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...
Female Offender Strategy Delivery Plan
In January, Clinks welcomed the publication of the Ministry of Justice's (MoJ) delivery plan for the Female Offender Strategy, alongside progress updates on the Farmer Review for women and the National Concordat for women in or at risk of contact with the criminal justice system. At the Clinks Women’s network forum on 28 March, colleagues from MoJ and HM Prison and Probation Service shared details about activity on achieving the delivery plan objectives and explained their approach to using data to measure progress. Find out more about this from the presentation slides.
Clinks Commissioning Forum
In March, Clinks met with representatives from HM Prison and Probation Service and the Ministry of Justice for the regular commissioning engagement forum; a space for quarterly discussion and feedback on commissioning rounds that will involve the voluntary sector working in criminal justice. Topics this time included: current education provision – the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS); future Prison Education Service (PES); probation services – Dynamic Framework (DF); Commissioned Rehabilitative Service (CRS) contracts; probation grants for people from ethnic minority groups; and women’s grants. Clinks provided detailed feedback on the women’s grants programme (grants now awarded, see under "Funding" below) as we received substantial feedback from our members working in the women’s sector about the impact of the delays of notification of the three women’s grant competitions. We have published a blog with a full update from the forum. Read the blog here.
Clinks supports development of new "guidance for women on what to expect from arrest to sentencing"
Along with other voluntary sector organisations, Clinks is a member of the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) Female Offender Minority Ethnic (FOME) Working Group. The group oversees work to improve outcomes for “minority ethnic and non-British national women in custody and in the community”. One of the projects underway is the production of guidance for women on the criminal justice process from arrest to sentencing. In February, Clinks convened a roundtable event to consult on the draft guidance, enabling members of the Race and Justice and Women’s networks to review the content and make recommendations for revisions and additional material. The MoJ has used the feedback to edit the draft which is in the process of being finalised. Find out more about the FOME Guidance on page 13 of the Female Offender Strategy Delivery Plan.
Clinks Women’s network update
On 28 March, members of the Women’s network came together in an online forum focused on policy for women in the criminal justice system. As mentioned above, we heard a presentation from the Ministry of Justice's Female Offender Policy team and the HM Prison and Probation Service Women’s team which focused on implementing the Female Offender Strategy Delivery Plan. Members had the opportunity to ask questions and took part in structured discussion groups to explore their experiences of "whole system approaches" and/or partnerships at local level. Policy updates from Agenda Alliance and Clinks were shared. The next Women’s network forum is on 13 June and we are hoping this will be an in-person event in London. To attend future Women’s network meetings please register as a member of the network here.
Double Disadvantage: One Year On Roundtable
On 1 March, partners Agenda Alliance, Criminal Justice Alliance, Hibiscus Initiatives, Muslim Women in Prison, Women in Prison, and Zahid Mubarek Trust held their Tackling Double Disadvantage Action Plan ‘One Year On’ roundtable, an online discussion as part of their Tackling Double Disadvantage project, which aims to reduce inequalities and discrimination faced by Black, Asian, minoritised and migrant women in contact with the criminal justice system. Chaired by Sonya Ruparel, CEO of Women in Prison, the roundtable brought together senior leaders from criminal justice agencies including the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Magistrates’ Association, HM Prison and Probation Service, the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office to take stock of progress to date and prioritise work for the year ahead. Find out more and read the blog here.
The National Women’s Justice Coalition (NWJC) is looking for new partners
To support growth and increase expertise, the NWJC is currently recruiting new partners. So, if your organisation delivers trauma-informed casework support to women affected by the criminal justice system and wants to work collaboratively to drive positive change in this sector, do consider membership of the coalition. For full details on membership criteria, the benefits of NWJC membership and how to apply, please download the NWJC Membership Application Pack.
Victims and Prisoners Bill: Proposed statutory defences for victims of domestic abuse accused of offending
The Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) is putting forward proposals to amend the Victims and Prisoners Bill to provide effective defences for victims of domestic abuse who are accused of offending, and to add reference in the Bill to a further key principle for the Code of Practice – to ensure victims of domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and exploitation are protected from unjust criminalisation, including by addressing intersectional discrimination faced by Black, Asian, minoritised and migrant women. For more information, read the CWJ’s Second Reading briefing here.
Response to Casey Report and engagement with the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC)
The Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) has written a short statement in response to the full publication of the Casey Report, which condemns the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) for their continuing inaction on institutional racism, misogyny and homophobia. WRC, along with other women's organisations, have been engaging with the MPS and MOPAC in London to try and push forward institutional and cultural change. Read the statement here and see previous reports and recommendations here.
Breaking the cycle of crisis and crime for women: Revolving Doors’ Women’s Forum
Revolving Doors develops long-term solutions to end the cycle of crisis and crime. Working in partnership with people with lived experience is part of their DNA. They are proud of their women's forum and are always looking for women who have lived experience of the criminal justice system and multiple unmet health and social needs to join. If you, or anyone you know, has this experience and would like to use this to make real change and be paid for your time - then please get in touch with natalia.thomas-jikiemi@revolving-doors.org.uk - Find out more about opportunities to get involved here.
Clinks training: new course on women in the criminal justice system
Is your organisation part of the Clinks Women’s network? Do you have frontline staff or volunteers who are new to working or volunteering in your organisation and want to increase their understanding of women in the criminal justice system? If so, join us for this entry-level training course [16 May, online, from £50]. The workshop aims to develop understanding of women’s gendered experience of the criminal justice system and raise awareness of "a whole system approach". The course has been developed in response to a need for training for frontline staff in the women’s sector who are new to the criminal justice system and is exclusively for members of the Clinks Women’s network. Find out more and book your place here.
Clinks in conversation with Amy Rees and Phil Copple
We have an exciting opportunity for the voluntary sector to engage with Amy Rees, Director General CEO, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and Phil Copple, Director of Operations, HMPPS. The event [3 May, 10:00 - 11:30, hybrid, free] will consist of a discussion between the chair, Anne Fox, Chief Executive Officer at Clinks, Amy Rees and Phil Copple focussing on the themes which have emerged from our recent State of the sector research findings as well as other current issues that the voluntary sector is facing in the criminal justice system. This will then be followed by a Q&A session. Find out more and book your place here.
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Rehabilitation Services Engagement Event
This event [18 May, online, free] will be hosted online by the MoJ Commercial Team and will take participants through the different ways organisations can help deliver services to people on probation and in prison. It will cover the Probation Dynamic Framework (DF), Probation Grants Application Portal and the Prison Education Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). During this session, representatives from each of these three routes to market will guide attendees through the purpose, differences, and eligibility requirements of each route as well as guidance on how to apply to gain access to future funding opportunities. Cyber security and vetting requirements will also be covered. This will be an informative event which we encourage all Clinks members to sign up for. Find out more and book your place here.
Collaborative Change – Women’s Sector Leadership Conference
This one-day conference, hosted by the Women’s Resource Centre [30 June, London, free], is a celebration of collaborative leadership for social change and the diverse leadership styles of women leaders. Offering a chance to explore your own leadership skills in a collaborative setting, the event will provide a unique opportunity to come together as a sector collectively around key issues affecting women in the UK today. Panel discussions and workshops will be followed by the award for the Audre Lorde Prize for leadership in the sector and concludes with a drinks reception in the evening. Find out more and book your place here.
Getting our message across – a guide to communicating with the public
Women in Prison have published: Talking about women in contact with the criminal justice system: a messaging guide. Over recent years, a "tough on crime" climate has led to an over-reliance on prison, despite overwhelming evidence showing time and time again that this does not address why women commit crime in the first place or often, prevent reoffending. When people understand the root causes of offending and the full picture of a woman’s life, then they favour solutions that work. Honing the way we communicate about women swept into the criminal justice system is an essential step to making sensible changes a reality. Based primarily on research done by the Frameworks Institute on behalf of Transform Justice, the Criminal Justice Alliance, Clinks and the Standing Together Committee for Youth Justice, and building on further findings by Transform Justice, this guide aims to help you communicate effectively with the public. Read the guide here.
Invisible Women: Hope, health, and staff-prisoner relationships
The Prison Reform Trust has published the latest in the series of Invisible Women briefings; this time focusing on hope, health and staff-prisoner relationships of long-sentenced women. Published as part of the Building Futures programme, the briefing is informed by working group discussions and letters and emails from women serving these long sentences. Click here to read the briefing.
Women and girls sector in the UK is not getting the investment it needs
ROSA, the UK fund for women and girls, has published a new research report: Mapping the UK Women and Girls Sector and its Funding: Where Does the Money Go?, which reveals that the women and girls sector in the UK is not getting the investment it needs or deserves. The study, conducted by The Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research (CRESR) at Sheffield Hallam University, maps where the funding is going into the women and girls sector. The research shows that in 2021, a total of £4.1 billion worth of grants was awarded to charities, but the women and girls sector received just 1.8% of these. Find out more a download the report here.
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) grants for women’s services
In our last bulletin we reported on delays in the MoJ assessing applications and notifying applicants of outcomes to the three strands of grant funding to support women in or at risk of contact of the criminal justice system – core costs; services and interventions; and local integration/partnerships. In conversations with the MoJ about the impact of delays Clinks learned that there had been a far greater level of demand for the grants than expected. We are now able to report the following total outcomes: the total amount of core costs awarded were £4.1m p.a. (with a total requested = £6.7m p.a.); the total amount of services and interventions awarded were £2.7m p.a. (with a total requested = £20m p.a.) and the total amount of integration/partnerships awarded were £548k (with a total requested = £3.5m). Clinks warmly welcomes grant funding for members providing gender-specific services to women but there is a significant gap between funding available and funding sought. Our members have the potential to deliver many more services to help achieve the objectives in the Female Offender Strategy and Clinks would like to see future grant funding rounds increased to reflect this potential. In the meantime, the Probation Grants Scheme may present some opportunities for small, specialist organisations to provide services.
Probation grant competition for services to support racially minoritised people
Following a "pause" in the first round of probation grant competitions for organisations delivering services to support racially minoritised people on probation, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) have now recommenced the award process. The process had been halted while an updated budget was confirmed due to the ongoing Government Efficiency and Savings Review. Clinks raised its concerned with HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and has published this response from Amy Rees, CEO of HMPPS. The MoJ are now proceeding with dialogue and/or awards for some eligible project proposals. Clinks notes that awards will be made in line with “what remains affordable within our revised budgets”. All applicants will be contacted individually by the end of April to advise on the status of their applications. We would urge all applicants to routinely monitor communications on the Ministry of Justice Sourcing Portal.
Rehabilitation Services
As part of the simplification of the Probation Dynamic Framework (DF) and alongside the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) engagement event on 18 May (see earlier under "Events") the MoJ Commercial Probation Team will be hosting "Drop-in" sessions, twice monthly for new/current providers to raise questions around the DF (for example, selection questionnaire, call off competitions, grants). Sessions will be online via Microsoft Teams with invitations issued at the beginning of each month via the procurement portal, Jaggaer. Indicative dates are 10 May and 23 May, 7 June and 21 June, but these may change so do keep checking for information on the Ministry of Justice Sourcing Portal.
Rethinking and resetting gender disparities in the criminal justice system
Revolving Doors is calling for a rethink of criminal justice “solutions” that are costly and ineffective in reducing crime. As part of this they are highlighting the way that our criminal justice system, rooted in structural oppression and misogyny, fails women and girls. Writing for Revolving Doors’ Rethink & Reset campaign, freelance consultant Charlie Weinberg, previously Director at Safe Ground (2010-22) and Chair of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, discusses the "double standards" for women going through the criminal justice system. Revolving Doors have an open call for think pieces to publish as part of this campaign and are seeking calls to action for a radical rethink. Read Charlie Weinberg’s piece here and find out about the campaign here. For more information or to contribute, please contact axelle.chomette@revolving-doors.org.uk
Cost-of-living crisis: campaign update
The Women’s Resource Centre collected 86 women's sector signatories to the statement on what is needed during this unfolding social crisis. A meeting was held recently on how to take the campaign forward, involving more organisations and trying to put more pressure on the government, funders and decision-makers to act in the interests of women. For campaign updates, or if you want to get involved, check their campaign page here.
Westminster Hall debate
Centre for Women’s Justice and the Tackling Double Disadvantage partnership are organising a Westminster Hall debate [date TBC but likely 9 or 10 May] in Parliament about Black, Asian, minoritised and migrant victims of violence against women and girls (VAWG) who are accused of offending. The debate is being sponsored by Kate Osamor MP and other MPs will be able to speak. The partnership is asking women’s sector organisations to write to their local MP to invite them to take part in the debate and include reference to any experience of clients who, as victims of VAWG, have been accused of offending and not had their experience of VAWG properly considered in proceedings against them, particularly for Black, minoritised and migrant women. An email template is available from Katy Swaine Williams: katysw@hibiscus.org.uk
If you have any comments about this ebulletin or feedback for improvement, please email Jackie Lowthian.
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