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. Find out more about our women's work here.
In this edition...
Criminal Justice: Women’s Justice Board holds inaugural meeting
The inaugural meeting of the Women’s Justice Board was held on 21 January. Clinks CEO, Anne Fox, attended, having been appointed to the Board by Lord Timpson. The Lord Chancellor opened the meeting and affirmed the Government’s commitment to sending fewer women to prison. The process to appoint members of the Partnership Delivery Group which will work alongside the Board is underway with a first meeting of that group due to take place later in March. Clinks is committed to ensuring the voices of our Women’s Network members can be captured and heard at the Board and is planning an approach to the Women’s Network Forums this year that will offer the opportunity to exchange information and take feedback on the key priorities as work begins. No minutes from the Board meeting have been published yet, but you can read the Lord Chancellor's opening remarks here.
Criminal Justice: Justice and Women – A New Direction
In January, Clinks was proud to partner the Worshipful Company of Weavers in hosting a summit in London for over 200 leading experts, researchers, policy makers and practitioners committed to reshaping how the justice system responds to women. Co-chaired by Anne Fox, Clinks CEO and William Makower, Chair, Weavers’ Company Charity, the summit launched a new research report that assesses the role of problem-solving courts in achieving better outcomes for women. A keynote address was given by Sir Nic Dakin, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice. Delegates heard about models of good practice from those with lived and learned experience and discussed actions needed to achieve a fairer, community-focused women’s criminal justice system. Also announced was grant funded opportunity to advise the Weavers’. Access the research report, presentations from the summit, delegate list, the grant funded opportunity and more resources via this link: #JusticeandWomen | Linktree.
Clinks influence: Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Board (RR3)
The latest quarterly meeting of the RR3 is being held on 11 March and will cover a wide range of issues. Seat holders will hear a presentation from Claire Fielder, Director, Youth Justice and Offender Policy at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), who will present on two ongoing reviews – the Independent Sentencing Review and the review of the Youth Justice Board. Claire will also update seat holders on the first meeting of the Women’s Justice Board. See details of the Independent Sentencing Review here and find out more about the Youth Justice Board review here.
There will also be a presentation from Matt Grey, Executive Director for Rehabilitation at the MoJ, on the ongoing Spending Review. This is in addition to a discussion with Dame Anne Owers, who is leading a review into the handling of prison capacity. This will focus on the impact of the capacity crisis on the ability of prisons to deliver regimes, including how capacity constraints have impacted voluntary organisations. See details of the review’s terms of reference here.
The RR3 Special Interest Group on Community Provision will be publishing two separate reports by the end of March. The first will focus on mental health, and the second on drugs and alcohol. These will be shared across Clinks’ digital channels.
Criminal Justice: The Independent Sentencing Review
A Clinks blog analyses the findings of the Independent Sentencing Review’s report into the history and trends of sentencing. It examines how sentencing policies have evolved, the impact on prison populations, and the shift toward longer and tougher sentences over recent decades. The blog provides valuable insight into how sentencing has shaped the criminal justice system and what reforms could be considered in the future. Read the blog here
Agenda Alliance responds to the Independent Sentencing Review’s initial findings
Agenda Alliance has shared their response to the Sentencing review, emphasising the findings’ positive recognition of women’s gendered needs, and their hope that young women will not be overlooked by the Review’s final recommendations. Read the response here
Clinks networks: Women’s Network Forum
The next Clinks Women’s Network Forum will take place on 26 March. This meeting will provide updates following the first meeting of the Women’s Justice Board and the publication of the first report from the Independent Sentencing Review. We will also hear about the Prisons Capacity Review, led by Dame Anne Owers. The latter part of the forum will focus on the RR3, one of our key channels for influencing government criminal justice policy. Come along to hear from Anne Fox, Clinks CEO and a member of the Women’s Justice Board, Nicola Drinkwater, Director of External Affairs and Campaigns, Women in Prison and RR3 women’s specialist seat holder. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion. Find out more and register to attend here
Greater Manchester Women’s Support Alliance (GMWSA) joins scrutiny panel
The Greater Manchester Combine Authority (GMCA) has launched a new independent panel to scrutinise and monitor custody and arrests by Greater Manchester Police (GMP). This panel is made up of individuals with professional or lived experience of the police and justice system, including staff from the Greater Manchester Women’s Support Alliance (GMSWA) member centres and GMWSA Health and Partnership Manager. Starting in January 2025, the panel will begin its reviews, with any observations and recommendations being reported to the Deputy Mayor and the Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable. Find out more here and learn about GMWSA here.
Critical Conversations
Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) held its inaugural 'Critical Conversations' event earlier this month, providing a space for women in the sector to come together to discuss key issues. Dr. Sue Robson talked about how her model of working with women with complex needs (such as homelessness, addiction, and separation from children) challenges a class-based model of professionalism. She aims to break down barriers to engagement, placing the responsibility on organisations to change their practices and encourage participation among those who have legitimate reasons for not doing so. Find out more here
NCJAA Writing Development Workshop: Writing Complaints
11 March, online, free
This year the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) is working in partnership with the Royal Literary Fund to deliver free writing development training for individuals and organisations delivering services and projects in the criminal justice system. The first part of the workshop will be structured around writing, or helping someone to write, an effective complaint. The second part will focus on dealing with external complaints, including those made in a public forum such as Facebook or other social media platforms. If you are a member of one of Clinks’ thematic networks, or an independent artist or freelancer in the NCJAA network, these workshops are for you. Find out more and book your place here
Art of the Matter
19 March, London, one free ticket per organisation
For 2025 Clinks Family Network and the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) Anne Peaker Lecture are joining forces to bring you an in-person event. This event will spotlight how organisations offer a creative approach to supporting children and families affected by the criminal justice system. It aims to bring together voluntary organisations, art practitioners, researchers, and stakeholders to listen to and discuss how the arts have been used as a vital tool to support families. We are delighted that Lord Michael Farmer will deliver our keynote address and we have a fantastic range of panellists who will consider how to inspire action for change. Find out more and book your place here
Agenda Alliance launch new film for International Women's Day
12 March, online, free
Register for an exclusive first screening of a new short film from Agenda Alliance, in celebration of International Women’s Day. Co-produced entirely with Agenda’s alliance members and women with lived experience of multiple unmet needs, the film highlights the routine silencing of women and girls by the professionals and services they are expected to rely upon. The film centres the voices of two women who share insight into the challenges they have faced when seeking support and amplifies their calls for change. Find out more and book your place here
Securing the future of women’s organisations – International Women’s Day event
12 March, online, free
Join Women's Resource Centre at their online International Women's day event where they will be focusing on how to secure the future of women’s organisations in an increasingly challenging funding landscape. Find out more and book your place here and see the current programme of Women's Resource Centre training and events here.
Bridging policy and research: women’s justice
14 March, London, £95
The British Society of Criminology’s Women, Crime, and Criminal Justice Network (WCCJN) in collaboration with the Centre for Communities and Social Justice at the University of Greenwich has convened this in-person event on the intersection of policy and research in women's justice. Hear from key speakers, including Dr Shona Minson, Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford, and member of the Women’s Justice Board and Professor Loraine Gelsthorpe, Emeritus Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge. Find out more and book your place here
Breaking out of the justice loop
18 March, online, free
This event provides an opportunity to hear from the two authors of a new report, being published on 10th March. The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies and the National Women’s Justice Coalition are publishing: Breaking out of the Justice Loop: Creating a criminal justice system that works for women. Report authors, Naomi Delap (Director, Birth Companions) and Liz Hogarth (Independent women’s justice expert), ask why the justice system continues to fail women, and what needs to change. The event will focus on creating a new criminal justice system that works for women and will offer perspectives on what a transformational change for women might involve. Find out more and register for a place here
Book Launch: The Psychology of Honor Abuse, Violence and Killings
27 March, Preston, free
The Criminal Justice Partnership in partnership with the Global Race Centre for Equality Research (GRACE) are delighted to be co-hosting the launch of this new book: The Psychology of Honor Abuse, Violence and Killings. Authored by leading expert, Dr Roxanne Khan, this compelling work dives deep into the psychological roots of honour-based abuse and violence, offering critical insights into the experiences of both victims and perpetrators. Dr Khan will also introduce her unique three-phase model to understand perpetrator motivation and societal responses. Find out more and book a place here
The role of voluntary sector women’s organisations in shaping policy change
Clinks member, Birth Companions sets out the case for ensuring that charities are at the heart of shaping a justice system that works for women. In this opinion piece, Birth Companions’ Director, Naomi Delap, explains the extent to which specialist voluntary and community organisations have driven change for women over the years by highlighting risks, poor practice and poor outcomes and creating solutions. Drawing on the success of the sector in developing, testing and delivering innovative solutions, she argues that the Women’s Justice Board must embed this expertise across its work. Read the piece here
New report on the application of cultural mediation
Black and minoritised migrant women face institutional and systemic barriers when seeking support and safety, including the failure of authorities to understand and accommodate their particular needs. Specialist advocacy is crucial to ensuring their rights are upheld. Supported by the Bell Foundation, Hibiscus conducted research to examine cultural mediation approaches and assess their effectiveness in the UK. The researchers analysed what cultural mediation and its implementation entail. They found that its training and practice were superficial, limited primarily to translation and interpretation failing to address structural inequality, systemic issues, and exclusion and therefore not suitable to address migrant women’s needs. In their report, they propose a more effective approach, developed in partnership with women with lived experience and grounded in intersectionality. This model offers wraparound, trauma-informed, woman-centred, and rights-based support. Find out more and read the report here
Stop Punishing Domestic Abuse Survivors: Open Letter Campaign
In December, Women in Prison launched an open letter to the UK Government, calling for urgent action to end the unfair criminalisation of domestic abuse survivors. Signed by over 100 organisations and individuals, the letter highlighted that women who have experienced abuse are being arrested, prosecuted, and imprisoned because of the abuse they've experienced. With strong links between domestic abuse and women’s offending, we urged the government to ensure survivors are supported, rather than punished. Women in Prison and over 100 co-signatories called for a cross-government response, prioritising domestic abuse within the Women’s Justice Board strategy and delivering systematic, sustainable funding for specialist services. Find out more here
Call for new approach to pregnancy, birth and early motherhood across the criminal justice system
Birth Companions has launched a new campaign - 1001 Days in the CJS - calling for an ambitious new approach to pregnancy, birth and early motherhood across the whole criminal justice system. Evidence shows that what happens in the first 1001 days from conception to a child’s second birthday lays the foundations for their long-term physical and mental health and wellbeing. Yet policing, courts, prison and probation are ill-equipped to deal with this critical period in the lives of mothers and their babies. The campaign includes calls for change to both policy and practice. Find out more here
Speaking Up for Women – call for a national women’s fund
The Women’s Resource Centre surpassed their latest milestone for petition signatures last week but still need more to reach their target of 10,000 signatures by International Women's Day! If you haven't already, please sign here. They are calling for a national women's fund, as well as for violence against women and girls (VAWG) to be treated as a public health emergency and more women's voices at the centre of policy and decision-making. Find out more and sign the petition here
Grant funded opportunity to advise the Weavers
At the Justice and Women summit in January 2025 the Worshipful Company of Weavers announced the design phase of a major sector-identified proof-of-concept intervention that will tackle the challenges of women and criminal justice and reduce the use of custody. This design of the initiative (to be implemented later) will be supported by an expert advisory group. This grant funding opportunity is open to a group of experts who will work together design an intervention which will deliver better outcomes for convicted women. Find out more here
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.