Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 319 | 8th November 2013

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In this week's edition....

NEED TO KNOW: key criminal justice resource

This week’s ‘need to know’ is the publication of the latest Bromley Briefings (Autumn 2013) by Prison Reform Trust. Everyone working in the Criminal Justice System should have one of these to hand; it’s a great tool for funding bids, presentations, project planning and general knowledge of the System. Download it here

CLINKS NEWS: how the arts can support desistance

'Re-Imagining Futures' is a new Arts Alliance report that highlights the positive impact of creative opportunities for individuals in the Criminal Justice System. The report, written by academics who visited a number of arts projects in prison and the community, paints a fascinating picture of the work that the arts are doing to support long sentence prisoners, women and those not engaged with mainstream learning. One participant said: "music helped me open my mind, become more positive". Find out more and download the report here

CLINKS BLOG: Justice Policy after the party

In this blog, Clinks’ Policy Manager Ellie Cumbo gives an update from Party Conferences and examines recent changes to the Criminal Justice policy landscape, focusing on the Lobbying Bill and its potential implications for the Sector. Read it here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: veterans mentoring in prison

Clinks Member About Turn CIC have delivered an accredited 'veteran specific' mentoring training course in HMP Northumberland. All thirteen veterans that started the course successfully completed it, and now act as 'peer led' support workers within the prison, helping to identify and ensure veterans in prison receive the correct advice, support and access to benefits (financial and otherwise) that they are entitled to. The veterans will be presented with their Mentor Certificates on Monday at the Prisons 'Veterans' Open Day. Read the full story here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: Membership Week

This year the Howard League for Penal Reform is holding its first ever Membership Week from 18th – 22nd November 2013. Caroline Petersen, Membership Officer, explains: “We want every member to know how much we appreciate their support and the difference it makes to our work. Please keep an eye on our website and get involved in Membership Week in any way you can. You will notice us blogging, tweeting and sending out special emails and appeals during the week. We are also holding our AGM and student conference and would be delighted to see you attend.” Find out more about membership here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: office space to let in London

The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies is looking to rent two out of three office spaces at Langley Lane. It’s 10 minutes from Euston and Kings Cross, and 3 minutes from Waterloo. Spaces are available from January 2014, and all include shared kitchen, toilets and discounted meeting space. £30 + vat per square foot. For more information, email info@crimeandjustice.org.uk

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: intermediate outcomes and reoffending

The Government last week published four rapid evidence assessment reports on intermediate outcomes and reoffending. Topics covered included arts projects, family and intimate relationship interventions, mentoring interventions, and peer relationship interventions. These timely documents examine how interventions in the above areas can have an impact on reoffending through achievement of intermediate outcomes. Find out more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: supporting care leavers

The Government has launched a new strategy to support young people leaving care. The strategy sets out in one place the steps the government is taking to support care leavers to live independently once they have left their placement. In total, the strategy contains 24 action points, including pledges that the Government will: publish a guide to the further education and skills system for care leavers and those that work with them; strengthen statutory guidance about local authority duties to support care leavers aged between 21 and 24 who wish to return to education or training; introduce a "marker" on forms and databases so members of staff at organisations such as the Jobcentre Plus can identify care leavers and give them the support they are entitled to; allow care leavers to make a claim to the new Universal Credit welfare system in advance of leaving care and provide them with personal budgeting support. Find out more here. [Source: NCVYS]

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: new Victims’ Code published

The new Victims' Code sets out what support and information victims of crime are entitled to from the moment they report a crime to post-trial support. For the first time the Code includes information about restorative justice, for victims of adult offenders as well as young offenders. The new Code also ensures extra support for victims of the most serious crimes, offers specialist help to young victims and gives victims the opportunity to tell the court how a crime has impacted on them by making a Victim Personal Statement. It is expected that the new Victims' Code will come into force in December 2013. Find out more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: prisoner incentive scheme shake-up

Significant reforms to the Incentive and Earned Privileges (IEP) policy across prisons in England and Wales were brought into force last Friday. Key changes include: banning all Certificate 18 DVDs and subscription channels from all prisons, TVs turned off when prisoners should be engaged in work or other productive activity, and automatic downgrading of priviledges for bad behaviour. Find out more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: reducing reoffending by young people

The Youth Justice Board (YJB) has embarked upon a three year project to reduce reoffending. Findings will enable the YJB, Youth Justice Partnerships and the secure estate to target resources where they can have the greatest impact. The Reducing Reoffending Project aims to analyse both national data, and local data through working with a number of youth offending teams, informing the YJB's understanding of the cohort and identifying effective measures to reduce reoffending. Find out more here

FUNDING: getting excluded communities online

The Big Lottery Fund will support between one and three significant and sustainable UK-wide projects that will achieve one or both of the following outcomes, primarily through working face-to-face with beneficiaries in their local community: Significantly increase the percentage of the population that have basic online skills; or support people from specific parts of the community, particularly those who are most in need and digitally excluded (for example, older people, unemployed people, disabled people), to improve their basic online skills. National organisations operating across at least one of the four UK countries are eligible to apply. The deadline for completed expression of interest forms is 24th January 2014. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: TR in Wales

Clinks Members WCVA and Cymorth Cymru will be holding an event [3rd December, Llandrindod Wells] to explore the potential Welsh third sector involvement in the Transforming Rehabilitation programme. This is just a ‘save the date’ notice, further information will follow.

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENTS: building social enterprise consortia

Clinks Member 3SC are hosting a series of regional morning roadshows for social enterprises interested in working in a consortium [12th Nov, Manchester | 13th Nov, Leeds | 20th Nov, Cambridge | 28th Nov, Newcastle]. Delegates will have the opportunity to find out about the development of the National Consortium of Social Enterprises, the National Offender Management Service context, hear about the current NOMS/ESF programme from a prime contractor perspective, learn about social impact measurement and, perhaps most importantly, meet like-minded partners. Find out more and book your place here

NON-MEMBER’S EVENTS & TRAINING

  • ‘Crime Data Jam' | 26th November, London | Details
  • 'Managing your reputation in the outsourced probation sector' | 15th November, 10am - 11am, free webinar | Details
  • 'Supporting people with convictions into work' | 17th December, Croydon, £75 | Email for info

PUBLICATION: analysis of PbR contracts

'Payment by Results contracts: a legal analysis of terms and process' is an NCVO report that provides a legal analysis of current and recent PbR contracts held by voluntary sector providers across public services. The report is based on an analysis of a sample of contracts entered into by charities to run public services, and interviews with those responsible for delivering against them. These contracts are considered confidential and are hard to obtain. As a result, this is the only research of its kind. All participants took part on the condition of anonymity. Find out more here

PUBLICATION: Prison Service Journal

September’s issue of the Prison Service Journal has been published and includes articles on supporting the children of prisoners; ethnographic research; and the benefits of sport for people in prison. Download it here

PUBLICATION: ICT and rehabilitation

‘Through the Gateway: How Computers Can Transform Rehabilitation’ is a new report from Prisoners’ Education Trust and Prison Reform Trust that explores the potential for improved Information Communication Technology use in prisons. The report finds that secure, controlled access to computers and the internet can transform education, family contact and resettlement in prisons and reduce reoffending on release. Download the press release here

RESOURCE: how can TR achieve desistance?

Mark Johnson, CEO of Clinks Member User Voice, was interviewed last week as part of Russell Webster’s Transforming Rehabilitation video interview series. Mark questions the commercial basis of TR and says that the focus on re-offending misses the main point about enabling behaviour change - further offences provide the best opportunity for getting people on the road to desistance. Watch the short (8 minutes) video here

OPPORTUNITY: PhD scholarship for distance learning in prisons

Applications are invited for a PhD studentship on ‘Exploring the impact of distance learning in prisons’. The 3-year studentship covers Home/EU tuition fees and a tax free maintenance grant of £15,350 per annum. Interested parties must hold a first degree and Masters in Psychology, Criminology or a related subject. Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Rosie Meek

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Vacancies posted by Members this week include: a Director (Maternity Leave) at Criminal Justice Alliance [London], an Arts Administrator with the Koestler Trust [London], an Assistant Programme Manager with User Voice [Merseyside], 3 x Housing Caseworkers [HMP Bullingdon & HMP Woodhill] and a Caseworker [Cardiff] with St Giles Trust, a Substance Misuse Recovery Worker and a Health & Wellbeing Coordinator at the Brighton Oasis Project [Brighton] and a Project Officer with IARS [London]. For further information about these vacancies and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: Get free entry to South Lakes Wildlife Park, Cumbria, for adults (usually £13.50) and children (usually £8) until Friday 14th February. Details
  • Tip of the week II: Stay three nights at a 4 star hotel on Venice's Lido island for £149 per person including flights from London Luton. Details
  • Tip of the week III: Serving and former members of the armed forces can print a voucher from Ember Inns for a totally free pint of cask ale on Sunday to mark Remembrance Sunday.

EXTRA INFORMATION

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