Why we must do more to intervene early with women at the point of arrest
Opportunities exist to prevent women being drawn into the criminal justice system, the Prison Reform Trust saysIn 2016 ‘Sarah’ was arrested for low-level criminal damage. It was a particularly chaotic period in her life and police were concerned that after more than ten years drug-free, she had relapsed. Sarah could have been charged, but instead the police referred Sarah to an in innovative new scheme in London providing specialist support for women at risk of further offending.
A new report published by the Prison Reform Trust reveals there are still significant variations across England and Wales in how the police deal with women who commit low-level, but often persistent crime. Our research suggests that opportunities are being missed to nip problems in the bud, and help women to overcome the root causes of their offending behaviour.
Women represent a small minority of those in the criminal justice system, with nearly 140,000 women arrested in England and Wales during 2015/16 compared with over 750,000 men. Their crimes are overwhelmingly non-violent, and are often rooted in financial hardship, abusive relationships, addiction and poor mental health. More women were sent to prison in the year to June 2016 to serve a sentence for theft than for violence against the person, robbery, sexual offences, fraud, drugs, and motoring offences combined.
Opportunities exist to prevent women being drawn into the criminal justice system, and particularly prison, but since 2007 the number of women receiving an out of court disposal has fallen by over 60%.
Our report shows that we can and should do better. Drawing on detailed research and interviews with police, probation staff, women’s voluntary sector providers and national policy-makers, Fair Cop? sets out simple, practical steps that all police force areas can take to shift our focus to earlier intervention when women first come into contact with the criminal justice system, rather trying to pick up the pieces once someone has ended up in prison.
The positive work now taking place in Durham, Humberside, Manchester, Surrey and Wales reveals what can be achieved when local services come together to problem-solve women’s offending. With committed senior leadership and effective partnership working between from the police, local authorities, probation, and the NHS funded liaison and diversion services it is possible to halt the costly revolving door of our creaking criminal justice system. Key to this change is greater collaboration with women’s centres which provide transformational services that are proven to reduce women’s reoffending.
Violence against women and girls is now a top priority for the Home Office. The Justice Secretary Liz Truss has recently made clear that ‘early intervention is not a ‘nice to have’ added extra to the justice system, it is vital if we are ever to break the cycle of crime, punishment and more crime.’ We agree, and are concerned that a commitment to open five new community prisons for women sends out the wrong message. Rather than investing yet more money into prisons, the government should instead invest in the futures of women on the fringes of the criminal justice system. Unlike prisons, which diminish responsibility and increase dependence, early intervention at the point of arrest is enabling vulnerable women to take responsibility for themselves and their children.
In their new joint strategy ‘Policing Vision 2025’ the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) and National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) signal their commitment to transforming the way the police service ‘delivers its mission with a keen focus on prevention and the effective management of risk’. By tackling the things that we know lead to a woman’s offending we create the opportunity to break that cycle, and turn their lives around. It is early days for Sarah but she has made significant progress. She has stayed clean, left a violent relationship and has not committed any offences for six months. Not all women get this second chance.
More information can be found on The Prison Reform Trust website.
News Archive
- December 2023 (3)
- November 2023 (5)
- October 2023 (4)
- September 2023 (5)
- August 2023 (4)
- July 2023 (3)
- June 2023 (5)
- May 2023 (2)
- April 2023 (5)
- March 2023 (3)
- February 2023 (7)
- January 2023 (11)
- December 2022 (6)
- November 2022 (5)
- October 2022 (5)
- September 2022 (6)
- August 2022 (2)
- July 2022 (11)
- June 2022 (8)
- May 2022 (11)
- April 2022 (8)
- March 2022 (3)
- February 2022 (5)
- January 2022 (12)
- December 2021 (1)
- November 2021 (9)
- October 2021 (4)
- September 2021 (10)
- August 2021 (9)
- July 2021 (12)
- June 2021 (4)
- May 2021 (11)
- April 2021 (14)
- March 2021 (14)
- February 2021 (19)
- January 2021 (18)
- December 2020 (6)
- November 2020 (12)
- October 2020 (14)
- September 2020 (15)
- August 2020 (16)
- July 2020 (16)
- June 2020 (18)
- May 2020 (22)
- April 2020 (18)
- March 2020 (23)
- February 2020 (20)
- January 2020 (4)
- December 2019 (5)
- November 2019 (6)
- October 2019 (5)
- September 2019 (6)
- August 2019 (8)
- July 2019 (6)
- June 2019 (8)
- May 2019 (8)
- April 2019 (8)
- March 2019 (10)
- February 2019 (9)
- January 2019 (9)
- December 2018 (9)
- November 2018 (12)
- October 2018 (8)
- September 2018 (7)
- August 2018 (11)
- July 2018 (7)
- June 2018 (9)
- May 2018 (9)
- April 2018 (12)
- March 2018 (10)
- February 2018 (8)
- January 2018 (5)
- December 2017 (6)
- November 2017 (4)
- October 2017 (3)
- September 2017 (10)
- August 2017 (5)
- July 2017 (5)
- June 2017 (6)
- May 2017 (6)
- April 2017 (2)
- March 2017 (3)
- February 2017 (4)
- January 2017 (1)
- December 2016 (3)
- November 2016 (4)
- October 2016 (1)
- September 2016 (4)
- August 2016 (4)
- July 2016 (1)
- June 2016 (5)
- May 2016 (3)
- April 2016 (1)
- March 2016 (3)
- February 2016 (3)
- January 2016 (3)
- December 2015 (3)
- November 2015 (3)
- October 2015 (3)
- September 2015 (2)
- August 2015 (1)
- July 2015 (11)
- June 2015 (1)