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...
Anne Fox on compassionate leave
The thoughts of the Clinks team are with Anne Fox, Clinks’ Chief Executive Officer who is currently on compassionate leave after a family bereavement. In line with our Acting in Absence policy and following discussion between the Senior Management Team, Chair and trustees it has been agreed that Directors Chris Stacey, Director of Support and Development; Jess Mullen, Director of Influence and Communications; and Victoria Sadler, Director of Corporate Services – will act-up in their respective roles to continue to lead the organisation towards our strategic objectives during this time. Chris and Jess will take on the additional positions of acting Co-Chief Executives and work with our members, funders and stakeholders in the government to ensure that we continue to support a vibrant, independent and resilient voluntary sector into Covid-19 recovery and the new criminal justice landscape brought about by the imminent probation reforms. If you wish to send condolences to Anne she can be reached on Twitter @AnneFoxThoughts or we invite you to add a message to an online condolence book we have set up here
Probation reunification goes live
The reformed and reunified probation service went live on June 26th, meaning that management of people with convictions will now be delivered solely by the Probation Service across 12 probation areas, each led by a Regional Probation Director. Clinks is pleased that the voluntary sector will be the main delivery partner of rehabilitation and resettlement services, though we are disappointed about the lack of involvement of small and specialist organisations in delivery. To mark reunification, the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group special interest group on probation reform has published its final report, tracking the key learnings from its work in advising the Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty's Prisons and Probation Service since April 2020 as it prepared for the transition to the new model. Read more here
Anawim wins contract and offers women an alternative to custody
Birmingham based Clinks member, Anawim, supports women serving community sentences. In partnership with Changing Lives, it has been awarded the contract by the Ministry of Justice to provide community rehabilitative services for women in the West Midlands. The new contract enables Anawim to provide one to one, gender-specific support which, evidence shows, delivers results. When previously offering community alternatives to custody, prior to Transforming Rehabilitation (TR), Anawim achieved re-offending rates of 1% - 6%, compared to around 48% for women released from prison. This new contract provides for a model of holistic casework, alongside peer support, therapeutic group-work, skills training and support into employment. Anawim is looking forward to seeing the number of women sentenced to short prison sentences reduce with this offer. Read more here
Female Offender Strategy
The Prison Reform Trust has published analysis which shows the government has met less than half of the commitments identified in the Female Offender Strategy. Most promises in the strategy remain unachieved or partially achieved three years on from publication. The strategy is not backed up by clear and comprehensive measures of success. Clinks has called for the Ministry of Justice to develop an action plan to support and monitor the implementation of the remaining commitments from the strategy. The National Audit Office is assessing progress on the strategy and is currently calling for evidence, details of which can be found here. Read the full analysis here
All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Women in the Penal System inquiry to reduce arrests of women
In May, the APPG on Women in the Penal System published a new briefing paper on reducing the arrests of women. Examination of anonymised arrest data from five police forces across England and Wales found around 40% of the arrests had resulted in no further action. This included cases of women being arrested while showing signs of distress or where they had been victims of crime themselves. The report highlighted the need for a more nuanced approach to dealing with altercations in the home. Evidence showed that policies aimed at protecting women from domestic abuse were also having unintended consequences, drawing women into the criminal justice system over low level family disputes that would be better resolved in other ways. Read the report here
Children of mothers in prison and the right to family life
The Joint Committee on Human Rights, a cross-party committee of Members of Parliament and Peers, published a report on children’s right to family life where their mothers receive custodial sentences. They propose a number of changes to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to strengthen the rights of children. These include requiring data to be collected and published on the number of people in prison who are primary carers, and the number of children who have a primary carer in custody. Other proposals aim to ensure the best interests of children are upheld when sentencing a primary carer, such as by requiring pre-sentence reports, and requiring judges to state how the interests of a child were considered when sentencing their primary carer. Read more here
Piloting Child Impact Assessments
“Sentencers should know about the children... What about a child impact statement in the child’s own words or even with pictures?” Sandra (not her real name) is one of many women in prison who inspired Prison Reform Trust Associate Sarah Beresford to develop a project piloting and evaluating the use of Child Impact Assessments for children with a mother in the criminal justice system. Sarah has been awarded a Winston Churchill Activate Grant to undertake this work which aims to ensure children are listened to, and supported at every stage (arrest, sentencing, imprisonment and release). Sarah will work closely with several charities that support families affected by imprisonment and hopes to make a compelling case for policy reform to ensure children are not overlooked. Read more here
Inspection of police engagement with women and girls
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services is expected to publish its inspection of police engagement with women and girls in September. Commissioned by the Home Secretary in March, following Sarah Everard’s killing and the policing of her vigil, it has a broad remit to assess ‘the quality and effectiveness of interactions between the police and women (whether as victims, offenders or witnesses)’. Following the government’s acceptance of increasing police numbers as the basis for a predicted rise in women’s imprisonment, the inspection could offer crucial insights into the changes needed to enable effective early intervention and diversion as promised under the Female Offender Strategy, and the strong links between this and the police’s wider response to violence against women and girls. The inspection is not taking formal submissions, but background briefings are welcomed – contact Katherine.riley@hmicfrs.gov.uk
Women’s problem solving courts – planned government pilot
This summer, the government is expected to announce a process for expressions of interest in its planned problem solving courts. This will include at least one court for women aimed at reducing imprisonment and increasing the use of community alternatives, as well as separate pilots focused on problematic substance use and domestic abuse. The pilots are intended to last for 18 months and are likely to commence in April 2022 at the earliest (subject to change). The Centre for Justice Innovation’s December 2020 briefing sets out key lessons that should guide implementation of these reforms to give them the best chance of success and sustainability. Read the briefing here
Lord Chancellor plans sentencing review in domestic homicide cases
The Victims’ Commissioner and Domestic Abuse Commissioner wrote to the Lord Chancellor on International Women’s Day to condemn a ‘culture of misogyny’ in the criminal justice system, referring to disparities in sentencing for domestic homicide following the Anthony Williams case. In response, the Lord Chancellor committed to undertake a review in these cases. During Domestic Abuse Bill debates, Lord Wolfson QC explained that this would include looking at how defences to charges of murder or manslaughter affect sentencing, suggesting this will help to inform the debate on legislative reform regarding defences for those whose alleged offending results from domestic abuse. See commentary on the Williams case from the Centre for Women's Justice here and read the Hansard debate here
Update from Clinks women’s network
The latest online meeting of the Clinks Women’s networking forum took place on 22nd June 2021. 34 participants from women’s services around the country joined, and discussed how to help women to achieve their potential and become financially independent through securing employment. Speakers from specialist employment support organisations, Working Chance and A Fairer Chance spoke powerfully about the importance of securing a job and highlighted the ways they support women affected by the criminal justice system to achieve their goals. Representatives from Unlock and social enterprise, The Good Loaf joined speakers for a panel discussion. To receive a copy of the notes from this meeting contact Jackie.lowthian@clinks.org and find more information about Clinks work on women and criminal justice here
Prisoners’ Education Trust research on young women’s education in prison – can you help?
Prisoners’ Education Trust is still looking for women to take part in its research project to explore young women’s experience of education in prison. The aims of the study are to make education better for young women in prison and in the community, to help girls and women achieve better outcomes and reduce women’s imprisonment. Participants must have experience of prison between the ages of 18 and 24, within the last ten years. Taking part involves a single hour-long telephone interview. Please spread the word to anyone you think may be interested, and ask them to contact the project researcher, Katy Swaine Williams katyswainewilliams@gmail.com
Clinks policy update
Clinks recently submitted written evidence to the Justice Select Committee inquiry into women in prison, and will be giving oral evidence on the 20th July. In addition, Clinks submitted written evidence to the Department for Health and Social Care’s Women’s Health Strategy. Within both, Clinks has advocated for the Ministry of Justice to provide leadership in driving a cross-departmental strategy for the long-term financial sustainability of existing holistic services provided by women’s centres, and to support the creation of centres in areas where there is no, or inadequate, provision.
Female prison estate update
Jess Mullen, Director of Influence and Communications, attended roundtable meetings with HMPPS on the future prison strategy and ambitions for the female estate. At these meetings we raised the importance, highlighted by Covid-19, of information flow between prisons and the voluntary sector, and the barriers that accessibility to the estate and commissioning process have had to voluntary organisations working in and alongside prisons. We also highlighted our ongoing concern that plans to build 500 new prison places for women undermine the ambitions of the Female Offender Strategy and requested detail on the modelling behind this decision. We have since been invited to provide further written feedback on the future of the prison estate, including on the women’s estate, HMPPS workforce and initiatives to cut crime and we will publish this in due course.
Looking after staff
Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) is running a series of Wellbeing training courses [8th September, online, free, with other dates in the autumn]. This is in response to staff wellbeing being a major concern amongst respondents to the WRC’s survey on the impact of Covid-19 on the women's sector. The courses aim to help mitigate the mental and physical health impacts on staff working to support marginalised women during the pandemic by sharing best practice and tips to ensure well-being in the workplace. Find out more and book here
Leading academics respond to report on women who kill their abusers
Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) held a joint webinar on 23rd June with the Cambridge Centre for Criminal Justice, focused on its major research report, Women who kill: how the state criminalises women we might otherwise be burying. With over 300 attendees, the event included presentations about the research and its wider implications by Harriet Wistrich and CWJ colleagues, and thoughtful responses from Professor Loraine Gelsthorpe, Dr Rachel Clement Tolley and the event’s chair Professor Nicky Padfield, as well as leading barrister Clare Wade QC. Read the report here and watch the event recording here
Mental Health in the Rastafari Community
Clinks member, Black Mama Earth, is involved in an event [17th July, online, free] focusing on mental health in the Rastafari community organised jointly with the On Trac project, which works with Black communities to improve healthcare inequalities. This project is a collaboration between South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and King’s College London. To hear more about this, join the event which runs from 5pm to 7pm using these Zoom details: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9063177486?pwd=d2l4WWx1eDRubVJOQ25lR1pFVlU2UT09 Zoom meeting ID: 906 317 7486 Password: SIS001
Pregnant women and new mothers in the community
Clinks and Birth Companions have published a report, A Window of Opportunity, exploring the needs and experiences of pregnant women and new mothers in contact with the criminal justice system in the community, in England. The report is based on the lived experiences of these women and those involved in their care. We have set out 16 recommendations for change, aimed at criminal justice agencies, health services, voluntary sector organisations, and social services. These include prioritising sustainable funding, whole systems approaches, ensuring provision supports a trauma-informed, holistic and culturally appropriate approach, implementing Lord Farmer’s recommendation for mandatory pre-sentence reports as soon as possible, and reversing the plans to create 500 new prison places for women. Find out more and download a copy of the report here
Thematic review: the unification of probation services
HM Inspectorate of Probation has published a review of the unification of probation services. The Inspectorate found, overall, that the transition programme is being well led, and they were satisfied that all eligible staff would be transferred to the new structure for day one. However, the report states that it seems inevitable there will be gaps in services provided through the Dynamic Framework on day one, and the resettlement work stream appears to be behind and under-developed compared to other parts of the programme. The Inspectorate’s recommendations to HM Prison and Probation Service include ensuring clearer strategic oversight of resettlement, and ensuring services commissioned in regions are informed by a current analysis of strategic need of the full probation caseload. Read more here
Women with conviction
The summer 2021 edition of The View Magazine has been published. The View is a campaigning platform and quarterly magazine featuring art, poetry and literature by women in prison, human rights advocates and organisations fighting for prison reform. In its latest edition, read an interview with Louise Shorter from Inside Justice, a group that unravels miscarriages of justice for falsely convicted people. The issue also features an early look at the upcoming exhibition and auction, Someone’s Daughter, showcasing formerly incarcerated women alongside women leaders. Read more here
Update from the residential women’s centre team
In this blog Ministry of Justice's Hannah Smallshaw, on behalf of the residential women's centre team, gives an update about the department’s progress with the development and implementation of the residential women’s centres (RWCs) over the last seven months. The blog follows consultation events held with stakeholders such as Clinks, women with lived experience of the criminal justice system, partners and providers from a range of backgrounds and specialisms in the voluntary sector working in criminal justice and outlines how this feedback has helped shape the design of the RWC model. The aim of the RWC pilot, launched in 2018 as part of the Female Offender Strategy, is to gain a better understanding of how the outcomes of women who would otherwise enter and re-enter custody for short periods can be improved. Read more here
Pre-sentence report pilots
The Ministry of Justice has begun a pilot to increase the delivery of pre-sentence reports (PSRs) in 15 magistrates’ courts across England and Wales. This pilot was launched following the Sentencing White Paper which found there was a significant decline in the number of PSRs being requested by the judiciary between 2010 - 2018. The pilot aims to test whether more informed PSRs provide sentencers with a fuller picture of an individual’s circumstances resulting in more tailored sentencing. This may help improve outcomes for women in particular, since a detailed understanding of their needs may result in more effective sentencing, using gender-specific interventions delivered via the new women’s community rehabilitative services in the reformed probation arrangements. Read the Clinks blog here
Women’s community sector core costs grant funding 2021 – 2022
Following its grant funding programme in 2020, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is inviting voluntary organisations to apply for grant funding to strengthen community based provision for women in the criminal justice system. The funding is available to support organisations’ core costs - the costs involved in running an organisation, not just direct project or service costs. Meeting these costs is vital to the voluntary sector’s sustainability and ability to thrive, not just survive. Clinks is pleased that the MoJ has listened to feedback from the sector on last year’s programme and made some changes. Find out more and apply by 10am on 16th July here
Organisations supporting racially minoritised women
The Women’s Resource Centre has launched the Black & Minoritised Women’s Fund which is aimed at ‘Black and minoritised led-by-for women organisations’. Applicants from organisations where a minimum of 75% of senior staff and/or trustees are women from Black and minoritised backgrounds are invited to apply. Grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 are available to help cover core costs. This fund is managed by Women’s Resource Centre and Black Training and Enterprise Group (BTEG) as part of the Comic Relief Global Majority Fund - a partnership between Comic Relief, the National Emergencies Trust, The Clothworkers' Foundation, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Barclays, dedicated to furthering Covid-19 response work with communities experiencing racial inequality. Find out more and apply by 3pm on 21st July for the £5,000 grant, or 1st October 2021 for the £10,000 grant
If you have any comments about this ebulletin or feedback for improvement, please email Jackie Lowthian.
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