Congrats - you're receiving this email as part of my master plan to test whether these emails work
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...
- News
- Events and Training
- Publications and Resources
- Campaigns
- Blogs
- Funding
- Extra Information
Criminal justice: new Ministers
Following the General Election, the new Prime Minister has appointed ministers to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). This has seen Shabana Mahmood appointed as the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, keeping the role she was previously shadowing. In addition, James Timpson has been appointed as a Minister of State (Minister for Prisons), Heidi Alexander has also been appointed as a Minister of State. Alex Davies-Jones, Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede and Sir Nic Dakin MP have been appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State in the department. Sir Nic Dakin will be taking on the Commons responsibilities for prisons, probation and parole. Find out more about the new ministers on the MoJ webpage
Criminal justice: Labour’s justice manifesto commitments
The Labour party made several commitments around criminal justice and related areas in its manifesto. These included commitments to a review of sentencing and to conducting a strategic review of probation governance. On improving outcomes for people leaving prison, Labour provided some broad aims around improving access to purposeful activity, creating pre-release plans, supporting prisons to link up with local employers and the voluntary sector, and support for children affected by parental imprisonment. Whilst these commitments are welcome, they are light on detail and their effectiveness will depend on investment. Labour also commits to halving violence against women and girls within a decade. Measures that would help achieve this include establishing specialist rape and sexual offence teams in every police force, putting domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms, strengthening stalking protection orders, and introducing a new offence of spiking. Addressing knife crime and anti-social behaviour also featured prominently in its manifesto. Read more about Labour’s manifesto commitments in our blog
Criminal justice: prison capacity measures
Following on from the initial announcement of the SDS40 measure to tackle the prison capacity crisis, the Lord Chancellor has confirmed that there will be two tranches of release. Firstly, on 10 September, for those serving sentences of five years or less; and then on 22 October for those having served sentences of five years or more. This measure will see a reduction from 50 to 40% on the release dates of people on Standard Determinate Sentences and will apply to both men and women. The measure will be temporary, to be reviewed in 18 months, and will apply both retrospectively and to the newly sentenced. There will be exceptions: sexual offences, offences most associated with domestic abuse, and violent offences with sentences of four years or more are excluded from SDS40, as are all sentences which currently attract a two-thirds release point. Officials in the MoJ recognise that releasing high volumes of people in one day will need to be managed carefully, and as such, a national implementation taskforce with key delivery partners has been established. As part of this taskforce, they will be carefully considering the specific needs of women eligible for release. Find out more here and read Clinks' blog here.
Clinks news: could you be our new Chair of Trustees?
Do you have knowledge of the voluntary sector within criminal justice? Can you help us implement our new strategy during a crucial time in our sector? Clinks is looking for a Chair who can lead our incredible board and work collaboratively with our leadership team to steward a vibrant and vital voluntary sector. Our current Chair has completed two terms and will be stepping down at our 2024 AGM at the end of this year. The Chair is pivotal to creating the conditions for overall board and individual director effectiveness, both inside and outside the boardroom. The Chair will provide leadership to the board, act as line manager to the Chief Executive Officer, manage quarterly board meetings and subcommittees, and lead in succession planning for the board. Find out more and apply by 23:59, 31 July here
Clinks news: Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) recruitment - Wales seat
Clinks is seeking a senior leader from the criminal justice voluntary sector to join an influential advisory group to government. We are looking for an individual with knowledge of delivering services to people in contact with the criminal justice system in Wales and expertise in Welsh policy relating to criminal justice.
The RR3 works closely with senior officials in the MoJ and HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to reduce reoffending and to build a more effective partnership between government and the voluntary sector. Find out more and apply by 12 August here
Clinks influence: June RR3 meeting
There was an unofficial meeting of the RR3 in June as the Group was unable to meet formally due to pre-election restrictions. The focus of the session would have been a presentation from the MoJ on the imminent rollout of the Probation Reset Programme, as well as an update on the re-commissioning of Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS) and the prison overcrowding crisis. Instead, the Group finalised its 2024-25 workplan, which agreed on two areas of further policy exploration. These are community provision and tackling racial disproportionality. The first session of the Community Provision Special Interest Group (SIG) was held on 22 July. For anyone interested in hearing more about the SIG, please get in touch with Bronte Jack. We have invited the new Lord Chancellor and the Minister for Prisons to attend the next RR3 quarterly meeting on Thursday 12 September and will provide further updates in due course.
Clinks influence: Probation Reset Programme
Following the initial implementation of the Probation Reset Programme, we have spent the last few months engaging across the sector on the potential impact of the changes. The reset, first implemented in April, focussed on prioritising engagement in the first two-thirds of the license period, with active supervision ending for the final third, with some exemptions, including for MAPPA and other cases identified as very high risk of serious harm. Active supervision appointments under post-sentence supervision will also end, unless cases fall under any exemption criteria. For people who are newly sentenced, these changes came into effect on 29 July. See details here
Clinks influence: impact on women of probation reset
We have heard of specific concerns from the sector regarding the potential disproportionate impact of the probation reset on women. These concerns centre on the fact that many women on license engage with support (via Commissioned Rehabilitative Service provision) right up until the final days of their license and it is during this time that some of the most productive work can be delivered due to increased confidence and trust. We are continuing to collate feedback from the sector regarding these concerns, which we will be presenting to the Chief Probation Officer in August. Additionally, we will be using any feedback as part of our response to Labour’s proposed review of current probation arrangements and will update when we have a timeline for this.
Clinks Women’s Network Forum - June meeting
The Clinks Women’s Network Forum, on the theme of domestic abuse, met on 25 June. 42 people took part. The forum was chaired by Nicola Drinkwater, Director of External Affairs and Campaigns, Women in Prison and also the RR3 women’s specialist seat holder. We heard from several of our members about the work they do to support women with experience of domestic abuse. We were also updated by Lucy Russell, Head of Policy & Public Affairs, Women In Prison and Katy Swaine Williams, Criminalisation Project Lead, Centre for Women’s Justice about their work following a special meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Domestic Violence and Abuse, secretariat: Women's Aid, the APPG Women in Contact with the Justice System, secretariat: Women in Prison and the Centre for Women's Justice. Find out more about the APPG here. See below for more about the meeting. To attend future Women’s Network meetings, please register as a member of the network here.
Stop Criminalising Survivors!
That was the call to action in Parliament at an event highlighting how the women surviving domestic abuse are criminalised. “The victim is usually blamed for their part in domestic abuse […] We are systematically gaslighting women”, explained Megan, a survivor who spoke about her experience. In a film created by the Centre for Women’s Justice, women told their stories of defending themselves during an attack or being coerced into signing papers and of being too scared to refuse. “About 60% of the women we work with say they have experienced domestic abuse”, said Rachel Ozanne, Women in Prison. The APPG Women in Contact with the Criminal Justice System, and APPG Domestic Violence and Abuse, joined the call for a change to the law. View the film and find out more here
Sharing the learning on domestic abuse and women’s contact with the criminal justice system
Throughout June and July, Advance hosted their inaugural ‘Lunch & Learn’ series of events to engage and empower local communities in addressing issues facing women. This year, sessions focussed on the relationship between domestic abuse and women’s contact with the criminal justice system. In 2023, at least seven in ten of the women supported by Advance’s criminal justice services disclosed that they were survivors of abuse, and the actual figure is likely to be higher. These community-based events were held within Advance’s women’s centres and local venues across London and the South-East, reaching local leaders, change-makers and organisations to deepen the understanding of women’s experiences of abuse and trauma, and the impact on their offending. Sign up to Advance's newsletter to hear about future events.
Survey on Community Justice Solutions for Women
One Small Thing are seeking views from professionals and practitioners on community justice solutions for women. They are calling for those who work with or support women who may be in contact with, or at risk of contact with the justice system, to complete this survey. Your responses will feed into One Small Thing’s research in this area. Complete the survey here
Clinks training: Why gender matters in the criminal justice system - 2-part workshop
Part One: Monday 23 September 2024, 10:00 – 12.00
Part Two: Tuesday 24 September 2024, 10.00 – 13.00
Do you have frontline staff or volunteers who want to increase their understanding of why gender matters in the criminal justice system? If so, join us for this entry-level training course [23 and 24 September, online, £95 for both days, Clinks voluntary sector members]. The training aims to develop understanding of women’s gendered experience of the criminal justice system. Part One focuses on understanding the policy landscape, including the Female Offender Strategy and the aim to achieve a ‘Whole System Approach’ (WSA) for women. Part Two guides participants through elements of WSA in practice. 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. Find out more and book your place here
“When I hear the words mental health it makes me think about being let down by services. My voice not being heard when trying to explain my symptoms...”
Those words by Rachel, are part of a collection of stories told to Women in Prison in a new photography project about mental health for women in HMP Styal. Photographer Eva Fraser captured images inspired by the women’s words about what mental health means to them. Inspired by the Japanses Kintsugi art of putting broken pottery back together with gold, the photos tell stories of feeling let down by services, family, trauma and ways of coping, like meditation and art. Each story paints a unique and personal picture. The exhibition was displayed in HMP Styal and is available in the Women in Prison magazine Still I Rise. See below for more about this.
Women in Prison's 22nd issue of Still I Rise magazine: focus on mental health
In this edition of the magazine the focus is on mental health. It features an interview with Lord Bradley, who discusses crucial improvements still needed for women in contact with the criminal justice system. Laurie Buckton, Safer in Custody Strategic Lead, shares her work to enhance safety and wellbeing in prisons. Dr. Maria Leitner's article, Are We Criminalising Mental Health?, examines how we are addressing mental ill-health through the criminal justice system. The magazine includes testimonials and first-person perspectives from women sharing their experiences with mental health in prison and the broader criminal justice system, alongside a moving photography exhibition. Still I Rise continues to shed light on the critical issues facing women in prison, advocating for better mental health support and systemic reform. Available to read in full here
“We need support”: how women facing multiple unmet needs experience systems of child removal in the Greater Manchester area
Agenda Alliance have released a new briefing, commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), focusing on the needs of women who have experienced the removal of children into care across the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester. The briefing offers practical recommendations for change related to housing, challenging stigma, improving relationships with social care professionals, and offering specialist support to women navigating the process. Whilst commissioned by and intended for use by GMCA, its findings have national and regional relevance for anyone interested in tackling the root drivers of child removal and better supporting women experiencing intersecting unmet needs. Read the briefing here
Over 60 organisations have backed #CallingSOS, Agenda Alliance’s campaign for a standalone Secretary of State for Women and Girls
Clinks, alongside over 60 other co-signatories, offered support to Agenda’s general election campaign, #CallingSOS, for a standalone Secretary of State for Women and Girls in Cabinet. The demand speaks to the need for a political champion at the highest level of government for women and girls experiencing multiple disadvantage, including contact with the criminal justice system. This role could drive forward cross-cutting change over multiple government departments, recognising the interconnected nature of these women’s needs. Organisations and individuals from across the criminal justice system; women and girls’, youth, and mental health sectors, signed their collective open letter, which stands alongside Agenda Alliance’s manifesto and set of policy recommendations.
Hibiscus highlights barriers faced by Black and minoritised migrant women trying to make a home in the UK
During Refugee Week, Hibiscus shed light on the multiple barriers facing Black and minoritised migrant women trying to make a home for themselves in the UK. Between April 2022 and March 2023, they supported 189 migrant women, with needs related to: trafficking, domestic violence, accommodation, mental health, and language and cultural needs. Many have insecure immigration status and are subject to several of the UK’s hostile environment policies, leaving them unable to find employment, vulnerable to predatory landlords and living in precarious situations, causing them to live in fear. In this blog, a Hibiscus colleague with lived experience courageously shares her own story, spotlighting the struggles she faced in trying to make a home for herself, experiences that are all too common for Black and minoritised migrant women, emphasising that migrants have a right to make a home for themselves in the UK. Read her piece here
Corston Independent Funders Coalition
The Corston Independent Funders’ Coalition (CIFC) has launched its revised Statement of Purpose, through which it is renewing its commitment to working in partnership to realise a world where women experience justice, fairness, safety, and equitable treatment within a justice system which values their rights and needs. CIFC is currently made up of ten full members and four friends of the coalition. It does not currently have any pooled funding, but it is the ambition of some members to achieve this in the future and, as such, CIFC is not currently accepting unsolicited bids for funding. More about CIFC’s plans and objectives, can be found here and/or contact Beth Crosland to join an email update list.
Receiving the Clinks women’s network ebulletin
If you find this quarterly bulletin useful, please tell your colleagues about it. If they would like to receive the bulletin, please encourage them to login to their Clinks account and go to this manage subscriptions page where they can sign-up. They will need to be a member of the women’s network so if they need to join, they can register here today.
If you have any comments about this ebulletin or feedback for improvement, please email Jackie Lowthian.
Get involved Donate | Become a Member | Follow Clinks on Twitter | Join Mailing List
Contact us www.clinks.org | info@clinks.org | 020 7383 0966
Manage your subscriptions here, or email info@clinks.org
© Clinks, 2024
Registered office: 82A James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7DE
Registered charity: 1074546 | Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales: 3562176