secretary of State will set up a new unit in the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), responsible for ensuring that the MoJ respond and react to reports from HM Inspectorate of Prisons. The Secretary of State also states that he would like to see prison numbers come down and to ensure judges, magistrates and the public have full confidence in the other penalties available.
Changes to the youth justice system The Youth Justice Board (YJB) has stated that the youth justice reforms announced by the Secretary of State for Justice in February 2017 will take effect on 1st September 2017. From this date, the Youth Custody Service, a distinct arm of HM Prisons and Probation Service, will be responsible for the placement of young people into custody and the delivery of secure services, while the Ministry of Justice will be responsible for the commissioning of these services. The YJB will work with youth offending teams and share best practice across the system, as well as retaining oversight of the whole system and providing independent advice to ministers on its functioning.
[[{"fid":"4242","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"50","width":"600","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]
Clinks publications
Race, mental health and criminal justice: Moving forward This joint briefing from Nacro, Clinks, Association for Mental Health Providers, and the Race Equality Foundation explores the challenges in providing effective mental health support for people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities that have contact with the criminal justice system (CJS). It finds that discrimination and differing treatment underpin the negative experiences of people from BAME communities across the CJS and in mental health services and highlights issues in providing appropriate services including: using data; involving people with lived experience; workforce and training; and integrated working. It makes a number of recommendations, including that commissioners and providers should ensure that a wide range of tailored services are available to meet the needs of BAME groups.
Clinks and National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance: Case Study of Clean Break Clean Break is a women-only theatre company that delivers high-quality theatre-based courses, qualifications and specialist support for women with experience of the criminal justice system. This case study, published by Clinks and the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance, explores the impact of current policy and funding arrangements on Clean Break and gives the experiences of Frankie, a former Clean Break student. The case study discusses the important of having a women only space as well as the current challenges in the sector, such as reduced funding and issues in prisons. It also notes increased government recognition of the importance of the arts to support people in the criminal justice system and work going on to keep this on the agenda as opportunities for the organisation.
Notes from the RR3 Special Interest Group meeting on the commissioning of families services The most recent notes from the final meeting of this Special Interest Group, convened by the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3). Officials from the Assisted Prison Visits Unit (APVU) gave an update on the new booking system for APVU visits, acknowledging the challenges this has presented for families with limited internet access and stating that they would provide a briefing for families organisations on the new system. Families organisations provided feedback to HM Prisons and Probation Service about the recent family services commissioning process, highlighting in particular difficulties with communication, timescales and quality control of service specifications.
Criminal justice system
Out of control: punishment in prisons The Howard League for Penal Reform has published this report looking at the use of additional days of imprisonment as punishment for behavioural issues in prison. It finds that the number of additional days given as punishment increased by 34% from 2015 to 2016 and shows that use of additional days disproportionately affects children, young adults and BAME prisoners. It suggests that this is indicative of poor leadership and governors and directors who are struggling to maintain control and notes that the practice has significantly increased alongside a deterioration of prison conditions. The report highlights good practice in Scotland, where the use of additional days was abandoned ten years ago. It recommends that this practice should end in prisons in England and Wales.
Prison Population Projections 2017 to 2022, England and Wales The Ministry of Justice has published its projections for the prison population from 2017 to 2022. The bulletin predicts that the prison population will remain stable until June 2019 but then rise by 1,200 places by March 2022. It suggests that the rise will be due to increasing numbers of serious cases coming before the courts, resulting in longer custodial sentences. The breakdown of these figures shows predicted increases in the population of prisoners serving determinate sentences and those recalled to prison, alongside a decrease in prisoners serving indeterminate sentences.
Black, Asian and minority ethnic people
Counted Out: Black, Asian and minority ethnic women in the criminal justice system This report, published by the Prison Reform Trust, looks at the specific disadvantages faced by black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) women in the criminal justice system. The report finds that women from minority ethnic groups are disadvantaged compared to white women in the criminal justice system; and there are very few specialist, local services working with BAME women in the criminal justice system. It makes a number of recommendations, which include that the forthcoming government strategy on female offenders should include specific measures to improve outcomes for black, Asian and minority ethnic women, and that national and local government should work together to ensure the provision of services to support women from minority ethnic groups in the community.
Exploratory analysis of the youth secure estate by BAME groups This analysis, published by the Ministry of Justice, was commissioned by the Lammy Review of outcomes for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people in the criminal justice system. It explores factors that may explain the high proportion of young black people in youth custody. The analysis shows that disproportionality for young black males is most evident at arrest stage but that they are also more likely to be sentenced to custody and given longer sentences. It also shows that young black people are more likely to be remanded, although sentencing outcomes after remand showed no disparity between black and white children. The analysis concludes that it is not possible to determine the exact cause of the differences it identifies.
Women
Short but not sweet: exploring the impact of short sentences on mothers This article was published in the European Journal of Parental Imprisonment by researchers from De Montford University and Coventry University. It gives an overview of existing research about the impact of remand and short sentences for women. The article discusses the potential for imprisonment to lead to children being taken into care as well as other negative outcomes such as homelessness and debt. It considers the reasons for the incarceration of mothers, highlighting the relative autonomy provided to magistrates by sentencing guidelines, and suggests that all sentencers should be required to request a pre-sentencing report for mothers with dependent children.
Families
Prison Voicemail - An Initial Evaluation This evaluation, published by the University of Lincoln, summarises the findings of research conducted with prisoners and their families on the benefits of using Prison Voicemail, a service which allows prisoners and their families to leave voicemail messages for each other. The report finds that Prison Voicemail offers support around health and wellbeing, practicalities and family ties, and has a perceived influence on the likelihood of reoffending. It also suggests that there is a need to ensure that all prisoners and their families are reliably informed about Prison Voicemail, how it works, specific features, and the potential benefits of using it.
[[{"fid":"4243","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"50","width":"600","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]
Inspecting prisons – what are the Expectations? Clinks Policy Manager Jess Mullen has written this blog providing an overview of HM Inspectorate of Prisons’ latest version of its Expectations for adult male prisons, published in July 2017. It discusses the recommendations made in Clinks’ response to the Inspectorate’s consultation on the Expectations and highlights where the new Expectations recognise these key points. Jess writes, “Clinks is extremely pleased that some of the key points raised by organisations at our workshops have been recognised by the Inspectorate and included in the final version of the expectations.”
Socialisation – the key to rehabilitation Martin Kruklis of St. Luke's Support Association, a non-governmental organisation in Latvia has written this blog discussing his organisation’s approach to rehabilitation and working with people with convictions. St. Luke’s Support Association provides a one year programme of employment, social status, skills, cultural activities and personal therapy activities, utilising volunteers and people with similar experiences to their service users. Martin writes, “A holistic approach in re-socialisation means taking care of each individual's physical, existential and emotional needs. This includes developing a personal system of values, developing positive behaviour, attitudes and relationships, acquisition or restoration of social skills, recovery of health and legal status, obtaining vocational skills and employment, engagement in meaningful leisure activities, intellectual and cultural development.”
How people in custody are shaping HMP Dartmoor’s engagement with the voluntary sector Amanda Sherriff from EDP is the Voluntary Sector Co-ordinator for Clinks’ Good Prison Project at HMP Dartmoor and HMP Exeter. In this guest blog she shares five ways she has put service user engagement at the heart of her work at HMP Dartmoor. She writes, “Through the promotional work and planned prisoner involvement, over 80% of prisoners at HMP Dartmoor came to see us at the first Inside Out. The energy in the room was incredible, with a real hubbub of excited talking and interest in the services.”
Connecting exceptional organisations, employers and ex-offenders This guest blog by Adriana Paice of The Exceptionals looks at employment for people in the criminal justice system and introduces a new resource helping businesses employ ex-offenders by connecting them with relevant organisations who provide training, recruitment and ongoing support. She writes, “We are all aware of the meaningful role that employment plays in reducing levels of reoffending; but there are simply not enough employers actively recruiting ex-offenders. We want to change this disjunct and inspire more businesses to see this community as an overlooked pool of talented people who make for exceptional employees – skilled, committed and driven.”
[[{"fid":"4244","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","link_text":null,"attributes":{"height":"50","width":"600","class":"media-element file-default"}}]]
- This edition of Clinks Policy Briefing has been sent to the inbox of all Clinks Members. Who are they?
- If you have any comments about the update or ideas about how it could be improved, please email Oonagh Ryder
- To unsubscribe, email Oonagh Ryder
- Please note that the third-party information, gathered and presented within this update, may not represent the views of Clinks or the author. [Terms of Use]
Get involved Become a Member | Follow Clinks | Join Mailing List
Contact Us www.clinks.org | info@clinks.org | 020 7383 0966
Written monthly by...
Oonagh Ryder
Clinks
© Clinks, 2017
Registered office: Clinks, Tavis House, 1-6 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9NA
Registered charity: 1074546 | Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales: 3562176