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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Justice Committee: Evidence Ev 91health and housing was generally poor. For over half of <strong>the</strong> women in <strong>the</strong>ir case sample, mental health serviceswere unsatisfactory. It will be essential for <strong>the</strong> new Health and Well-Being Boards to assess <strong>the</strong> mental healthand substance misuse needs of women at risk in <strong>the</strong>ir local areas, and to include those women as a specificcohort within joint strategic needs assessments and plans.3.3 To prevent <strong>the</strong> re-marginalisation of women in <strong>the</strong> development of new funding instruments, we proposethat women should be specifically targeted in emerging pilots. For example, in considering <strong>the</strong> shift towardsoutcomes-based commissioning, VCS organisations have highlighted <strong>the</strong> need for payable outcomes to betailored to women’s specific needs.3.4 We propose one or more local justice reinvestment pilots, bringing toge<strong>the</strong>r all <strong>the</strong> key statutory and VCSagencies to co-commission an integrated set of community interventions aimed at responding to vulnerabilities,diverting girls and women from <strong>the</strong> CJS, reducing offending and minimising harm. In line with <strong>the</strong> currentfinancial incentive models in Greater Manchester and London, if <strong>the</strong> authorities involved can demonstratereductions in <strong>the</strong> number of girls and women entering custody, any savings generated could be made availablefor reinvestment in local community provision.3.5 Given <strong>the</strong> perilous position faced by many VCS organisations and <strong>the</strong> difficulty securing funding forinnovative projects, which by nature lack a solid evidence base, we advocate for grant funding to remainavailable for some services, especially very specialist and small scale provision.4. The extent to which <strong>the</strong> gender equality duty has become a lever for mainstream service commissioners—outside of <strong>the</strong> criminal justice system—to provide services which tackle <strong>the</strong> underlying causes of femaleoffending4.1 The failure to deal effectively with <strong>the</strong> needs of girls and women at risk in <strong>the</strong> community has meantthat prison has often been utilised as seemingly <strong>the</strong> only disposal available to <strong>the</strong> courts for women appearingbefore <strong>the</strong>m who are living rootless, chaotic lives. More work is <strong>the</strong>refore needed at <strong>the</strong> preventative end tobring greater visibility to <strong>the</strong> needs of women at risk of offending with commissioners of mainstream services.Violence against women and poverty both exemplify causes of offending that have a clear gendered dimension,and where service provision is at risk in <strong>the</strong> unstable financial climate.4.2 Violence against girls and women: The critical link made in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Corston</strong> <strong>Report</strong> between victimisationand women at risk of offending remains persistent. <strong>Women</strong> in Prison data reveal that 79% of <strong>the</strong>ir service usersreport experience of domestic violence and/or sexual abuse. 15 Recent research demonstrates a dramatic anduneven reduction in local services to prevent and protect violence against women and girls and it is feared thatthis will result in an increase in such violence. 16,17 It is <strong>the</strong>refore essential that any approach to women has,at its core, a strategy for responding to <strong>the</strong>se overwhelming levels of violence and abuse.4.3 Poverty-related offending: As part of Clinks’ monitoring of <strong>the</strong> economic downturn, VCS organisationshave identified worrying signs that <strong>the</strong> economic downturn is impacting disproportionately on women, withcuts to services that provide assistance with legal access, benefits and debt advice, housing support and mentalhealth provision in <strong>the</strong> community. In a <strong>Women</strong> in Prison consultation in November 2011, all <strong>the</strong> womenreported <strong>the</strong> closure of a service that <strong>the</strong>y had accessed and <strong>the</strong>y were experiencing a variety of reductions to<strong>the</strong>ir benefits, child support payments, perceived job opportunity and opportunity and access to quality localservices. <strong>Women</strong> are often part of <strong>the</strong> “hidden homeless” group and St Mungo’s have found that, despitelinking in with multiple services, women with complex needs often fall through <strong>the</strong> gaps in service provision. 18Homeless Link research found a reduction of 40% in women-only accommodation over <strong>the</strong> last year. 195. The suitability of <strong>the</strong> women’s custodial estate and prison regimes5.1 In order truly to redress <strong>the</strong> disproportionality exposed by <strong>the</strong> <strong>Corston</strong> <strong>Report</strong>, a substantial debate isrequired about whe<strong>the</strong>r imprisonment is an appropriate response to <strong>the</strong> levels of risk and types of offencestypically committed by women. Just 3.2% of women in prison are assessed as high or very high risk of harmto o<strong>the</strong>rs. 205.2 Many women are held far from home making it difficult to provide <strong>the</strong>m with an effective resettlementservice and to maintain links with <strong>the</strong>ir children, families and communities. Additionally, VCS organisationsreport lack of staff resource within prisons to facilitate access to clients in order to formulate plans for release.15 <strong>Women</strong> in Prison. 2009. Response to Toge<strong>the</strong>r We Can End Violence Against <strong>Women</strong> Consultation on a National Strategy onViolence Against <strong>Women</strong>. Online: http://www.womeninprison.org.uk/userfiles/file/<strong>Women</strong>%20Offender%20Campaign%20Network%20Response%20to%20<strong>the</strong>%20Way%20Forward.doc16 S Walby and J Towers. 2012. Measuring <strong>the</strong> impact of cuts in public expenditure on <strong>the</strong> provision of services to prevent violenceagainst women and girls. Online: http://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/VAWG%20Full%20report.pdf17 D Sands. 2012. “The Impact of Austerity on <strong>Women</strong>”, The Fawcett Society. Online: http://fawcettsociety.org.uk/documents/The%20Impact%20of%20Austerity%20on%20<strong>Women</strong>%20-%2019th%20March%202012.pdf18 St Mungo’s, <strong>Women</strong>’s Resource Centre and Homeless Link. 2012. Spotlight on Homeless <strong>Women</strong>—20th June 2012. Online:http://homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/<strong>Women</strong>s%20Spotlight%202012%20-%20<strong>Report</strong>%20v2%20–160812%20FINAL_0.pdf19 Homeless Link. 2012. Homeless Watch: Survey of Needs and Provision. Online: http://homeless.org.uk/women#.UC49F6NXmZQ20 <strong>Women</strong> and Equalities Group, NOMS. 2012. Judicial Engagement: <strong>Women</strong> in <strong>the</strong> CJS. A Briefing for Probation Trusts. Online:http://www.clinks.org/assets/files/word_docs/judicial%20engagement%20briefing%20FINAL%2017%20Jan%202012.pdf