Introduction
Racially minoritised people are over represented in the criminal justice system. This needs to be addressed if we are to create a just and equal system.
Racially minoritised people are more likely to be arrested and more likely to have decisions go against them in court. They are over represented in the prison population. They are more likely to be subject to adjudication or use of force, reporting poorer experiences of prison life overall. They are over represented in probation caseloads and reoffending rates.
We need better, and more consistent, responses to reduce the number of racially minoritised people in our justice system. Some specialist voluntary sector organisations provide tailored services to racially minoritised people. However, these grassroots initiatives have been particularly affected by recent cuts in public spending and rapid changes to the local policy and commissioning environment. Find out more in our State of the sector research.
Successive reviews and reports have made recommendations to address these issues. Most recently, these have included the Lammy Review into the treatment of, and outcomes for racially minoritised people in the criminal justice system, published in September 2017. The Ministry of Justice published its response to the Lammy Review in December 2017 and is currently working to implement its recommendations.
Our members
Organisations led by and focused on racially minoritised people, which are rooted in the communities they serve, offer tailored support to racially minoritised people in the criminal justice system. These organisations are able to positively recognise and reaffirm people’s cultural identities in a way that aids desistance, and also to recognise and address experiences of discrimination, which if ignored, can be a significant obstacle to desistance.
Other voluntary sector organisations, who may not be led by racially minoritised people, in some cases offer tailored services or work in partnership with organisations led by racially minoritised people in recognition of the particular issues faced by racially minoritised people in the criminal justice system.
Are you looking for voluntary organisations working with racially minoritised people? Use the search box on the right-hand side of this page, or browse our Directory of Services.
Do you provide specialist support?
If you provide specialist services tailored for people from racially minoritised communities in prison or the community, make sure your organisation is listed on our Directory of Services - fill out a quick form to tell us about the nature of your support and the communities you work with. Help ensure individuals can find and access culturally-appropriate services for their needs.
Clinks thinks
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Clinks thinks all organisations working in criminal justice must acknowledge and work to tackle structural, as well as individual, racism and ensure that their services meet the needs of racially minoritised people. |
What Clinks is doing
Tackling race inequality in the criminal justice system has, for many years, formed a part of Clinks’ influencing work to create systemic change. In doing this we have always sought to work in partnership with, and as an ally to, organisations led by and focused on racially minoritised people.
Clinks supported the Lammy Review to engage with voluntary organisations working in criminal justice. We are now working to ensure that this engagement continues as the Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service implement the Review’s recommendations. This has included supporting the Ministry of Justice to hold meetings between the voluntary sector and Ministers, and workshops on improving outcomes for racially minoritised children in the criminal justice system.
In 2014 Clinks published the Young Review into improving outcomes for young black and Muslim men in the criminal justice system. Since then we have continued, as members of the Young Review Independent Advisory Group, to drive forward its recommendations.
If you want to discuss issues or solutions, please contact Sam Julius.
Becoming an anti-racist organisation
Our aspiration is to make Clinks a truly anti-racist organisation in all we say and do, and how we operate internally and externally. In September 2020, our Board, with the full support of the senior management and wider staff team, committed to this.
Read more about this commitment and the steps we are taking here.
Read our blog Talking about racism: what language will we use? here.
Race and Justice Network
Clinks Race and Justice Network is for organisations led by and focused on racially minoritised people working in the criminal justice system. Join the network to:
- Get sector-specific information
- Influence policy and procedures within the CJS
- Showcase good practice and learn from others
- Network with likeminded organisations nationally
- Receive/offer training and development opportunities
- Receive a copy of the quarterly Race and Justice Network bulletin
To learn more about the value of the Race and Justice Network and find out how to become a member please click here.
Registration to the Race and Justice Network is only open to Clinks members. Find out more about the benefits of becoming a Clinks member and how to join us here.
If you are already a Clinks member and would like to become part of the Race and Justice Network please contact Sam Julius.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
In March 2021, Clinks, as part of a coalition of criminal justice and race equality organisations, wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister warning that the government’s plans for policing and sentencing will further entrench racial inequality in the criminal justice system. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill (PCSC Bill) contains a number of proposals which the government has conceded will have a disproportionate impact on racially minoritised people in equality assessments, and was produced without consulting racially minoritised people or the organisations representing them. The letter calls for the government to withdraw elements of the Bill and launch a proper public consultation.
The coalition includes EQUAL, Criminal Justice Alliance, Clinks, Alliance for Youth Justice, Agenda, Transition to Adulthood Alliance, Prison Reform Trust, Zahid Mubarek Trust, Maslaha, Do It Justice Ltd, Revolving Doors Agency, Leaders Unlocked, Switchback and Women in Prison.
In May 2021, the coalition launched a petition calling on the government to withdraw clauses 60, 77(2)(b), 86(2)(b), 100-110 and 139-140 from the PCSC Bill and properly consult on its proposals. This was launched alongside detailing specific concerns about why the proposals will entrench racial inequality in the criminal justice system.
Consultancy support
In 2020, Clinks administered funding on behalf of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) for consultancy support to organisations led by and specialised in supporting racially minoritised people working with, or interested in working with, people in contact with the criminal justice system and their families.
This support was part of a wider piece of work being conducted by the MoJ and HMPPS to promote and develop opportunities for organisations led by and specialised in supporting racially minoritised people in the voluntary sector to engage with current and future commissioning opportunities.
Advising the Ministry of Justice
Clinks provides the chair and secretariat for an advisory group to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group’s (RR3) purpose is to build a strong and effective partnership between voluntary organisations working in the criminal justice system and the MoJ. There are currently two members of the RR3 with expertise and experience in providing specific support to racially minoritised people in contact with the criminal justice system.
What's new
Blogs
HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Annual Report lays bare scale of challenge
Publications
The Education Committee inquiry into boys’ attainment and engagement in education
Latest on X
Clinks @clinks_tweets · 9 months
The role is for a leader from an organisation focused on racially minoritised people, with expertise in service delivery, policy, advocacy, or related areas in criminal justice. Racial disparities are present at every CJS stage. This role ensures these voices are central in shaping policy to help address and eradicate them. Apply by Mon 18 Nov, 10am. More info: https://www.clinks.org/voluntary-community-sector/vacancies/15566 #CriminalJustice #RR3 #RacialEquity
Events
Related publications
Race & Justice: A joint response to the Sentencing Review
RR3 Reference Group on Tackling Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System Terms of Reference
Related blogs
Clinks annual conference 2024 - key takeaways
