In this month's edition...
Clinks has been progressing our three core projects as part of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance. The first is a project exploring peer support and learning on mental and physical healthcare for Black men in the criminal justice system, focusing on three areas: epilepsy, post-traumatic stress disorders and neurodiversity (including traumatic brain injury). Training around epilepsy is taking place at HMP Isis this week, neurodiversity training is being planned at HMP Berwyn, and similarly PTSD coaching is in development. The second project is our Older People in the Criminal Justice System (OPiC) network, with the next meeting taking place on [26 September, 14:00-16:00, online, free]. Sign up to attend here. We would like to thank all those who responded to our call for evidence in relation to our third project looking at social prescribing for people in and leaving prison. We have shared this information with HM Prison and Probation Service and are in the process of analysing the responses in more detail. If you are working in any of these areas and want to collaborate, we want to hear from you! Please contact Rachel Tynan, Influence and Policy Manager at, rachel.tynan@clinks.org.
Nitrous Oxide to be made illegal
The Home Office has announced that secondary legislation, brought forward to control nitrous oxide as a Class C substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Unlawful possession of nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas,’ will be illegal by the end of the year, with users facing up to two years in prison, and up to 14 years for supply and production. The ban was introduced as part of the UK government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan. Read more here.
Use of force, restraint and restrictive practices in the children and young people secure estate
The Ministry of Justice has published a new policy framework that sets out rules and guidance on the use of approved restraint techniques and restrictive physical interventions for staff at secure settings and escort providers in the Youth Custody Service (YCS). It outlines that staff are no longer permitted to use techniques to restrain children which deliberately causes pain as of February 2024, except in emergency intervention situations where the risk to the child, other children, members of staff or visitors, “is such that there may be risk to their life or that they might suffer serious physical harm or life changing injury” and there may be no viable non-painful alternative. The Alliance for Youth Justice issued a statement on this, which can be read here. Read the full framework here.
Suicide Prevention Grant Fund 2023 to 2025
The Department of Health and Social Care have announced the latest round of funding from the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund for 2023 to 2025, with the aim of ensuring people can access support and prevention services when they need it. People in contact with the justice system have been identified as a priority group that require bespoke support. A previous fund of £5.4 million in 2021 to 2022 supported over 100 organisations within the voluntary sector. Grant applications are open until 11.55pm on 1 October 2023, find out how to apply here.
Older People in Criminal Justice network
Clinks is holding the second Older People in Criminal Justice System (OPIC) network meeting [26 September, 14:00 – 16:00, online, free]. The network is designed to bring together voluntary and statutory organisations and practitioners, as well as academics, who provider support for and/or advocate for older people in the justice system. The meeting will allow attendees to discuss their interests in this area and suggest activities for the network over the next 12 months. The event is for anyone who has an interest in older people in the justice system and being part of the network. Register your interest here.
Online launch of report exploring women’s experience of substance misuse treatment
The Centre for Justice Innovation is holding an online event [5 October, 11:30-13:00, online, free] launching their new research report which maps how the needs of women who use substances are being met in the West Midlands. The event will be chaired by Tom McNeill, Assistant Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, and will feature presentations from other key stakeholders involved in the research. Sign up to attend here.
Major conditions strategy framework
The Department of Health and Social Care have published a report setting out its approach to tackling groups of conditions that drive ill health in England, as part of the government’s forthcoming major conditions strategy, which aims to improve outcomes and better meet the needs of our ageing population living with these conditions. The report outlines the case for change and a strategic framework, with key areas of focus including rebalancing the health and care system towards a personalised approach to prevention, embedding early diagnosis and treatment delivery in the community, managing conditions effectively, and closer alignment and integration between physical and mental health services. Read the full report here.
Prisons and Probation Ombudsman annual report
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has published its annual report for 2022/23, examining 4,4472 complaints received. It concluded that the number and type of complaints received reflect the resourcing and pressures being experienced across the prison estate. It found that there were 34 more prison deaths than last year, and a number of fatal incidents involved self-neglect, an extreme lack of self-care and a category of neglect which falls under the adult safeguarding procedures in the Care Act 2014. They have recommended that HM Prison and Probation Service develop a self-neglect strategy and guidance to be used in the prison environment, as well as several recommendations in relation to health provision, emergency response and suicide and self-harm prevention. Read the full report here.
Evaluation of Family Drug and Alcohol Courts
Foundations has published an evaluation of the impact of Family Drug and Alcohol Courts (FDAC) as an alternative to standard care proceedings. FDAC aims to address problems which have led to the local authority to bring parent(s) to court by using a ‘problem-solving’ approach, involving specialist multi-disciplinary working to provide support to parents with the aim of reducing substance misuse issues. The aims of the evaluation were to understand the effect of the proceedings on reunification for families, and if parents involved were more likely to stop misusing substances. It found that children with a primary carer in FDAC care proceedings were more likely to be reunified with a primary carer (52%), in comparison to standard proceedings (12.5%), and a higher proportion of parents had ceased to use drugs or alcohol by the end of the proceedings (33.5% versus 8.1%). Read the evaluation here, as well as the implications for policy and practice.
Race equality in probation
HM Inspectorate of Prison has published a report reinspecting the work undertaken, and progress made in the Probation Service, to promote race equality for people on probation and staff. Following disappointing findings of an inspection two years ago, Chief Inspector of Probation, Justin Russell, called for a follow-up report to monitor whether recommendations had led to improvements, however he said there remains “some way to go to achieve proper equality of provision and opportunity.” The reinspection found that there is still no national strategy that sets out the expectations and plans for service delivery to racially minoritised people on probation and planning and delivery of services were worse for racially minoritised people on probation than for White people. Read the full report here, alongside the action plan from HM Prison and Probation Service in response to the report.
Process evaluation of drug recovery prison
The Ministry of Justice has published a process evaluation of the Drug Recovery Prison (DRP) at HMP Holme House, which began in 2017 as a three-year pilot funded by NHS England and HM Prison and Probation Service, aiming to address the supply and demand of substances in prison, improve treatment outcomes and support ongoing recovery. The evaluation found that the majority of the DRP was successfully implemented and had perceived improvement effects in relation to safety and security, cultural change and rehabilitation, care and wellbeing, continuity of care, and use of medications and illicit drugs. However, the report highlighted several barriers to implementation, and there was evidence to suggest that reduced drug availability in the prison encouraged alternative supply routes including trade of prescriptions drugs. Read the full report here.
Home Affairs Committee report on drugs
The Home Affairs Committee has published a report following its inquiry into drugs, with recommendations to the government, urging for an approach to drugs primarily based on criminal justice principles, whilst adopting a broader range of public health-based harm reduction methods. It called for more centralised funding and less restrictive legislative pathways to support programmes such as safe consumption facilities, as well as an expansion of on-site drug checking services through the creation of a dedicated licensing scheme. The report expressed concerns about the long-term sustainability and security of funding for the drug treatment and recovery sector, calling for the provision of funding to service providers throughout the 10-year lifespan of the Drugs Strategy in three-year cycles, as well as giving providers a minimum of three months’ notice of forthcoming funding allocation to enable them to plan appropriately. Read the full report here.
Self-inflicted deaths of people serving IPPs
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has published a learning lessons bulletin on the increase of self-inflicted deaths of people in prison serving Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences. The bulletin provides insight for HM Prison and Probation Service to ensure the risk factors associated with IPP sentences are identified and acted upon. Key findings from the PPO’s analysis include a lack of sentence progression for IPP prisoners which can increase a person’s risk of suicide and self-harm, the key work scheme aimed to reduce violence and self-harm in prisons has not been operating as anticipated in all prisons due to staff shortages etc, and uncertainty around recall and released dates can be triggers for suicide and self-harm. Read the bulletin here.
Progress on disability rights in the UK
The Equalities and Human Rights Commission published a report updating on the steps taken by the UK government and the devolved administrations to implement recommendations from the Committee of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The report includes considerations around access to justice, in terms of access to legal aid for certain types of cases, as well as raising concerns for defendants with certain needs in processes that are being digitised following the Covid-19 pandemic. The Commission highlighted that in relation to the shift to online for many legal processes and services, there is a lack of data on the impact on defendants with cognitive impairments, mental health conditions and/or neurodiversity and a lack of regulatory oversight to monitor effective participation of defendants. Read the report here.
Youth Justice Board Annual Report and Accounts
The Youth Justice Board (YJB) has published its annual report and accounts for 2022 to 2023, including performance and financial data. The report acknowledges that whilst the number of children entering the youth justice system has decreased, the use of remand remains unacceptably high and average sentence lengths have increased by six months. The report outlines the activity delivered in relation to the YJB’s key areas of concern: early intervention and prevention, over-representation, exploitation, custody, resettlement and transitions, and statutory functions. It also drew attention to several pathfinders including the Enhanced Case Management South-West Trauma Informed Pathfinder, which has increased the evidence base relating to trauma informed practice as an effective response to support children to move away from offending. Read the full report here.
Drug Testing on Arrest Programme
The Home Office has published an updated summary of activity of the Drug Testing on Arrest (DToA) programme since its launch in March 2022. The aim of DToA is to identify individuals who would benefit from drug treatment or support and divert them to such services. The 12 police forces returning data on treatment referrals reported 9,539 positive tests and 6,866 referrals to treatment following a positive test during the period June 2022 to June 2023. This equates to nearly three-quarters (72%) of positive tests resulting in a referral to treatment. Read the full summary here.
Welsh women within the criminal justice system and brain injury
The Disability Trust are undertaking research into the experiences of Welsh women within the criminal justice system (CJS), in partnership with the Criminal Justice Board for Wales and Women’s Justice Blueprint. The primary aims of the study are; to estimate the prevalence of brain injury, and the associated effects amongst neurodiverse women who have experience of the CJS in Wales, to understand if or how professionals in the CJS in Wales currently identify brain injury, to understand the responses already in place to support women with brain injury throughout the CJS in Wales, and to provide a ‘road map’ of appropriate care pathway options and opportunities to improve system wide processes. If you are a professional supporting women within the CJS, please complete the form to contribute your views and experiences.
Recognising the warning signs of suicide
The Mayor of London sent out an email encouraging people to spend 20 minutes taking the Zero Suicide Alliance's free online training course to learn how to identify suicide warning signs, normalise conversations around mental health, and signpost someone to further support. The email says 350,000 Londoners have already completed the course. The email also directs people to the NHS Find a local NHS urgent mental health helpline in England for people who need urgent help now.
NHS Chaplaincy guidelines
NHS England has published new Chaplaincy guidelines to replace those previously published in 2015, which provide a best practice guide for those managing healthcare chaplaincy services in NHS providers. Access to support for pastoral, spiritual and religious needs are integral to a person’s overall care, and the guidelines set the NHS’ ambition for inclusive chaplaincy services to all. Find them here.
Consultation on powder cocaine use in young people and adults
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is carrying out a consultation into powder cocaine use in adults and young people, with the aim to determine effective interventions and policies to reduce the demand and address the physical, psychological, and social harms of powder cocaine use. The consultation focuses on key areas around the prevalence and patterns of cocaine use, the drivers of use, the risks and impact of use and prevention, early intervention, and harm reduction. For further information on the call for evidence and how to respond, read here.
Being Deaf in prison is a double sentence
The Russell Webster blog has published a guest post by Kelly Reed of Thames Valley police, exploring the experiences of Deaf people in prison. Reed explains that there are four categories of harm experienced by Deaf people in prison: physical, financial/economic, emotional, and psychological, and cultural safety. Many deaf people in prison experience social and physical isolation, which is compounded when experiencing additional needs such as mental health conditions. Reflecting on previous cases where HM Prison and Probation Service’s lack of care towards safety contributed to avoidable deaths of deaf people in prison, the post notes the Ministry of Justice’s failure to address and act on a number of reasonable and inexpensive recommendations. Reed calls for better monitoring of the number of Deaf people in prison, to provide an understanding of the scale and push for better support and resources. Read the post here.
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