Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 608 | 1st November 2019

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In this week's edition...

CLINKS BLOG: secret life of prisons

In this blog, Paula Harriott, Head of Prisoner Involvement at the Prison Reform Trust (PRT), discusses the new podcast series The Secret Life of Prisons, which she presents with Phil Maguire, Chief Executive of the Prison Radio Association. She explains that the podcast was conceived after consultation with prisoners revealed over and over again that they are deeply concerned about the lack of balanced and accurate representation in the media about the reality of prison life. The podcast aims to lift the lid on prison life and counter dominant public assumptions, through interviewing a variety of guests with first-hand experience and engaging in frank discussions. Read her blog here

CLINKS TRAINING: working and volunteering in prison

Our popular one day training course [7th November, Liverpool, from £75] aims to raise awareness of the prison environment and enable voluntary sector staff and volunteers to have meaningful and professional engagement with prisons. This highly participative day is led by an experienced trainer and covers a wide range of topics. It will combine theory, individual reflection and practical guidance on working in prison and with prisoners. One course participant described the training as “excellent, energising, thought provoking and informative." For this course we are offering a two for one deal on tickets, just enter 241 in the dietary requirements box when registering. Register here

NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARTS ALLIANCE NEWS: media training

This one-day training course will show participants how to positively navigate conversations with the media about their work in arts and the criminal justice system [27th November, Birmingham, from £75]. It aims to support and prepare our network to appropriately deal with media enquiries and promote work with confidence and expertise across media and social media platforms. The course will be delivered by three members of the Prison Radio Association, a prison-based charity that produces and delivers National Prison Radio (which airs in more than 100 prisons). Book your place here

NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARTS ALLIANCE NEWS: apply for a mentor

Early career practitioners and professionals can now apply for a mentor through the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) Professional Mentoring Scheme for 2020. The scheme, now in its sixth year, shares knowledge of arts and criminal justice across the NCJAA's network by providing specialist guidance and professional development through a free one-to-one mentoring relationship with an expert in the field. Please read the information pack carefully before applying. The deadline for mentees to join the 2020 scheme is 9th December 2019. Find out more and apply here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: homelessness response

The Make Every Adult Matter Coalition (MEAM) has responded to the government’s call for evidence about the implementation and effectiveness of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 (HRA). In particular, the response highlights the limitations of duty to refer, brought in under the HRA, which places a duty on public authorities to notify the local housing authority of anyone at risk of homelessness. A high percentage of people leaving prison have no accommodation upon release, however the response suggests prisons are failing to refer people despite this duty. MEAM is a coalition of national charities – Clinks, Homeless Link and Mind – which work together to support local areas to develop effective services that improve the lives of people facing multiple disadvantage. Read the response here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: preventing ill health

The Make Every Adult Matter Coalition (MEAM) has responded to the Department for Health and Social Care’s green paper on prevention, which outlines the government’s proposals on how they can better prevent ill health. MEAM’s response focusses on the first question, on which health and social care policies should be reviewed to improve the health of people living in poorer communities or excluded groups. Focussed on people facing multiple disadvantage, MEAM recommends that the Department of Health and Social Care ensure trauma-informed care is adopted across local delivery plans of the NHS long term plan, and that the government should focus policies towards a further expansion of alternatives to custody, including Community Sentence Treatment Requirements, which would help individuals experiencing multiple disadvantage address underlying health issues. Read the response here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: keeping people safe in prison

A joint report from the Prison Reform Trust, INQUEST and the Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) has found just one in 10 safer custody departments in prisons answer phone calls from concerned family members. 37% of prisons in England and Wales appeared to have no functioning dedicated safer custody telephone lines and of those that did have dedicated lines, a large proportion were not operational or went through to an answering machine. A key recommendation from the 2017 Farmer Review was for each prison to have an emergency phone line to share urgent concerns about self-harm and suicide risks of relatives in prison. This report finds provision of these phone lines is patchy, under-resourced and even non-existent in some prisons. Read more

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: probation reform timescales

Following a review of timescales for the Probation Dynamic Framework procurement, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) now anticipates launching the qualification phase in early 2020. HMPPS anticipates launching the competition for day one services from April onwards. It is holding two market warming webinars for the Dynamic Framework [26th November, online, free]. Register for one of the webinars here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: transforming rehabilitation follow-up

The government has responded to the recommendations made in the Justice Committee’s follow-up report on Transforming Rehabilitation (published in July 2019). In the response, the government largely accepted the committee’s recommendation to evaluate the impact of its new probation policy on the voluntary sector and to track how much probation funding flows to the voluntary sector - though fell short of committing to publishing such figures transparently. Bob Neil MP, Justice Committee Chair, criticised the government’s response, particularly the lack of detail on how the government plans to manage risk through the transition to a new system, and manage the extra demand and pressure on the system that will stem from recent announcements on increased police numbers and tougher sentences. Read the response here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Farmer Review update

The government has published an update on its implementation of the recommendations from the Famer Review 2017. In 2017, the government welcomed all the review’s recommendations and progress has been made on most of them. A handful that require longer-term structural reform are also being considered. Six recommendations are expected to be completed by mid-2020, including a new Families Performance Measure to track how prisons support people to engage with their families. It is unlikely that four important recommendations will be completed in the near future, including the establishment of dedicated safer custody telephone lines for families. Clinks co-chaired the Farmer review and sits on the government’s Families Strategy Working Group to support the report’s implementation. Read the update here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: consultation on accommodation for people on probation

HM Inspectorate of Probation is collecting evidence for its thematic inspection on the provision of accommodation services. It is keen to hear from accommodation providers about the barriers probation service users face in finding, securing and maintaining settled and suitable accommodation. It is also keen to receive examples of effective practice in the provision of accommodation services. Clinks are responding to the consultation. Please contact Nicola.Drinkwater@clinks.org if you would like to directly feed into our submission. We are particularly interested in examples of good practice. Submissions must be made by Friday 13th December. Find out more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: prison governance inquiry

The Justice Committee has published its report into prison governance, considering the role of prison governors following the government’s white paper, Prison Safety and Reform. The committee condemns the lack of a clear reform plan and long-term strategy to reverse the “enduring crisis of safety and decency” prisons face. The evidence that Clinks submitted to the inquiry is referenced a number of times, including our assertion that a lack of strategic oversight has led to an inconsistent approach taken by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in implementing different strategies. The committee supports our recommendation that the MoJ must learn from the challenges experienced through the Dynamic Purchasing System when introducing the new dynamic framework through its ongoing probation reform programme. Read the report here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: deaths of people under probation supervision

The government has published figures on the number of people who have died while under the care of the probation service. 1,093 people under supervision from the probation service died in 2018/19, the highest number of deaths ever recorded, and an increase of 13% from last year. 337 of these deaths were self-inflicted, the highest number ever recorded, and an increase of 19% from last year. This is despite the number of people under community supervision being broadly stable. These concerning figures demonstrate the well-documented failures of the current probation system. The Ministry of Justice is currently reforming the probation service and Clinks continues to advocate for the voluntary sector’s role, knowledge, and expertise to be reflected as these plans develop. Read the report here

FUNDING: small organisations

The Benevolent Fund from the Worshipful Company of Weavers is open for applications. The fund aims to support people in trouble, particularly both adults and young people in contact with the criminal justice system, and other disadvantaged young people. Within prisons, the Company has supported charities that teach skills and boost prisoners' self-esteem in a variety of ways; for example, using music, embroidery, counselling, letter writing, and the staffing of a restaurant. The committee’s preference is to support small organisations. The Company will consider funding up to £15,000 per annum and will normally award a grant for one year only. Find out more and apply before 30th November here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: reframing tough justice

Transform Justice’s breakfast seminar will explore how the voluntary sector working in criminal justice can best combat the ‘tough on crime’ narrative [2nd December, London, free]. Earlier this year Transform Justice started working with a small group of charities to help them make their communications more impactful and effective. At the seminar, Bounce Back, Why Me? and Just for Kids Law will talk about their communications reframing journey - what worked best, what was difficult and what other charities can learn from their experience. Find out more and register here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: the prevention of sexual abuse

The Sexual Offences, Crime and Misconduct Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University is holding a one-day conference [Nottingham, 16th December, £65] in association with Safer Living Foundation. The conference will bring together leading researchers in the field of the prevention of sexual abuse, together with practitioners and organisations in the UK, to discuss best practice in prevention treatment and research and future avenues to tackling sexual crime.  Book your place here

OPPORTUNITY: employment for prison leavers

Building on HMP Exeter’s successful Check Out and Departure Lounge, which improves the resettlement and rehabilitation of prison leavers in the community, Check Out Work [4th December, HMP Exeter, free] is an opportunity to bring prospective employers into HMP Exeter to talk to prisoners about employment opportunities for people returning to their communities from custody. This event is aimed at creating employment opportunities for prison leavers so if you are able to support prison leavers into work in the South West and are interested in attending, please email: Marc.Eva@justice.gov.uk

RESOURCES: learning difficulties in prisons

Melanie Jameson from Dyslexia Malvern has produced a series of booklets for people working with prisoners with Specific Learning Difficulties. They cover a wide range of areas from principles of support to employability and disability issues. People with Specific Learning Difficulties (namely Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Dyscalculia) must now be identified and provided with appropriate support in prison. This will be investigated under Ofsted Inspections from January 2020. An understanding of how these widespread and overlapping conditions impact on education, training and resettlement, enables staff and management to help this population tackle their difficulties, value their abilities and develop coping strategies. Find the resources here

FEATURED VACANCY: Communications and Engagement Officer

Criminal Justice Alliance (CJA) is looking for a Communications and Engagement Officer [£26,780, London, full time]. This new role will harness and amplify the expertise of its 150 member organisations, helping to achieve its vision of a fairer and more effective criminal justice system. This role forms a crucial part of CJA’s new strategy – ‘Connecting for Change’ – by assisting with the development of CJA’s new communications strategy and leading on its implementation to reach a variety of audiences including policy makers, the public, CJA members and the wider sector. Having a wide membership from across the criminal justice system means there will be great variety to the work which will cover a range of crucial issues from policing to prison reform, race disparity to restorative justice. Find out more and apply before 17th November here

CLINKS MEMBERS’ VACANCIES

Vacancies on the jobs board this week include: IT Helpdesk Support Analyst with Humankind [Bowburn], Substance Misuse Worker with Kaleidoscope Project [Newtown], Complex Needs Worker with Changing Lives [Chester-le-Street], SOS Caseworker with St Giles Trust [Leeds], Recovery Worker with Phoenix Futures [HMP Pentonville], Regional Manager with Unlocked Graduates [Birmingham], Administrator with Women in Prison [Stockwell], Improving Prospects Project Worker with Leap – Confronting Conflict [London], Specialist Resettlement Worker with Penrose Criminal Justice Services [Brixton], Programme Manager – Prisons and Justice with Samaritans [Epsom], Case Manager with Achieve North West Connect [Various], Appropriate Adult with Child Action North West [Durham, Cumbria & Lancashire], Senior Education Coordinator (Curriculum Manager) with Back on Track [Manchester]. For more information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip I:  Anglesey coastal getaway including dinner. Save 46%. Details
  • Tip II: Igloo sushi and Asian tapas tasting experience. 59% off. Details
  • Tip III: Gulliver’s Halloween event entry and theme park ticket. From £13. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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