In this month's edition...
Clinks Thinks
Clinks has re-launched Clinks Thinks, a new influencing resources for the criminal justice voluntary sector. The key principles, ambitions, and recommendations found in Clinks Thinks have been created in collaboration with our members and networks. Read our blog to find our more.
Our principles are:
- Recognise the role of the voluntary sector in supporting people in the criminal justice system to realise their potential
- Ensure criminal justice services have strong foundations
- Understand and meet he needs of people in contact with the criminal justice system.
We highlight the sector’s voice being sought out and heard in campaigning, policy, and the shaping of service delivery. We call for all criminal justice related services to be person-centred, and joined up to ensure they enable people to access the help they need to desist from crime, realise their potential, and thrive. This all needs to be underpinned by a sustainable voluntary sector, supported by grant funding and contracts that deliver full cost recovery for contracted organisations. Take a look at our ambitions on the Clinks Thinks website.
The ambitions set out in Clinks Thinks include a focus on improving health and wellbeing provision for people in the criminal justice system. Clinks thinks people in the criminal justice system must have equity of health and social care with the wider population, and their health inequalities should be recognised. Voluntary sector organisations are key to providing effective health and social care for people in the criminal justice system, who experience significant health inequalities. These are clear both in terms of their individual health and wellbeing, and as a result of imprisonment.
Older people in the criminal justice system (OPiC) network
The latest meeting of the OPiC network took place on Tuesday 12 December, with a focus on resettlement. The network heard from Paul Ruff, Deputy Director Transitional Accommodation - HMPPS, who spoke about the provision of temporary accommodation for older people leaving prison as part of the Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS3) provision, as well as accommodation needs for this group more broadly. The network meeting also heard from Alison Keating, Head of Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco (London) on her work for the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and from Professor Belinda Winder, Professor of Forensic Psychology and Research Director of the Centre of Crime, Offending, Prevention and Engagement (COPE) - Nottingham Trent University. The next network meeting is due to take place in March 2024. If you would like to be involved in the work of the network, please contact policy@clinks.org.
Clinks Directory of Services
In our continuous commitment to empower the voluntary sector working in the criminal justice system, we invite you to rediscover a valuable resource – the Directory of Services. This comprehensive directory, housing information on over 1,000 organisations and projects, serves as a source of support for those navigating the complexities of the criminal justice system.
Elevate the visibility of your organisation by contributing to the Directory of Services. Showcase your impactful work, connect with a broader audience, and join a collaborative network dedicated to positive change. Signing up is simple – click here to find out more on becoming a valued contributor.
Justice-related bills progress in Parliament
Both the Criminal Justice Bill and the Sentencing Bill have passed their Second Readings in Parliament. Following that, the Criminal Justice Bill, which amongst other things introduced the necessary legislative measures for the government’s overseas prison rental scheme and included provisions replacing the vagrancy act. The Bill is now being considered line-by-line in a public bill committee, which is due to finish its considerations in the new year. The Public Bill Committee is now receiving written evidence (deadline - 30 January). Submissions should be sent to - scrutiny@parliament.uk. The Sentencing Bill, which introduces the presumption against custodial sentences of 12 months or fewer, has been committed to a committee of the whole House, where all MPs will be able to debate and vote on amendments. The date for the Committee, and other Commons stages of the Sentencing Bill are yet to be announced. Read more about the provisions of these bills in our blog
The government responds to consultation on effective replacement of the Vagrancy Act
The government responded to the consultation run in 2022 on proposals to respond effectively to begging, potential penalties for harmful begging, and how to encourage vulnerable people to engage with support. Over half the responses were in favour of new offences to prevent specific forms of begging, and there was some limited support for replacement legislation to prohibit rough sleeping. The need for an effective multi-agency approach, more trauma informed approaches, and opposition to the use of fines as deterrents appeared as some of the cross-cutting themes. The government said it believed replacement legislation is needed so the police and local authorities have the tools to respond to begging and rough sleeping that can cause a nuisance to the public, and harm the individuals involved. Read the response here
Preferred candidate for HM Chief Inspector of Probation announced
The Ministry of Justice has announced its preferred candidate for the role of HM Chief Inspector of Probation. Following an assessment process conducted following the Governance Code on Public Appointments, Martin Jones has been selected as the preferred candidate. Mr Jones has been the Chief Executive of the Parole Board since 2015. Previously, he has also been Deputy Director for Sentencing Policy between 2012 and 2015, and as Head of Crime for HM Courts and Tribunal Service from 2008 to 2011. Mr Jones also appeared before the House of Commons Justice Committee on Tuesday 12 December 2023 for a pre-appointment hearing. Read the press release here
£267 million to boost local drug and alcohol treatment
The Department for Health and Social Care has announced further funding for local authorities in England to improve drug and alcohol treatment and recovery services. The funding, totalling almost £267 million, will be rolled out from April 2024. It aims to enable local authorities to recruit more specialised staff, support more people leaving prison into treatment and recovery services, and help reduce crime by increasing the number of people receiving treatment and improving the quality of treatment provided. Read the press release here
Connecting communities through Parkrun
The Academy for Social Justice is holding a seminar [Tuesday 23 January 2024, 16:00, online, free] on connecting communities through parkrun. The speakers at the event are James Thomas, UK Health & Wellbeing Manager at parkrun, and Paul Bruce, Health of Physical Education at HM Prison and Probation Service. In addition to being a community initiative, a number of parkrun events take place in custody. This seminar will explore the growth of parkrun and the positive impact is has had on individuals and communities, and how parkrun events operate in the custodial estate and the positive benefits this is having in prisons, both for residents and staff. Book tickets here
Working and volunteering in prisons training
Are you new to working or volunteering in prisons? Do you have volunteers or staff members who want to increase their understanding of the prison system? Working or volunteering in a prison can be quite daunting due to the many complexities associated with its unique environment and establishing the role of the voluntary sector within that can be challenging. Join us at this three-hour training session [Wednesday 24 January 2024, 10:00, online, £95 members/£150 non-members] for voluntary sector staff and volunteers in which we aim to raise awareness of the prison environment and provide information on key aspects such as staffing structures and departments, prison procedures and current challenges associated with working in prisons. Book your place here
Evaluation of integrated advice hubs in primary healthcare settings – Progress report
The Ministry of Justice published a progress report on the commissioned evaluation of a programme that co-locates legal and health support services. This involves the co-locating of these services in “Health-Justice Partnerships” (HJPs). Following a feasibility study, the programme is now in an implementation stage. The progress report found that clients most commonly presented with issues to do with government payments and treatment for mental health issues, and the clients of the HJPs tended to be aged 45 or older, female, white, and have a long-term health condition. It was also found that intuitive and direct booking systems between Health-Justice partners were key to the successful referral of people and the delivery of advice. A final evaluation report will be published after the research is finished. Read the report here.
Establishment and early implementation of the Flourish Wellbeing Hub
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) published a report exploring the set up and early implementation of the Flourish Wellbeing Hub. This is a new social prescribing hub that the MoJ is contributing funding to, as part of the commitment made by the Legal Support Action Plan published in 2019, and established by Citizen’s Advice Wirral. The report follows the implementation study, to explore how the model operates in practice. Its recommendations include all partners having a clear understanding of the remit and services that each partner provides, particularly in terms of access to legal support, and partners having a greater understanding of the specific support each partner organisation can offer. The report also recommends promoting co-production and ownership among the local community. Read the report here
Equality and Human Rights Monitor
The Equality and Human Rights Commission published the latest edition of its Equality and Human Rights Monitor; a comprehensive review of how Britain is performing on equality and human rights. With regards to criminal justice, this report highlighted, amongst other things, the proportion of children in youth custody held on remand has increased between 2020/21 and 2021/22; the particular challenges facing older people in prison including poor general accessibility, difficulty in accessing suitable health and care facilities, and a lack of age-appropriate recreation; people in prison with disabilities were more likely to report that they did not feel safe; and the increasing concerns about the welfare and safety of women and girls in custody and detention in England and Wales. Read the Monitor in full here
Unlocking the truth: 40 years of INQUEST
INQUEST published a report that reflects on the history of its work over the last 40 years. It provides a snapshot of the organisation’s work, focussing on notable moments and achievements by identifying thematic strands. These include how INQUEST works to support families, the influence and expertise the organisation exerts and shares, and how raising awareness and challenging state narratives has changed the landscape of how contentious deaths are viewed. In the report, INQUEST concludes that it has helped to politicise death and ensure more challenging questions are asked around state related deaths and their investigations. However, it also raises concerns for the future including that funding will continue to be hard won, and that the political landscape appears to be in a constant state of flux. Read the report here
The offender personality disorder (OPD) pathway: a joint strategy for 2023 to 2028
NHS England (NHSE) published a joint strategy for 2023 to 2028 for the offender personality disorder pathway. The strategy sets out that the pathway will continue to a joint change programme between NHSE and HM Prison and Probation Service. The next steps aim to consolidate and build on the work done so far, through eight ambitions. The strategy sets out that working towards these ambitions will build the evidence base by designing high-quality evaluations guided by the pathway’s theory of change and share learning more widely about using psychologically informed, relational approaches to working with complexity. It will also create consistency in delivery by filling gaps in service provision and in pathway planning, and achieve consistency in quality by developing data capacity, producing centralised guidance, and streamlining workforce development. Read the strategy here
December distraction packs
Noting the unique challenges around Christmas for many individuals, including people in custody, prison staff, and people in the community, Recoop has made its December Distraction Pack available for free online to help provide a small piece of comfort over the festive period. Recoop notes the packs are designed as a creative solution to engage individuals and aim to encourage positive and purposeful activities. They also foster personal development within prisons and other challenging environments. The packs contain a number of articles aimed at those with a lower age reading level as well as puzzles, word searches, and additional information to keep someone’s mind active. Download the pack here
Electoral Commission Non-party campaigner guidance
The Electoral Commission has published guidance for non-party campaigners ahead of a UK Parliamentary general election, with the next required to take place by January 2025 at the latest. This guidance is for both individuals and organisations who are thinking of campaigning in the run-up to an election, but who are not standing as a political party or candidate. The guidance explains what a non-party campaigner is, what requirements there are of these campaigners, what qualifies as regulated campaign activities, information on spending and donations, and reporting requirements after the election. Read the guidance here
Reducing healthcare inequalities for those in contact with the criminal justice system
The national lead for Core20PLUS5 and the wider healthcare inequalities agenda for those in contact with the criminal justice system, Chandra Bhattacharya, has written a blog explaining how the NHS is supporting people in the criminal justice system to stay healthy. She explains that people in contact with the criminal justice system are a key “PLUS” group of the Core20PLUS5 approach and are likely to experience healthcare inequalities worse that other disadvantaged groups. Work is being undertaken with partners to develop an evidence-based programme to support those in the criminal justice system. This includes a suite of evidence reports based on surveys with adults in the criminal justice system, and a report based on a survey of prison officers to provide data on how best to engage people in prisons. Read the blog here
Bringing closed worlds into the open
HM Inspectorate of Prisons published a blog exploring the work they have done with Royal Holloway to make 20 years of survey data from people in prisons available to other researchers. These surveys, that ask the people in prison what they think and how they are feeling, are conducted as part of the prison inspection process. The surveys help the inspectorate understand what people in prison think the main issues are in the establishment, and this can guide the inspectors as to where to dig deeper during their inspection. Data from these surveys are now available to researchers through the UK Data Service. The data covers all aspects of who people are and their experiences of prison. Read the blog here
New NHS programme to support volunteering infrastructure
The Director for People and Communities at NHS England, Dr Neil Churchill, has written a blog about Volunteering for Health. This is being delivered through a partnership of NHS England, NHS Charities Together, and CW+, the official charity of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NSH Foundation Trust. It is a three-year programme to accelerate change in systems that have seen under-investment in volunteering. It is part of the response to the NHS Volunteering Taskforce. One challenge highlighted by the Taskforce was the inconsistency in the infrastructure to support volunteering in different parts of the country. Through Volunteering for Health, they want to help places realise the potential of local community spirit and support systems who can see new ways to connect volunteering in different ways to foster more joined-up care. Read the blog here
Do we fully understand the realities of moving care closer to home?
National Voices, a member of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance alongside Clinks and others, has published a blog, written by Sarah Berry, Public Affairs Manager for the British Society of Rheumatology, about the House of Lords Public Services Committee report; Homecare Services: An opportunity lost. This report found homecare medicines services was beset with problems, without clear leadership and accountability. The blog highlights homecare medicines services have increased 150% since 2011, but a range of concerns have been raised about them. The Lords Committee found the service was not working as it should and “in some cases, is causing patients serious harm”, recommending a full-scale government-sponsored independent review. Sarah Berry ends, noting the report is a rallying cry to work together to strengthen leadership and accountability of these services. Read the blog here
About Clinks Health and Justice bulletin
This regular bulletin provides Clinks members with the latest news for voluntary organisations involved in the health and care of people in the criminal justice system. To submit content please complete this form.
Get involved Become a Member | Follow Clinks on Twitter
Contact us www.clinks.org | info@clinks.org | 020 4502 6774
Click here to manage your subscriptions. For assistance, email info@clinks.org
Registered office: 82A James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7DE
Registered charity: 1074546 | Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales: 3562176
© Clinks, 2023
