Women offenders: after the Corston Report - United Kingdom ...
Women offenders: after the Corston Report - United Kingdom ...
Women offenders: after the Corston Report - United Kingdom ...
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14 <strong>Women</strong> <strong>offenders</strong>: <strong>after</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Corston</strong> <strong>Report</strong>“dismayed to have drawn <strong>the</strong> conclusion, despite Ministers’ assertions to <strong>the</strong>contrary, that over <strong>the</strong> last three years <strong>the</strong> impetus for real change appears to havebeen lost and progress has been stalled”. 43Juliet Lyon contrasted <strong>the</strong> situation in England and Wales with that in Scotland in <strong>the</strong> wakeof Dame Elish Angiolini’s Commission on <strong>Women</strong> Offenders when <strong>the</strong> Justice Secretaryresponded immediately and accepted her recommendation for him to provide annualprogress reports to <strong>the</strong> Scottish Parliament. 4427. A sense of a loss of opportunity was widely shared and as a result we repeatedly heardconcerns that vulnerable women were continuing to be imprisoned unnecessarily and that<strong>the</strong> positive developments that had been made may not be sustainable. 45 Clive Martinidentified three positive developments that he felt were in danger of dissipating: <strong>the</strong> sharedGovernment and civic society (in <strong>the</strong> form of CIFC) commitment to pursuing <strong>the</strong> <strong>Corston</strong>agenda; <strong>the</strong> development of women’s centres as <strong>the</strong> “best bet” of stemming <strong>the</strong> flow ofwomen into <strong>the</strong> criminal justice system; and <strong>the</strong> recognition of <strong>the</strong> value of <strong>the</strong> voluntarysector in engaging and supporting women who have often had a negative experience ofstatutory services. 46 In <strong>the</strong>ir written submission CIFC expressed disappointment that <strong>the</strong>Government did not appear to be interested in continuing its collaboration in sustaining<strong>the</strong> network of women’s community projects:The unusual and real partnership between <strong>the</strong> charitable Trusts and Foundationsand <strong>the</strong> statutory authorities represented, in our view, a golden opportunity to dothings differently [...] CIFC continues to meet with officials in <strong>the</strong> hope of bringingour influence to bear and to share our experience in sponsoring innovation, but it isapparent that our involvement is no longer a priority. 4728. Our witnesses proposed a variety of governance mechanisms, including: reinstating <strong>the</strong>women’s criminal justice policy unit 48 ; independent oversight, such as <strong>the</strong> creation of a<strong>Women</strong>’s Justice Board to set and monitor policy nationally, or something akin to NHSCommissioning Board Clinical Senate or <strong>the</strong> Ministerial Board on Deaths in Custody toperform an advisory function 49 ; and splitting strategic and commissioning functions invarious o<strong>the</strong>r ways. 50 Juliet Lyon commended <strong>the</strong> intensive focus of <strong>the</strong> Youth JusticeBoard on reducing numbers of young people in custody, and said <strong>the</strong>re was a need forsimilarly concerted effort for women <strong>offenders</strong>: “[...] it would be helped massively if <strong>the</strong>rewere such a thing as a women’s justice board and <strong>the</strong> kind of drive, leadership and focusthat that would bring with it [...] Even if Government will not consider a W[omens]J[ustice] B[oard], <strong>the</strong>y need to use some of <strong>the</strong> elements and success of both of those tomake this work.” 51 Baroness <strong>Corston</strong> was clear that any governance mechanism must focus43 Ev 6444 Q 13845 See for example Ev 103, Ev 114, Q 138 [Ms Crook, Ms Lyon, Mr Martin]46 Q 139, See also [Q 165] Ms Halford47 Ev 8848 Ev 10349 See for example Ev 65, Ev 103, Ev 66, Ev 124, Ev w7750 Ev w1, Ev 8951 Q 164, Ev 103