Ministry of Justice Female Offenders Strategy
The Ministry of Justice has released its Female Offenders Strategy which sets out the government’s commitment to a new programme of work for women in contact with the criminal justice system across England and Wales. Clinks is a member of the Advisory Board for Female Offenders and has been working, alongside our partner organisations in the voluntary sector, to influence and inform the strategy over the past 18 months. In response to the strategy’s publication we have published a press release and written a blog discussing how this may impact on the voluntary sector.
Anne Fox, Clinks’ Chief Executive Officer said: “We warmly welcome the aspirational nature of the strategy and much of its specific commitments. These include reducing the use of imprisonment; improving services in the community; noting the importance of specifically addressing the needs of black, Asian, and minority women; recognising the important role of voluntary organisations in supporting women’s complex needs and commissioning Lord Farmer to review family ties for women which we will support him with”.
“We are, however, concerned that the financial package announced today falls way short of what will be needed to enable voluntary sector services to affect real lasting change for these women and that lack of detail on timings and responsibility will make it hard to track progress and ensure the department can be held to account”.
The government has launched a Female Offender Community Investment Fund. This initial £3.5m grant competition for 2018/19 and 2019/20 is for community services and multi-agency, whole system approaches. The grant competition for 2018/19 will close on 29th August. Details can be accessed online here under reference ITT 2020.
Read the strategy here
Read our blog here
Read our press release here
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