Clinks responses
By providing a collective response to decision makers, Clinks strengthens the voice of the Sector, and ensures its voice includes a wide range of organisations – in particular those that might not have the capacity to write their own response.
Clinks produces written responses to proposals from policy makers and legislatures on issues which affect the Voluntary and Community Sector and its service users. The responses represent the Voluntary and Community Sector’s views and concerns collected through consultations.
Read our responses to:
Clinks response to NOMS Commissioning Intentions (March 2012)
Clinks
welcomes the opportunity to respond to NOMS' 'live' Commissioning Intentions
Discussion Document 2012-13. Clinks' response focuses on commissioners' engagement
with the VCS, areas which have considerable potential for VCS involvement
(particularly Integrated Offender Management and Restorative Justice), the
challenges of evidence-based commissioning, commissioning services for specific
groups within the criminal justice system (CJS), and expanding the use of
volunteers in the CJS.
Submission to the Labour Party Justice Policy Working Group (January 2012)
In this paper we respond to over 30 questions set out in the Labour Party's criminal justice working group. We draw on our work with the voluntary sector over the last 12 months to provide insight and recommendations on topics including measuring effectiveness, the role of the voluntary sector, sharing good practice, and achieving effective rehabilitation.
Clinks'
written evidence on the new landscape of policing (written
March '11, release for publication October '11)
In April
2011, Clinks submitted written evidence to the Home Affairs Committee inquiry
into the new landscape of policing. The Committee has now published its full
report, The New Landscape of Policing together with
the oral and written evidence that it considered. Clinks’ submission stresses the key role to be played by the new Police
and Crime Commissioners in ensuring that local VCS partners are engaged at both
a strategic and operational level. The paper calls for the
clarification of the new local commissioning structures, and makes a number of
recommendations to ensure that there is sufficient VCS representation on the
new Police and Crime Panels. It is hoped that the implementation of
good partnership practice between the police and the VCS will allow the latter
to act as an equal and independent partner in both the commissioning and
delivery of local services.
MoJ strategy for the secure estate
for Children and Young People in England and Wales (October
2011)
Clinks and NCVYS welcome the direction of travel set out in the Consultation on
the Secure Estate. In particular we support the principle of a distinct,
specialist secure estate for children and young people and the focus on
improving rehabilitation. Yet any strategy for the secure estate should be seen
within the wider objectives of the Ministry of Justice to reduce the use of
custody for young people. There is a clear need to develop effective
alternatives for those young people for whom custody is not necessary.
'MoJ's response to the 'Breaking
the Cycle' consultation and the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of
Offenders Bill' (August 2011)
On June 21st 2011 the Government published its response to the consultation on
the Green Paper, ‘Breaking the Cycle’, alongside the Legal Aid, Sentencing and
Punishment of Offenders Bill. Clinks very much welcomes the proposals in the
Bill that bring greater flexibility to community sentences and restrict the use
of remand. However, the Government’s response to the Breaking the Cycle
consultation appears to mark a disappointing retreat from some of the more
radical proposals outlined in the Green Paper earlier this year, which our
extensive consultation with members enthusiastically endorsed. We have
therefore submitted the attached paper to the MoJ, which sets out in greater
detail our reaction to both documents.
'Breaking
the Cycle' Green Paper (March 2011)
Clinks have published our response to the ‘Breaking the Cycle’ Green Paper. We
very much support the ambition to reduce the prison population by reserving
custodial sentencing to those offenders that present a risk of harm to the
public. There is quite clearly a significant role for the VCS in supporting the
Government to achieve this aim and to effect a significant reduction in
reoffending. Clinks’ response addresses most, but not all, of the
questions identified in the Green Paper. It is structured around key
themes of particular relevance to the VCS working in the CJS, informed by the
issues prioritised by workshop participants at our various consultation events
across the country.
Modern Commissioning (January 2011)
Clinks has responded to the Cabinet Office Green Paper on Modern Commissioning, highlighting barriers and opportunities to VCS involvement and making recommendations to engage with the Sector.
Submission on Payment by Results (October
2010)
Clinks has coordinated a consultation with our members and other Voluntary and
Community Sector (VCS) organisations on the implications of payment by results
for the Criminal Justice System (CJS). In this paper, we bring together these
perspectives to contribute to the preparation of the rehabilitation Green
Paper.
Submission to the Government's
review of Sentencing (September
2010)
Clinks welcomes the opportunity to respond to the request for comments that
could contribute to a White Paper to be published in the Autumn. The suggestions
are structured around the key stages in the criminal justice process and
particularly identify the potential for the enhanced role of the VCS.
Submission to the Government's
proposed 'Rehabilitation Revolution' (September
2010)
Clinks welcomes this opportunity to contribute to developing proposals for the
Coalition government’s Rehabilitation Revolution ahead of a White Paper in the
Autumn. We identify some key issues for the voluntary sector in terms of
capacity and voice, argue for the greater involvement of ex-offenders in
delivering the rehabilitation revolution, and point out some of the challenges
in relation to the emerging regime of payment by results.
Submission to the governments'
Comprehensive Spending Review (September
2010)
Clinks is pleased to contribute to the Spending Review. We welcome and
endorse the government’s commitment to assess ‘how’ public money is spent
rather than ‘how much’ is spent on public services, especially in the Criminal
Justice System. As the organisation that supports VCS organisations that work
with offenders and their families, we are encouraged that the future focus will
be on radical and innovative ways to deliver services more effectively. The VCS
has a track record in pioneering approaches to tackle difficult social problems
in new ways.
Cabinet Office Call for Evidence
regarding Personalisation in Reducing Re-offending [September
2009]
The sector is defined by its innovative, flexiClble and user-focussed approach
to service delivery; often achieving longer lasting outcomes for offenders. If
the sector is to continue offering real choice to offenders, there must be a
greater degree of inter-agency co-operation between organisations in the
sector, driven by an increase in organisational capacity and skills.
Clinks Response to London Reducing
Reoffending Action Plan [March
2009]
We also endorse the strong statements supporting the role of the third sector
in delivering services to offenders and contributing to reducing re-offending.
In our response we will address specifically the questions identified in the
document and then add some additional comments relating to two specific issues.
Clinks' Response to the Titan
Prisons Consultation [August
2008]
The joint Clinks & Action for Prisoners Families response to the Ministry
of Justice's Titan Prisons Consultation shows over 70% of our members thought
Titans would present problems with their service delivery; almost 80% believed
the size of Titan prisons would be an obstacle; 95% believed that Titans would
not enhance the quality of family contact for prisoners; and 100% of
respondents felt that the resources for Titan prisons should be re-directed to
community-based provision for offenders.
Clinks' Response to the NOMS Draft
Action Plan [April 2008]
The NOMS Voluntary Sector Team recruited Clinks to undertake a number of
consultation events to facilitate responses to the draft plan. The overall
response to the draft Action Plan is informed by the aggregated responses from
the workshops. We will now be looking forward to the final published version of
the Action Plan with identified milestones and key actions for government
departments.
Effective Sentencing - Clinks'
Response to the Home Affairs Select Committee Inquiry [March
2007)]
The intention to use custodial sentencing for serious and violent offenders and
to promote the use of community sentences for non-violent offenders is welcome.
Clinks believes that there is very little merit in short prison sentences for
non-violent offenders. This document details Clinks' response to the Home
Affairs Select Committee Inquiry into 'Effective Sentencing' and how we believe
this can be achieved.
Clinks' Response to Offender
Management Bill [November 2006]
Clinks' circulation to members, expressing our stance on the Offender Management
Bill, due for its Third Reading in the House of Commons in February 2007.
Response to 'Restructuring
Probation to Reduce Re-offending' [December 2005]
Response to Home Office proposals that clearly have significant implications
for both the Voluntary and Community Sector that currently delivers services to
offenders and organisations who might be interested in doing so in the future.
Response to the National Action
Plan for Reducing Re-Offending [September 2005]
Clinks commends the production of the National Action Plan and the commitment
it gives across a range of government departments to tackle the issues
impacting on reducing re-offending.
Response to draft NOMS Strategy on
the role of the VCS [April 2005]
This response generally welcomes the acknowledgement of the significant and
central contribution which the sector has already made to the work of the
correctional agencies.
Response to the NOMS Community
& Civil Renewal Strategy [September 2004]
Clinks particularly welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Communities and
Civil Renewal Strategy as it promotes and encourages the contribution that a
local, community-based approach can make to reducing re-offending.
