At Clinks, an important part of our work is the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group. The group is one of the key ways that we support our members to influence officials on prison and probation policy, by providing a forum for senior leaders from the voluntary sector to comment on the Ministry of Justice’s work. The following blog will explain how you can utilise the group to support your advocacy work.

In this guest blog, Andy Keen-Downs, CEO of Pact, highlights the crucial role that family and carers play in supporting people in prison who are suffering from poor mental or physical health. Involving them more proactively in prison healthcare would help to deliver safer prisons, reduce reoffending and save taxpayers’ money.

When we begin the journey of influencing in Parliament, we often think about working with MPs to bring about change. But it is important to remember that the authority to make law in the UK has three parts: the Monarch, the House of Commons, and the House of Lords. The following blog explores the meaningful role the House of Lords can play in your influencing strategy.

This blog outlines developments in the Dynamic Framework simplification process and Clinks' work alongside HMPPS & the MoJ.

Last month Clinks met with representatives from His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) for the first in person quarterly commissioning engagement forum; a space which was created about two years ago to provide regular discussion and feedback on commissioning rounds that will involve the voluntary sector working in criminal justice. An update on this collaborative work.

This blog outlines the key notes of importance within the response given to Clinks by Amy Rees clarifying budget allocations and the voluntary sector 2023/2024, and the subsequent conversation between Clinks and HMPPS on the deferred funding for voluntary organisations.

21 March 2023 is the international day for the elimination of racial discrimination, an opportunity to reflect on individual, and collective, progress in challenging discrimination in our organisations and across the criminal justice system. In this blog, Kaiya Caines, Clinks Race and Justice coordinator, reflects on the many accomplishments in challenging racial discrimination in the criminal justice system and sets out our approach for the the future.

This blog covers the Justice Committee's report on adult custodial remand and the evidence Clinks submitted to the Committee's inquiry into the topic.

This blog has been written by three leaders of small specialist arts organisations that work in prisons in England and Wales. It shares their perspectives on the commissioning of prison-based arts projects through the Dynamic Purchasing System.

Our CEO, Anne Fox introduces the Clinks Annual report 21-22, picking out her highlights and reflections on the year.