In this month's edition...
This month, the government announced that the General Election will take place on 4 July, with the dissolution of Parliament on 30 May 2024.
In accordance with pre-election guidance, the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) June quarterly meeting has been postponed, as well as several Clinks activities run in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice.
Over the past month, we have continued to engage with the voluntary sector regarding the details of the imminent probation reset. This includes ongoing engagement with officials responsible for implementation, and we welcome further feedback from organisations on the potential impact of the changes. Contact policy@clinks.org if you would to like to share any information.
Additionally, we are continuing to collate evidence on the impact of the Early Custody Supervised License (ECSL) Scheme on organisations supporting people on their release from prison. Given the scheme’s recent extension, enabling early release by up to 70 days in certain prisons (only in the men’s estate), our survey remains live and we would appreciate feedback from organisations with any concerns.
We have submitted a response to the Education Select Committee’s inquiry into “Boys’ attainment and engagement in education”, which has been published by the Committee, here. We have also developed a report exploring the early intervention, prevention and diversion landscape for women in contact with the criminal justice system, which will be shared among our networks and published imminently.
Our work as part of the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group’s (RR3) Special Interest Groups (SIG) on Accommodation remains ongoing, and our Head of Influence & Communications, Sam Julius, presented to the HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) Accommodation Board in May. The focus was on the Accommodation SIG’s first report, looking at the barriers to accessing local authority accommodation. These findings will also be presented at a delayed Cross-Whitehall Accommodation Board meeting, which has been delayed until after the General Election. Work will continue on engaging with officials on the findings of the Employment SIG following the General Election.
Also following the General Election, we will be recruiting for the RR3’s Wales Seat. Contact sam.julius@clinks.org if you would like further information on this role.
Alongside more than 50 organisations, Clinks has signed a letter written by Agenda Alliance, demanding the introduction of a standalone Secretary of State for Women and Girls in the next Cabinet. This is to ensure that the needs of women and girls are prioritised across government.
Current Bills | Before Parliament was dissolved ahead of the General Election on 4 July 2024, it passed the Victims and Prisoners Bill, which has now received Royal Assent and become law. This Act contains provisions around the victims of crime and major incidents, compensation for people affected by the infected blood scandal, and rules around people in prison, including with regards to public protection decisions, the Parole Board, IPP sentences, the application of human rights to people in prison, and prohibitions on people serving whole life orders from entering a marriage or civil partnership. The Community and Suspended Sentences (Notification of Details) Bill has passed through its Committee Stage without amendment. No amendments were tabled to the Bill and so it was passed after a short debate on the motion that the clauses stand part of the Bill.
Amendments on Imprisonment for Public Protection Sentences | On 21 May 2024 the House of Lords agreed to government amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill, reforming the indeterminate sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP). These changes benefit former IPP prisoners on licence and those recalled to custody, but the 1,200 people still in prison were largely excluded. Amendments include executive release of recalled IPP prisoners, dismissing IPP recalls for license termination, reducing the qualifying period for juvenile Detention for Public Protection to your years, and requiring annual government reports on IPP progress. None of the proposed changes have become law yet as the bill must be passed by both Houses of Parliament and receive Royal Assent to come into force.
Police consider making fewer arrests | A letter was circulated this month by Police Chief Constable Rob Nixon, criminal justice lead for the National Police Chief’s Council, in which he referred to short-term prison place pressures over a period of eight days. It stated “consideration is to be given to pausing non-priority arrests and any planned operations, where large numbers of arrests may take place to ease the pressure within the criminal justice system”. Speaking in the House of Commons on 22 May, Chris Philp, Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire, stated that Nixon had confirmed such contingencies were not required and there had been no delays in arrests that he was aware of.
Support for neurodivergent people in prison | The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) announced in a press release that dedicated neurodiversity officers are now in place in every public prison in England and Wales.
Latest Criminal Justice Statistics quarterly | The MoJ published latest figures on activity in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) for England and Wales for 2023. 1.46 million individuals were dealt with by the CJS, a 6% increase from last year but 6% below 2019 levels. Out of court disposals decreased by 2%, with a 3% rise in community resolutions. Prosecutions and convictions rose by 8% and 7%, respectively, driven by increases in theft (up 29%) and violence (up 17%). The proportion of defendants remanded in custody at Crown Court increased to 52%. The average custodial sentence length for indictable offences grew from 23.0 to 23.3 months.
Latest Workforce Statistics quarterly | HMPPS published latest figures regarding directly employed staff. As of 31 March 2024, there were 23,614 full time equivalent (FTE) band 3-5 prison officers in post, an increase of 6.3% compared to the previous year and 1.8% increase compared to 31 December 2023. Whilst still a high rate, the leaving rate amongst band 3-5 officers has decreased compared with last year, as has the leaving rate of band 3 probation officers. As of 31 March 2024, there were 5,857 FTE band 3 probation services officers in post, a decrease of 1,052 FTE (15.2%) over the past year and a decrease of 7.1% over the quarter. This is part due to the qualification of trainee probation officers, with many taking up posts at the band 4 qualified probation officer grade. We also saw a lower number of trainee probation officers starting courses, which has contributed towards this net decrease.
Payback Punishments announced for prisons | The MoJ issued a press release announcing plans for prison governors to impose ‘community payback’ style punishments to people in prison.
Support for people who sleep rough while tackling antisocial behaviour| The Home Office announced amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill, with new guidance emphasising that police and local authorities must prioritise directing people who sleep rough to support services before they consider using criminal sanctions.
HMP Lowdham Grange contract to transition to public sector control | The MoJ announced in a press release that HMP Lowdham Grange in Nottinghamshire will transition to public sector control.
Latest Unpaid Work Management Statistics | The MoJ published data on the delivery of unpaid work from 1 April 2022 to 31 December 2023.
Arts
The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) have shared the Inspiring Futures research report. Inspiring Futures was an ambitious programme of work that examined how and why arts interventions impact on the lives of people in the criminal justice system, and how to best optimise their effect. Led by the NCJAA, the project was a unique collaboration, bringing together eight leading arts in criminal justice organisations, Cambridge University Institute of Criminology, and participants within the criminal justice system.
The report was launched at the Anne Peaker Lecture 2024. NCJAA Manager, Janette Ssembusi, shares more about the research project and its ties with the Lecture in this blog. You can read the full Inspiring Futures research report here.
Probation
HM Inspectorate of Probation’s Academic Insights | The latest Academic Insight from HM Inspectorate of Probation introduces the “12Cs” Collective Safeguarding Responsibility Model. The model aims to enhance multi-agency safeguarding efforts, addressing the need for consistent measurement and evidence of multi-agency practices. Developed through research and stakeholder input, the 12Cs outline 12 key components for effective safeguarding, focusing on “practitioners and agencies” and “structures and processes”. The model assesses the effectiveness of collaboration across these components, identifying good practice and challenges at local, regional, and national levels. The primary goals of the 12Cs are to shift the view from viewing safeguarding a “everyone’s responsibility” to an accountable “collective responsibility” ensuring timely and appropriate support to address and prevent harms.
Prisons
Summary report from Independent Restraint Review Panel | HMPPS and the Youth Custody Service published a summary report, written by Chair of the Independent Restraint Review Panel (IRRP), outlining the evolution of the IRRPs establishment and key findings from its work. The IRRP aims to deliver practical improvements for the use of restraint against children and was formed based on recommendations by Chief Inspector for Prisons. The IRRP has reviewed numerous incidents, focusing on pain inducing techniques (PIT), serious injury warnings, and potentially instructive cases, and since its formation the YCS has revised use-of-force policies, emphasising force as a last resort. In the majority of cases the IRRP saw good levels of care and professionalism from staff, however in some cases PIT was used to gain compliance, where alternative measures could have been tried and health staff presence during restraints was limited.
Independent Monitory Boards National Annual Report |The 2023 national annual report for Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs) in adult prisons, young offender institutions and immigration detention has been published. It highlights significant strain on detention settings due to prison population pressures and efforts to maximise capacity, sometimes resulting in inappropriate transfers and instability. Persistent issues include low purposeful activity, inadequate access to education, training, and healthcare; all exacerbated by staff shortages. Many people in prison, including vulnerable groups like women and those serving Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences, face poor conditions, mental health challenges, and safety risks. The physical state of disrepair across the prison estate meant some people were living in “unacceptable environments” that failed to meet basic standards of hygiene, safety, and dignity. IMBs concluded that they remain committed to enhancing their impact through better reporting, real-rime intelligence, and a focus on increasing ethnic presentation among members.
Courts
The impact of court fines on people on low incomes | The Centre for Justice Innovation published its report exploring the impact of criminal court fines on people on low incomes, revealing that it disproportionately affects them, pushing them further into poverty, destitution, and worse physical and mental health. The research highlights key challenges to prevent that must be addressed to prevent disproportionate harm to financially vulnerable individuals including: the MoJ should implement a consistent framework for setting fines, emphasising affordability, flexibility, and proportionality and the court service needs an effective system for collecting and assessing financial information, aligned with debt advice practice. The next research phase of this work will generate practical reform recommendations through engagement with policymakers, professionals, and those with lived experience. Interested parties can contact info@justiceinnovation.org
Courtwatching in London Magistrates’ | Transform Justice has published a series of reports on its CourtWatch London project, a mass court observation of magistrates’ courts by citizen volunteers. The project aimed to enhance community oversight of courts, improve understanding of proceedings, to advocate for policy and practice change for fairer decision-making, and explore the potential of community courtwatching. The report offers ten recommendations for more accessible magistrates' courts and summarises observations from London courts, providing new data on defendants’ treatment, including secure docks, video hearings, legal representation, and interpreters. It reviews the behaviour of magistrates and judges, decision quality, and court efficiency. Despite being open in principle, volunteers faced barriers like audibility issues, inaccurate court lists, jargon, and the need to justify their presence, highlighting a deprioritisation of public access. Volunteers also noted that maturity was rarely considered by magistrates, and when mentioned, it sometimes led to reduced sentences or postponed sentencing for more information but was often dismissed or deprioritised.
Women
Joint inspection on the quality of work undertaken within women | A joint inspection by HM Inspectorate of Probation and HM Inspectorate of Prisons has been published focusing on service delivery for women in prison and the community. The inspection assessed progress on recommendations from previous inspections and the Female Offender Strategy (FOS) Delivery Plan, considering the national leadership and governance arrangements that oversee services, custody and the quality of resettlement support, approved premises, and the effectiveness of sentences delivered to women on probation, including the court work, assessment, planning and service delivery. Whilst there have been improvements in policies and guidance driven by the Strategy, implementation is inconsistent. In probation services, some Probation Delivery Units have specialist women’s teams co-located with women’s organisations, but in others, arrangements for women “are no different from those for men.” In examining 60 cases of women supervised in the community, less than half met the required standards. The report found that Rehabilitative services commissioned from voluntary organisations face complex referral processes, citing that more collaborative approaches are needed to maximise the value of specialist providers, particular those supporting racially minoritised women. The probation inspectorate has also published an effective practice guide on Working with Women which highlights examples of best practice and is designed to support commissioners and providers to improve their work.
Factsheets on women | The Prison Reform Trust published factsheets detailing the use of imprisonment of women in each police force area in England and Wales in 2022, based on local court data analysis. The analysis reveals significant geographical variations, potentially reflecting the effectiveness of coordinated approaches to women in the criminal justice system. Areas like Manchester and London have made concerted local efforts to develop more effective responses to women’s offending through collaboration between police, courts, and women’s services. This joined-up working may contribute to the observed differences in imprisonment rates across areas.
Policing
Building bridges to safer communities and trusted policing | A report by Revolving Doors details learnings from their “Building Bridges, Safer Communities” project, focused on peer research on community safety and policy in Liverpool and Birkenhead. The research aimed to understand what feels safe means to people in Merseyside and the perceived role of police in enhancing safety. Respondents were asked questions about the following topic areas: experiences of local communities, experiences of crime, experiences of policing and measures to improve trust in the police and community safety and cohesion. 30% of respondents said they did not trust police at all, with men being much more likely than women to say that they did not trust the police at all. An influential factor on levels of trust was the extent to which the police took responsibility and demonstrated accountability when things went wrong.
Citizens’ Panel on Community Safety and Policing report | The UK's first citizens' panel on policing and community safety has launched its strategic recommendations. Convened by the “Building Bridges, Safer Communities” project and led by Revolving Doors, a diverse group of Liverpool residents aimed to bridge the gap between policing and communities. After months of deliberation, they proposed ways to prevent crime and enhance community safety, focusing on marginalized groups. Recommendations include greater investment in youth, social, and mental health services, additional support for struggling families, and funding to address inequality and empower communities. These recommendations will be presented to local decision makers, including the Police and Crime Commissioner, Chief Police Constable, and local MPs, emphasising prevention, community engagement, and service investment.
Youth Justice
Exploring the production and utilisation of Pre-Sentence Reports in youth justice| Research conducted on behalf of the Youth Justice Board into the use of Pre-Sentence Reports (PSRs) for children has been published. The study aimed to compare PRS characteristics for Black and White children related to sentencing outcomes community and examine the processes and decision-making involved in their production. It builds on previous findings that Black children received harsher sentencing outcomes even after controlling for other factors. Findings included challenges in information gathering and the variability in PRS structure and quality. While most PRSs were of good quality, differences were noted, such a more direct quotations from White children, and more references to negative peer influences for Black children. Given the small number of PRS reviewed, these findings are not statistically significant, suggesting more research is needed.
Health
Department of Health and Social Care consultation | The NHS Constitution outlines values and rights underpinning the NHS, ensuring it remains a comprehensive health service, free at the point of use. It empowers patients, staff, and the public to know and exercise their rights, driving improvements in quality and efficiency. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) seeks input on proposed changes to the NHS constitution to ensure they are cleared and supported. Over the next eight weeks, DHSC would like to hear from you, on the proposals set out online as part of the 10 year review and will use the feedback from the consultation to work out how best to reflect these changes in the NHS Constitution. This consultation closes at 11.59pm on 25 June 2024, and you can respond via this online survey.
The Youth Justice Boards new values | The Youth Justice Board (YJB) published an article by its CEO, Steph Roberts-Bibby, discussing the YJBs new values. The article emphasises the importance of these values in shaping the YJB's culture and practices and details the planned initiatives and actions to integrate them effectively into all aspects of operations.
Why experience of the care system should be a protected characteristic | Revolving Doors published a blog following a meeting their members had with the Children's Commissioner to discuss why being care experienced so often leads to the revolving door of crisis and crime, and how this could be changed.
Reforms in the Victims and Prisoners Act | The Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform published a blog that provides their analysis of some of the measures that were included in the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, that received Royal Assent just before Parliament was dissolved ahead of the election. They focus on changes to OPP sentences, changes to HDC eligibility, changes to the Parole Board, and the disapplication of the Human Rights Act from certain decisions involving people in prison.
General election: What charities should be doing | NCVO has published guidance highlighting key things charities can do in the lead up the election.
Get involved Become a Member | Follow Clinks | Join Mailing List
Contact Us www.clinks.org | info@clinks.org | 020 4502 6774
This month's edition was written by...
Clinks Policy and Communications Officer, Bronte Jack
Click here to manage your subscriptions. For assistance, email info@clinks.org
Registered charity: 1074546 | Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales: 3562176
Registered office: 82A James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7DE
© Clinks, 2024