Maria Eagle: Helping Vulnerable Women Offenders

Friday 25^th September 2009

MARIA EAGLE: HELPING VULNERABLE WOMEN OFFENDERS

Maria Eagle, Ministerial Champion for Women in the Criminal Justice System and Deputy Minister for Women and Equality, today launched Women in Focus, a roadshow of events which will look at how to best support vulnerable women offenders, who are not a danger to the public, within the community.

The series of events, the first of which was held in Birmingham today, will be attended by local front line professionals (healthcare workers, prison and probation officers, Crown Prosecution Service staff and charities) and will include interactive workshops on topics including housing issues faced by women offenders, and the impact of imprisonment on women and their families.

The events will focus on looking at the need to divert women, who are not serious or dangerous offenders, from custody and providing additional services in the community to make sure women offenders and women at risk of offending are getting the support they need.

Speaking at the event, Maria Eagle said:

“Women offend in different ways and for different reasons to men. Many of these women need help overcoming abuse, mental ill health, alcohol or drug problems and they have children dependent on them.

“Prison should of course be reserved for the most violent offenders but for non-violent offenders there are better options. By tackling the root cause of women’s offending behaviour we will be better able to rehabiltate them. This will mean the women can go on tomake a positive contribution to their communities, children will not be divided from their mothers and crime will be reduced.“

 “We have come a long way since Baroness Corston’s report two years ago, but there is still much to be done. We are investing £15.6m in developing cost-effective community sentences and other alternatives to custodial sentences, the Women in Focus events will build on the excellent work already being done. Government and experts from across the country will work together to find the rightanswers for non-violent women offenders that work locally and will command the confidence of sentencers and of communities.”

Gill Mortlock, the newly appointed Director of Offender Management for the West Midlandssaid:

“Prison and probation staff across the region, as well as our partner agencies, are committed to  protecting the public and reducing re-offending.  By rehabilitating vulnerable women and keeping them away from a life of crime, we are not just helping them but making communities safer for all of us."

The Government Equalities Office led Women in Focus events are a key plank of the Government’s plans to review and promote best practice. The roadshow’s aim is to reduce both the number of vulnerable women serving short sentences, and the significant number of women on remand, for the good of the women and society as a whole.

Women in Focus is part of the next stage in the government’s response to the Corston Review of Women with Particular Vulnerabilities in the Criminal Justice System. The events will consider how to utilise the Gender Equality Duty as recommended by Corston to radically transform the way services are delivered to women across the criminal justice system. A report on lessons learnt from the events will be published early next year.

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Please contact the Government Equalities Office press office on 0207 276 0932.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

• The aim of the Women in Focus events is to bring together key stakeholders at regional level to re-energise working practice and strategic thinking around meeting the needs of women offenders. The events will provide stakeholders with the opportunity to:

1. Improve their knowledge of: the needs of women offenders; the Gender Equality Duty as a lever to deliver services for women offenders; and how both of these relate to local targets and priorities.
2. Learn about best practice and identify how it can be translated into work to support delivery of priorities and targets locally as well as linking with the national agenda.
3. Network and learn about the work of other key local partners including community providers.

• Attending the event were the Director of Offender Management for the West Midlands, Gill Mortlock, senior personnel from NOMS, local authorities, and local health trusts across the West Midlands;. Staff from voluntary organisations that work with the criminal justice system in the region; Representatives from the local Police, Crown Prosecution Service; Sentencers and individuals working locally on policy concerned with women’s issues.
• Baroness Corston’s Review of Women with Particular Vulnerabilities in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) recommended that every agency within the criminal justice system must prioritise and accelerate preparations to implement the Gender Equality Duty and radically transform the way they deliver services for women.
• Further details on the Corston Review of Women with Particular Vulnerabilities in the Criminal Justice System can be found at: http://www.justice.gov.uk/
• The remaining events will take place over the coming months in Leeds, Liverpool, Cardiff, Leicester, Newcastle, Bristol, Cambridge, Brighton and London. Guest speakers from a variety of national, local and non-governmental organisations including the Fawcett Society, the Department of Health, Department for Communities and Local Government  the Ministry of Justice with be speaking at the events.
• The Government Equalities Office is responsible for the Government’s overall strategy, legislation and priorities on equality issues. It was established in July 2007. The Office also has direct responsibility for policy on gender equality, sexual orientation, and for integrating work on race.