This specialist quarterly ebulletin keeps you updated on relevant developments for organisations working to support women in contact with the criminal justice system. Please contact Jackie Lowthian at Jackie.lowthian@clinks.org if there is anything you would like to raise or to include items in the next ebulletin.
In this edition...
Clinks’ response to Covid-19
Our main priority over recent weeks has been supporting the voluntary sector working in criminal justice during the Covid-19 pandemic. We have taken a number of steps in response to Covid-19 and are working closely with government officials in a number of areas. Visit the Clinks Covid-19 webpage for further information on what we’re doing to understand the impact of Covid-19, influence policy makers and support organisations. See it here
Covid-19 impact, responses and coordination
On 30th March, Clinks convened a special virtual meeting of women’s network members to share expertise on the best ways of supporting women during the Covid-19 outbreak. Lisa Dando, Director of Brighton Women’s Centre, Niki Scordi, CEO at Advance and Kate Paradine, CEO at Women in Prison outlined how the crisis was impacting their organisations, shared new ways of working to ensure that women could still receive support, and highlighted pressing issues of concern. Claire Wiggins, National Probation Service Deputy Director, HMPPS Women’s Team sought advice about what was needed to aid support planning for individual women and shared early thinking about what was being done to support pregnant women eligible for early release. If you would like to receive a copy of the notes, email Jackie.lowthian@clinks.org
Reduced services due to Covid-19
The women’s team at the Prison Reform Trust along with other policy colleagues are furloughed because of the Covid-19 pandemic from 1st April to 31st May. The Advice and Information team are operating a reduced service but can be contacted on advice@prisonreformtrust.org.uk. Meanwhile, you are encouraged to use the resources on the women’s page of the PRT website which can be accessed here
Meetings with Minister Lucy Frazer
Clinks attended the two most recent meetings of the Advisory Board for Female Offenders (ABFO), which provides scrutiny to the Ministry of Justice on the implementation of the Female Offender Strategy. Kate Aldous, former Head of Strategic Development at Clinks, attended the February meeting, the first with Minister Lucy Frazer as chair. The group received an update about the progress the department has made on the implementation of the Female Offender Strategy that they published almost two years ago and raised issues in relation to the probation review and how this will relate to organisations providing specialist support to women. Jess Mullen, Director of Influence and Communications at Clinks attended an emergency ABFO meeting on 27th April, focused specifically on Covid-19. Find out more about the ABFO here
Advocacy services to improve health outcomes
An independent evaluation of Women in Prison’s Health Matters project, conducted by AVA (Against Violence and Abuse), has been published. The three-year health project aimed to make a difference to health outcomes for women in prison and women affected by the criminal justice system through advocacy, support, advice, workshops, information and health promotion. By building an evidence base of the health needs of this group, the project aimed to facilitate systems change and improve health structures for women facing multiple needs. The report makes a number of recommendations to various stakeholders in relation to women, health and criminal justice. Read the report here
Health-related support for London women
Healthy Foundations is a new three-year project run by Women in Prison and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. The service provides health-related through-the-gate and one-to-one community support to women in, or returning to, London. The project also runs workshops across London and provides information on topics relating to health and wellbeing. Healthy Foundations is open to women affected by the criminal justice system who need any support and advocacy around their health. Find out more here
Reducing the arrests of women
The Howard League for Penal Reform is conducting a programme of work to reduce the arrests of women and stem the flow of women into the criminal justice system. It is working alongside the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women in the Penal System which is conducting an inquiry into reducing arrests. It has been meeting with senior police across the country and is keen to share good practice. Now more than ever it is vital to prevent women ending up unnecessarily in the penal system. The Howard League is urging the police to reduce arrests and keep women out of police custody suites to keep communities safe. See information about the initiative here
Safeguarding children when sentencing mothers
Since January 2018, Dr Shona Minson’s research findings have been used to create informative resources for all criminal justice professionals involved in adult sentencing decisions, to support sentencers’ understanding of the impacts of maternal imprisonment on children. The resources include short films and briefing papers. The film series has been updated to include information on sentencing pregnant women, and the most recent Sentencing Guidelines from the Sentencing Council. The films have been produced in collaboration with and for the use of the Judicial College, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), the Magistrates’ Association, The Criminal Bar Association and the Criminal Law Committee of the Law Society. Find out more here
Resilience and sustainability programme
The Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) has been awarded funding from the Mayor of London’s Civil Society Roots Fund, The National Lottery Community Fund and the City Bridge Trust to support, sustain and strengthen London-based frontline organisations led by and for women. This programme will benefit London-based members and this project has come at a vital time. WRC is currently working to develop its support offer and is seeking women’s organisations in London to join as members for free to be part of this development. Become a member here
Impact and fundraising webinar
As part of our Ministry of Justice-funded programme of support for women-specific organisations, Clinks is running a webinar [30th April, free] to help participants to clearly explain impact to supporters; confidently use evidence of impact to target potential supporters and improve income generation. Organisations whose main stated purpose is to provide services for women are welcome to join. The 90 minute session is aimed at leaders, and those engaged with fundraising, in smaller organisations. Find out more here
Research opportunities on women and girls
The Griffins Society is now accepting applications for its 2020-21 programme. The Society sponsors research to bring about change in how women and girls are dealt with in the criminal justice system. Working in partnership with the Institute of Criminology in Cambridge and academics from across the UK, the fellowship programme offers those working directly with women and girls the opportunity and the tools to carry out research with the aim of bringing about change in practice and policy. The closing date for applications 29th May. For more information contact Chris Leeson at Chris.leeson@thegriffinssociety.org or find out more and download an application form here
Improving employment opportunities for women
Prison Reform Trust and Working Chance have published a briefing which highlights the issues facing women with criminal convictions who are seeking work. Barriers such as needing to declare criminal convictions on job applications and struggling to access stable accommodation increase the challenge. The report points to existing evidence which shows the proportion of women in employment six weeks after release from prison is three times lower than for men — 4% of women compared to 11% of men - and makes a number of recommendations to government departments, prisons and employers. Read the briefing here
Draft target operating model (TOM) for probation
Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has published its target operating model for the future probation system. We are pleased that under the Dynamic Framework purchasing system there will be a specific contract lot for interventions for women which meet all identified resettlement and rehabilitation needs in one package. However, Clinks remains concerned about how the new model aligns with the government’s Female Offender Strategy and how smaller organisations can participate in delivering services. Clarity is needed around what investment will be made to support the strategy, what elements of the strategy this investment will specifically support and where the remaining investment for the full delivery of the strategy will come from. Clinks has published a briefing on the TOM here
Tackling racial disparity in the criminal justice system
The government’s annual update on its work to tackle racial disparity in the criminal justice system includes work to require bidders for grant funding to demonstrate how they will take into account the needs of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) women when delivering their services. The department will also support with building the capacity of voluntary sector organisations that work with BAME and foreign national women. Despite the work being undertaken, we are yet to see a marked improvement in outcomes for BAME people in the criminal justice system. BAME women are too often being overlooked, with little specific attention given in the update to the intersection of inequalities experienced by BAME women. Sufficient resource and strategic leadership is needed to address this. Read the publication here
Improved legal protection for survivors who offend due to domestic abuse
The Prison Reform Trust, in partnership with others, including Agenda, intends to reintroduce its proposed amendments to the Domestic Abuse Bill at its Second Reading to improve legal protection for survivors who offend due to domestic abuse. The Reading has yet to be scheduled and it remains to be seen whether it will be delayed until the Autumn amid the Covid-19 crisis. To find out more about the Prison Reform Trust’s proposals, download its report There's a reason we're in trouble: Domestic abuse as a driver to women's offending and add your support here. Agenda continues work on the #AskAndTakeAction campaign and you can find out more about that here
Repurpose the Tampon Tax fund to respond to Covid-19
Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) has written to Baroness Barran, the Minister for Civil Society, asking the government to listen to women by making an immediate emergency response to the Covid-19 crisis. Women’s Resource Centre continues to press for the most vulnerable women to have access to life-saving services during this time of greatest need. Initial feedback from hundreds of women’s specialist charities is that they are working at double the usual rate and expect to see up to a triple fold increase in need. WRC is asking for the Tampon Tax fund to be repurposed and diverted to specialist women’s charities in the form of unrestricted grants. Read the letter and add your signature here
Multiple disadvantage is gendered
This blog from Clinks’ Policy Officer Will Downs looks at Lankelly Chase Foundation’s research examining how the experiences of women who face multiple disadvantages differ from the experiences of men. By using a new definition of multiple disadvantage which gives more prominence to the impact of violence and trauma, the report finds there is an equal gender split of those facing multiple disadvantage each year. Women are more likely to have experienced one or more form of primary disadvantage in their adulthood than men and, of the 17,000 people who experience the most severe forms of disadvantage, 70% are women. Will looks at how contact with the criminal justice system can be best understood within definitions of multiple disadvantage. Read the blog here
Impact of short prison sentences on work and life chances
Olivia Dehnavi, Policy and Research Officer at Working Chance, has written a blog for International Women’s Day about the devastating impact of short prison sentences on women’s lives and the importance of employment for women who have been in contact with the criminal justice system. She says: “Employment can provide an income, and is one of the strongest factors in reducing reoffending. But a job means more than money. It means more, even, than the financial autonomy that could keep your children in your care, or sustain a life independent of an abusive partner. For many, a job is a sense of purpose and a reason to get up in the morning.” Read the blog here
If you have any comments about this ebulletin or ideas about how it could be improved, please email Jackie Lowthian.
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