• Fartoomanywomenarebroughtintothejusticesystemunnecessarily.Thousandsofwomenareinappropriatelycriminalisedeveryyeartothedetrimentofindividuals,familiesandcommunities

• Formanywomenitistheirrepeatedvictimisationwhichhasledtoinvolvementinthejusticesystem

• Alargenumberofthewomeninvolvedinthejusticesystemhaveacuteandmultipleunmetneeds.Itiscrucialthatservicesinthecommunityforthesewomenareprioritised

• Servicesandsupportforwomenareneededbutthecriminaljusticesystemmustnotbethegatewaytoaccessservices

• Gender-informedpolicingofwomeniskeytopreventingunnecessarycriminalisation

• Moneyisnotbeingspentintherightplaces.Thousandsofwomenaresentencedeachyeartoserveexpensiveanddestructiveshorttermprisonsentences,yetsuccessfulwomen’scentresanddiversionschemesarepoorlyandinsecurelyfunded

• ThereisadangerthattheTransformingRehabilitationagendawillpullmorewomenintothecriminaljusticesystemandkeepthemthereforlonger.Effectivescrutinyoftheimpactofthispolicychangeonwomenoverthenextfewyearsiscrucial.

Key points

Report on the Inquiry into Preventing Unnecessary Criminalisation of Women

AllPartyParliamentaryGrouponWomeninthePenalSystem

TheAllPartyParliamentaryGroup(APPG)onWomeninthePenalSystemwassetupinJuly2009withBaronessCorstonaschairandadministrativesupportfromtheHowardLeagueforPenalReform.

ThegroupworkstoincreaseknowledgeandawarenessofissuesaroundwomeninthepenalsystemaswellaspushforthefullimplementationoftherecommendationsofThe Corston Report: A review of women with particular vulnerabilities in the criminal justice system(Home,Office2007).

TheInquiryintoPreventingUnnecessaryCriminalisationofWomenstemmedfromtheconclusionsofpreviousAPPGinquiriesandreportsbytheHowardLeaguethatthemajorityofwomeninvolvedinthecriminaljusticesystemdonotneedtobethere,womenarecriminalisedtooquicklyandeasilyandtheproblemstheyfaceoughttobeaddressedbyotheragenciesatamuchearlierstage.Theinquirythereforeaimedtolookatwhatcriminaljusticeandnon-criminaljusticerelatedagenciesweredoingtoreduceunnecessarycriminalisationandanybarrierstotheirwork.

Theinquirytookplaceatatimeofintensepublicscrutinyofthepolicingofyoungwomenwhowerevictimsofsexualabusebutwhohadnotbeenseenasvictimsandhadbeenblamedfortheirplight.

Theinquiryreceivedoralandwrittenevidencefromavarietyoforganisationsandpractitionersincludingpoliceforces,PoliceandCrimeCommissioners(PCCs),NHSEnglandandvoluntarysectororganisationsworkingincriminaljusticeandwomen’srights.ThethenMinisterofStatewithresponsibilityforwomeninthejusticesystem,SimonHughesMP,gaveevidencetotheinquiry.

Women in the justice systemWomenareaminorityinthecriminaljusticesystem.Theycommitfarfewercrimesthanmenandtheoffencescommittedareofalessseriousnature.

Womenaccountedfor16percent(162,000)ofallarrestsin2013/14.Arrestsofmenfellby4percentbetween2012/13and2013/14whilearrestsofwomendidnotchange(HomeOffice,

2015).Over100,000arrestsofwomenresultedinnofurtheraction.

37,300policecautionswereissuedtowomeninthe12monthsendingSeptember2014,representing22percentofallcautionsissued(MinistryofJustice,2015a).

6,529fineswerehandeddowntowomeninthe12monthsendingSeptember2014,a5percentincreasesince2012.Inaddition,9,822womenweresentencedtoacommunitysentenceintheyearendingSeptember2014(MinistryofJustice,2015b).

Ratesofpre-trialremandforwomenarehigh.Approximately40percentofwomenwhoenterprisoninanyoneyearareunconvicted,with3,754remandedinthe12monthsendingJune2014.Fewofthesewomengoontobeconvictedorreceiveacustodialsentencewith71percentofthoseremandedintheMagistrates’Courtsand41percentofthoseremandedbytheCrownCourtsnotreceivingaprisonsentence(HowardLeague,2014).

Thenumberofwomeninprisonhasslowlyfallenfrom4,350inMarch2007to3,889inMay2015(MinistryofJustice,2015c).However,thisisstillalmostdoublethenumbertwentyyearsagowhenthefemaleprisonpopulationstoodat1,979(MinistryofJustice,2013).

Asthevastmajorityofthewomensentencedtoprisonserveveryshortsentences,thefemaleprisonpopulationonanyonedaymasksthehighlevelofuseofimprisonmentforwomeninEnglandandWales.Inthe12monthsendingJune2014,9,204womenenteredcustodyeitheronremandorundersentence(MinistryofJustice,2015d).Ofthoseservingasentence,77percentweresentencedtolessthantwelvemonths,71percentlessthansixmonthsand52percentlessthanthreemonths(MinistryofJustice,2015e).

Findings

The importance of preventing criminalisationTherewasaconsensusamongthosewhogaveevidencetotheAPPGthattoomanywomenwerepulledintothecriminaljusticesystemunnecessarily.Inparticular,tensofthousandsofwomenwerearrestedwhennoinvolvementfromcriminaljusticeagencieswasneeded.

TheAPPGheardthatmanywomeninvolvedinthecriminaljusticesystemhadbeenvictimisedandhadsignificantandmultipleunmetneeds.Criminalisationonlyexacerbatedproblemsandstigmatisedwomen.Diversionawayfromthecriminaljusticesystemandintohealthandsupportserviceswastheappropriateresponseforthemanywomenwithsignificantneedwhocameintocontactwiththepoliceandcourts.

Evidencesubmittedshowedthatmanywomeninvolvedinthecriminaljusticesystemwerevictimsofabuse,manipulationandviolenceandthattheiroffendingbehaviourwasoftenrelatedtothis.Inparticular,sexualexploitationandabusehadalargeroletoplayinthecriminalisationofmanywomen.Womenandgirlscametotheattentionofauthoritiesduetooffencescommittedasaresultofsexualexploitation.Somewomenusedcrimeasameanstoescapetheirexploitersorasacryforhelp.Toooften,insteadofbeingrecognisedasvictimsandsupported,womenwerebroughtintothejusticesystemandpunished.

AChiefConstablereportedthatmanywomenwhocameintocontactwiththepolicewere‘trappedinacycleofmultipledisadvantageandwheredomesticviolencewasacommonoccurrence.’Womenwereoftencoercedintocommittingoffencesbyabusiveandcontrollingpartners.Inaddition,researchshowsthatalmosthalfofwomeninvolvedinthejusticesystemreportcommittingoffencestosupportanotherperson’sdrughabit,comparedtoafifthofmen(Lightetal.,2013).Thoseworkinginliaisonanddiversionschemestoldtheinquirythatmoreserviceswereneededinthecommunitytohelpwomeninviolentrelationships,withdrugaddictionsandwithhousingproblems,whofrequentlyendedupbeingcriminalised.

TheAPPGheardthatpovertyhadaroleinbringingwomenintothejusticesystem.Theexampleofnon-paymentoftelevisionlicenceswasrepeatedlyhighlighted.Womenaccountforadisproportionatenumberofprosecutionsbecausetheyaremorelikelytobehomewhenaninspectiontakesplaceandtenanciesaremorelikelytoberegisteredintheirname.Womenarefinedforthisoffenceandiftheycannotaffordtopay,facefurtherandmore

seriouscriminalsanctionsforthenon-paymentoffines.

Itwasnotedthatsinglemotherslivinginpovertyaredisproportionatelyimpactedbytheirchildren’struancy.Mothersarecriminalisedfortheirinabilitytopayfinesinsteadofbeingsupportedtodealwiththeproblemsthatleadtonon-attendanceatschool.Again,thistypeofoffencedraggedpoorwomenfurtherintothejusticesystem.

Attheoralhearingswitnessesarguedthatproblemswithpublicserviceprovisioncontributedtowomencomingintocontactwiththejusticesystem.Aswellasinadequatementalhealthservicesandtheclosureofsaferesidentialfacilitiesforthosefleeingviolence,theabsenceofanon-criminaljusticerelated24-hourserviceforthoseindifficulty,suchaswomenstrugglingwithmentalillhealthorwomenrequiringhelpwithadifficultfamilyissue,wasreportedasakeyproblem.Aleadingwomen’ssafetyorganisationnotedthatduetofundingcutsithadhadtostopprovidingmanyout-of-hoursservicesandthepolicehadsteppedintopickupthepieces.Policerepresentativesechoedtheviewthatsomesocialandhealthcrisesoftenbecamecriminaljusticematterssimplybecausethepolicewerealwaysavailabletorespond,whereastheagenciesbestplacedtodealwiththeissueswerenot.

Itwasreportedthatmagistratesandjudgestendtoover-sentencewomen,addingmultipleandonerouscriteriatocommunityordersinamisguidedattempttohelpwomenturntheirlivesaround.Thesesentenceswereoftendisproportionatetotheoffencecommittedandsetwomenuptofail,requiringthemtoaddressseveralcomplexproblemsatoncewiththethreatofacustodialsentenceiftheywereunabletocomply.Itbecameclearthattoooftenthecriminaljusticesystemisthegatewaytoaccessingsupportservicesandtreatmentdespitethefactthatcriminalisationexacerbatedtheproblemswomenfaced.

What works to prevent unnecessary criminalisation Women’scentreswererepeatedlyreferencedasoneofthebestmodelsforreducing

unnecessarycriminalisation.Theinquiryheardthattherewasastrongevidencebasefortheeffectivenessofwomen’scentresinpreventingoffendingandreoffendingandhelpingwomenturntheirlivesaround.Respondentsnotedthatthecentresprovidedvalueformoney.Severalrespondentsaddedthatwomen’scentresweremostsuccessfulwhentheywereabletoprovideservicestoallwomenwhoneededthem,ratherthanonlythoseinvolvedinthecriminaljusticesystem.

Partnershipworkingwasseenaskeytopreventingunnecessarycriminalisation.Asthecriminalisationofwomenissooftenaffectedbyhousingproblems,poorphysicalandmentalhealth,poverty,debtandproblemrelationshipsitwasseenascrucialthatorganisationsanddifferentgovernmentdepartmentswereabletoworktogethertodivertwomenfromthejusticesystemandcommissiontherightservicesforwomenatrisk.

TheAPPGheardaboutsomepromisingprojects,includingtheThamesMagistrates’CourtdiversionprojectandtheGreaterManchesterPathfinderforWomen(seebox).ThelatterwasbringingtogetherstaffandbudgetsfromGreaterManchesterPolice,thelocalauthority,StyalprisonandthePCCtodivertwomenawayfromthejusticesystemandhelpthemdesistfromcrime.TheinvolvementofthePCCmeanttheprojectcouldaccessbudgetstoprovidevictimsservicesforthemanywomenwhowerevictimsofviolenceandabuse.TheJusticeMinisterpraisedtheapproachofGreaterManchesteranddetailedhisplantoextendtheschemetoothermajorurbanareas.

Buildingonpositivechangestothewaywomenarepolicedisessentialinreducingunnecessarycriminalisation.EvidencesubmittedtotheAPPGshowedthatmanypoliceforceshadmadesignificantprogressinrecentyearstounderstandtheissuesaroundgenderandthejusticesystemandrecognisetheneedtolimitandpreventinvolvement.Policeforcesarenowattheheartofseveralinnovativeandsuccessfulschemestoreducecriminalisation.However,policingofwomenisinconsistentacrossdifferentforcesandnot

Example of best practice: Manchester whole system approach to women in the justice system project

Themanyagenciesinvolvedinthisprojectareworkingcloselytogetherwithsharedvaluesandavisiontotreatwomencomingintocontactwiththejusticesystemasindividualsandprovidethemwithaservicethatwillhelpthemimprovetheirlivesandnotdamagethemfurther.

CentraltotheprojectistherecognitionthatManchesterishometosomeexcellentwomen’scentres,whicharebestplacedtoprovideindividualisedandflexibleservicesandsupporttowomen.Theinitiative,whichhasnowbeenrunningforseveralyears,hashelpeddevelopnewwomen’scentresandsupportedexistingonestoensureallareasofManchesterhavethistypeoffacility.Allagenciesworkingwithwomeninvolvedinoratriskofinvolvementinthejusticesystemaremadeawareofthelocalcentresandtheservicestheyprovideandareencouragedtoreferalleligiblewomentothem.

Thegoverningboardhasbuiltdatacollectionandanalysisintotheprojectfromthebeginningsoitisabletotracktheuseandimpactofservices,aswellasquicklybecomeawareofandrespondtoanyunintendedconsequencessuchasbringingmorewomenintothesystemunnecessarilyormakingsentencesforwomenmoreonerous.

TransformingRehabilitationcreatesafinancialincentivetobringwomenwhohavecommittedverylow-leveloffencesintothesysteminordertomaximiseprofits.ThisisincontrasttotheManchesterprojectwhichpreventswomencomingintothejusticesystemunnecessarilyandkeepsthosewithinitatthelowestlevel.

Overallitisanimpressiveprojectwhichoughttobefinanciallyandpoliticallysupportedandusedasamodelforotherareas.

allpoliceleadershipteamsprioritisedivertingwomenfromthejusticesystem.

Spending money in the right placesFundingforwomeninvolvedinoratriskofinvolvementinthejusticesystemisdysfunctional.Duringtheoralhearings,frustrationwasexpressedthatdespiteextensiveevidenceaboutwhatworkstopreventthewidespreadunnecessarycriminalisationofwomen,preventativeinitiativeswerepoorlyandinsecurelyfinanced.Fundingofthe

majorityofwomen’scentres,forexample,isprecariousandresourceshavetobeexpendedonconstantlyreapplyingforcontractsandgrants.Otherservicesthatwomenatriskofinvolvementinthejusticesystemcommonlyused,suchasdebtmanagement,housingandprotectionfromdomesticviolenceserviceshadbeensubjecttolargebudgetcuts.

Evidencesuggeststhatitispossibletomakeprogressinpreventingunnecessarycriminalisationdespiteausterityandcutstopublicservices.Moneyneedstobespentintherightplaces.Witnessescriticisedsuccessivegovernmentsforspendinghugesumsonshort-termimprisonmentdespiteevidencethatitishighlydamagingandwasteful.Themajorityofthosewhosubmittedbothoralandwrittenevidencearguedthatfundingshouldbedivertedawayfromtheprisonsystemandtowardsservicesforwomeninthecommunity.There-roleofDownviewprisonfromawomen’stoamen’sfacilitywasamissedopportunity.ThebudgetforDownviewshouldhavebeenreallocatedtowomen’sservicesinthecommunityandnotsimplyabsorbedbythemaleestate.Itwasarguedthatgovernmentsoughttodivertbothbudgetsandpeoplefromthejusticesystemifprogressistobemade.

Qualityservicesforwomenaresporadic,withmanyareasinEnglandandWalesleftwithoutwomen’scentres,diversionschemesorpartnershipprojectstoreducecriminalisation.Thislimitsoptionsformagistrates,judgesandpoliceofficersandinhibitseffectivecommunicationaboutavailableservicesandtheimportanceofdiversion.Allthoseinvolvedindiversionandprovidingservicesforwomen,includingthepolice,shouldhavearesponsibilitytoensurethatsentencersdonotfeeltheyhavenootherchoicebuttosendawomantocustody.Partnershipswereimportantinachievingthisaswasmakingsurebudgetswerespentintherightareas.

The new landscape: Transforming Rehabilitation ThenewcriminaljusticelandscapegeneratedbyTransformingRehabilitationisstructuredtobringmorewomenintothejusticesystemratherthanpreventunnecessarycriminalisation.TheJusticeCommitteefoundthatthereforms

werenotdesignedwithwomeninmindandtheyfearedthequantityandqualityofserviceswoulddeclineasaresult(2014).ThereisnoprotectionforexistingservicesunderTransformingRehabilitationandwomen’scentres,diversionprojectsandwomen’spathfinderscouldallceasetooperateifprivateprovidersfailtofundorcooperatewiththem.Thiswouldundoyearsofworkthatdevelopedevidence-basedservicesforwomen.ThosewhogaveevidencetotheAPPGexpressedhopethatCommunityRehabilitationCompanies(CRCs)wouldsupporttheirongoingworkbutweredeeplyconcernedaboutthelackofguarantees.

Theprivatecompaniesnowrunningthemajorityofcommunitysentenceslackknowledgeandexperienceabouttheimportanceofgenderandprovidinggender-specificservices.EvidencewassubmittedtotheinquirythatseveralCRCshadnotrespondedwelltoeffortsmadebyexpertstoprovideinformationandadviceaboutsuccessfulandappropriateservicesforwomen.Thegender-specificprovisionscontainedintheOffenderRehabilitationAct2014areweakandwillofferlittleprotectionforwomen-onlyservicesinpractice.Inaddition,thereisnorobustsystemtoholdcompaniestoaccountforthequalityofservicestheyprovideforwomen.

RespondentsfearedthatoneoftheunintendedconsequencesofTransformingRehabilitationwouldbeincreasedcriminalisationofwomenforverylow-leveloffencesatanearlystage.Womencanbeseenaseasytargetswhoareunlikelytoreoffendandcanbeprovidedwithcheap,unnecessaryservices,allowingcompaniestohittargetsandtherebyincreaseprofits.Someorganisationshadbegunexploringtheoptionofdevelopingnon-criminaljusticerelatedearlyinterventionprogrammesfundedbysocialimpactbondsastheywereworriedtheseserviceswouldnototherwisebeavailableunderthenewsystem.

Strongleadershipontheimportanceofhigh-qualitygender-specificservicesforwomenwillbeessentialundertheTransformingRehabilitationsystem.Robustsystemsmustbeputinplacerapidlytoensurewomenarenotunnecessarilybroughtintothejusticesystem,andservicesforwomenwhoareinvolvedaresuccessfulandevidence-based.

ISBN978-1-905994-94-62015

t 02072497373e info@howardleague.orgw www.howardleague.org

RegisteredcharityNo.251926CompanylimitedbyguaranteeNo.898514

1ArdleighRoadLondonN14HS

9 781905 994946

ISBN 978-1-905994-94-6

Women in prisonThecriminaljusticesystemfailscatastrophicallywhenwomenendupinprison.Currentlythemajorityofwomeninprisonarebeingheldonremandorforlowlevelacquisitiveoffences,withonlyatinynumberhavingcommittedseriousoffencesandpresentingadangertothepublic.Mostofthesewomenhaveacuteandmultipleneeds,manyrelatedtomentalhealth.SimonHughestoldtheAPPGthathewantedthenumbersofwomenincustodytofallbyatleasthalfaswellastheintroductionofapresumptionagainstshorttermprisonsentences.

Theseveredamageinflictedbyshortprisonsentencesonwomenwashighlightedduringtheinquiry.AChiefConstabletoldtheAPPGthat‘afterwomengotoprison,theiroffendingoftengoesupanotch.’Hehighlightedthatshortsentenceswerewastefulandplungedwomenintofurtherchaosasevenabriefspellincustodyoftenledtolossofaccommodation,employmentandcustodyofchildren.EvidencepresentedtotheinquirydemonstratedtheneedtoimplementtheCorstonreportrecommendationstoclosewomen’sprisonsandreplacethemwithafewsmall,localcustodialunitsfortheveryfewwomenforwhomimprisonmentisnecessary.

Afulllistofreferencesisavailableonourwebsiteat

www.howardleague.org/publications-women/.

About the Howard League for Penal ReformTheHowardLeagueforPenalReformisanationalcharityworkingforlesscrime,safercommunitiesandfewerpeopleinprison.Itistheoldestpenalreformcharityintheworld.Itwasestablishedin1866andisnamedafterJohnHoward,thefirstprisonreformer.Weworkwithparliamentandthemedia,withcriminaljusticeprofessionals,studentsandmembersofthepublic,influencingdebateandforcingthroughmeaningfulchangetocreatesafercommunities.Wecampaignonawiderangeofissuesincludingshorttermprisonsentences,realworkinprison,communitysentencesandyouthjustice.Ourlegalteamprovidesfree,independentandconfidentialadvice,assistanceandrepresentationonawiderangeofissuestoyoungpeopleunder21whoareinprisonsorsecurechildren’shomesandcentres.Bybecomingamemberyouwillgiveusabiggervoiceandgivevitalfinancialsupporttoourwork.Wecannotachieverealandlastingchangewithoutyourhelp.

Pleasevisitwww.howardleague.organdjointoday.

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