Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 847 | 6 September 2024

Light lunch

In this issue...

CLINKS NEWS: How we're supporting the voluntary sector around SDS40

In August, we engaged the voluntary criminal justice sector in a number of roundtables exploring the impact of the SDS40 policy on the sector. Our latest blog outlines the outcomes of these discussions where we focussed on key areas such as women’s health and accommodation support, substance misuse, and support for families.

With the first major release date of 10 September fast approaching, we encourage you to read this blog and share your experiences to help Clinks continue to advocate on behalf of the sector. Read the blog here

NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARTS ALLIANCE NEWS: evidence call-out

This autumn, the NCJAA will be launching a campaign aimed at highlighting and promoting the incredible work and evidence base around the arts in criminal justice. To do this, we need your support and are asking the network to collaborate on an evidence-gathering mission. You can get involved by sending us any practice evaluations, research, or case studies of the work you/your organisation has been involved in. We are particularly interested in evidence that links to the following themes or resettlement pathways:

  • Employment
  • Education
  • Reducing reoffending
  • Maintaining family ties
  • Drug and alcohol treatment
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Youth justice
  • Women
  • Race and justice

If you are interested in sharing your work or have any questions about the campaign, please contact artsalliance@clinks.org

MEMBER FOCUS: Willowdene Rehabilitation 

For more than 30 years, Willowdene has been a pioneer of innovative rehabilitative solutions for men and women facing the complex issues that stem from a life filled with factors including offending behaviour, homelessness, poor mental health, substance misuse, and general disconnection from community and society at large.

Through their innovative rehabilitative pathway, targeted training, wrap-around support and social enterprise activities, Willowdene provide men and women an opportunity to take control of their future and build a life filled with purpose, intent and confidence. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER'S TRAINING: Society Matters CIC

Society Matters CIC are offering a number of CPD accredited courses in October. Click the links below to find out more.

Get to Grips with Disability Living Allowance for Children - [2 October, online, £69+VAT]

Get to Grips with Universal Credit (An Introduction) - [8 October, online, £89+VAT]

Prisoners and Welfare Benefits - [17 October, online, £89+VAT]

Understanding Immigration and Benefits (Advanced) - [29 October, online, £89+VAT]

Understanding Stress and Mental Health - [31 October, online, £89+VAT]

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: sentencing guidelines – consultation

The Sentencing Council's consultation on miscellaneous amendments to sentencing guidelines is now open.

The Council is seeking views on a series of proposed changes to existing guidelines. The proposed changes, which apply to both the magistrates’ courts and Crown Court, are designed to bring greater clarity and consistency and reflect developments in legislation and case law. 

They would like to hear from anyone who uses sentencing guidelines in their work or who has an interest in sentencing. The Council would also like to hear from individuals and organisations representing anyone who could be affected by the proposals, eg. victims and their families; defendants and their families; those under probation supervision or youth offending teams/supervision; those with protected characteristics. The consultation is open until [27 November 2024]. Find out more here 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Changes to licence supervision for Imprisonment for Public Protection 

Yesterday, (Thursday 5 September) the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice announced that the IPP reforms in the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 relating to the licence conditions of those serving IPP sentences in the community will begin from November this year.  

This change affects a large number of individuals serving IPP sentences in the community and will take place in two stages: 

  • From [1 November 2024], anyone who was released on IPP licence for the first time five or more years ago and has spent at least the last two years of that period continuously in the community without being recalled will have their IPP licence terminated without the need for a review by the Parole Board. If they are recalled between now and 1 November then, when re-released, the two-year period will be reset, and they will have to spend another two continuous years without recall in the community for the IPP licence to be terminated. 
  • From [1 February 2025] the minimum period of time, following first release from custody, before people serving an IPP sentence will have their case referred to the Parole Board for consideration to have their licence terminated will be reduced from 10 years to three years (for people convicted when they were over 18) or two years (for people who were convicted when they were under 18). If the Parole Board decide not to terminate the licence when they review a case after two or three years from first release, it will still end automatically after a further two years continuously in the community on licence (i.e. if not recalled) from that point. 

Also, from [1 November 2024] the Secretary of State will have two new powers. The first power, when used, enables her to not reset the two-year period after someone is re-released from a recall. The second power allows her to re-release people who have been recalled at any point without referring the case to the Parole Board. This is called ‘Risk Assessed Recall Review’ (RARR). Details on how these powers may be used in some cases are not yet confirmed, but these will be for exceptional cases only. In most cases release will be considered by the Parole Board as normal. 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: HMIP Research & Analysis Bulletin

HM Inspectorate of Probation have published this bulletin which looks at the quality of pre-sentence information and advice provided to courts between 2022 and 2023. The focus in this bulletin is upon the extent to which the Probation Service have been able to provide courts with advice which is sufficiently analytical, personalised to the individual, and supports the court’s decision making. Read the bulletin here

NON-MEMBERS’ EVENT: Make Time Count showcase

Join Make Time Count as they showcase their service provider and multi-agency collaboration platform [10 September, online, free].

Do you struggle to engage with community partners to help solve community challenges? Would you like to know more about the volume of successful referrals? Are you interested in knowing who actually attended and what feedback was received from users? Discover how to save time and resources while enhancing partner engagement to improve interactions with offenders and victims. Make Time Count streamlines operations by replacing manual referral processes, eliminating Excel tracking, and improving feedback efficiency. Register here

NON-MEMBERS’ EVENTS: Taye Training 

Taye Training have over 380 completely free, CPD accredited specialist training places available – delivered by people with connected lived personal or professional experience: 

Trauma Informed Services Delivery - [20 September]

Safeguarding Awareness - [27 September]

Delivering Emotive Subjects online – Safe Spaces - [30 September]

Understanding Neurodiversity - [4 October]

Stalking and Harassment - [7 October]

Criminal Justice System - [14 October]

Train the Trainer - [various dates]

Locate your course and many more, view facilitators and objectives, and use code ‘LAUNCH2024’ or email enquiries@transformyourtraining.org

NON-MEMBERS’ EVENTS: O Brave New World

As part of the partnership between York St. John University Prison Partnership Project, HMP New Hall and KPPL Productions a series of free events and workshops will be held for the film screening of O Brave New World. This unique documentary film takes you directly into HMP New Hall and follows a durational weekly collaborative arts project, delivered by the partners, in response to the Donmar Warehouse’s 2016 all-female production of The Tempest led by Harriet Walter.

These events and workshops are intended for professionals working in or across the criminal justice, arts and academia sectors, or those interested in doing so.

Film screening and panel discussion - [11 September, online, free]

CPD workshop & film screening - [25 September, York St. John University, free]

Film screening and panel discussion - [7 October, online, free]

CPD Workshop & Film Screening - [14 October, London, free]

FUNDING: Provision of Community Accommodation Services Tier 3

The Ministry of Justice is looking to retender fourteen contracts for Community Accommodation Services Tier 3 (CAS3). These contracts will be across ten probation regions (Yorkshire and the Humber, North West, East of England, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, East Midlands, North East, South Central, South West, West Midlands, London (5 x contract lots - North Central, North East, North West, South West, South East).

Find out more about the retender and register for the online market engagement event ☛ here 

FUNDING: Probation Grant opportunities for Ethnic Minority groups in Yorkshire and Humber

His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service are excited to announce upcoming market engagement sessions for Probation Grant opportunities for Ethnic Minority groups in the Yorkshire and Humber (YaTH) region.

These sessions will take place on:

  • [24 September, 13:30 – 14:30, 5 Wellington Place, Leeds]
  • [26 September, 13:30 – 14:30, Fraternal House Probation Office, Bradford]
  • [27 September, 09:15 – 10:15am, via MS Teams] - You can access the Virtual Market Engagement Event here

The events will cover:

  • Purpose and Aims of the Grant Funding
  • Details on the Client Base
  • Timeline for the Grant Competition
  • Onboarding Process for Providers.

For more details and/or to register your interest, please contact probationsourcingteam@justice.gov.uk, confirming which event you are interested in attending, and names & email addresses of attendees at least 24 hours ahead of each event.

PUBLICATION: Growing old and dying inside

A new report by the Prison Reform Trust calls on the Ministry of Justice to publish a national strategy for the care and management of older people in prison as a matter of urgency. The report reveals some of the distinct challenges faced by older people in prison. These include the disconnect between activities aimed at reducing reoffending and preparing for a life after release, whilst simultaneously facing the prospect of their own death in prison; their desire to regain purpose and to support younger people in prison; and the importance of dignity when faced with growing health and social care needs. 

The report also highlights existing areas of good practice, which a future strategy should build on, with adaptations that could be replicated across the estate. Read the report here

PUBLICATION: recommendations to transform prison education

A new briefing, published by Prisoners’ Education Trust (PET), makes 10 recommendations to the new ministerial team at the Ministry of Justice to transform prison education. Getting prison education right: Priorities for the new government – examines the importance of prison education, explores why further reforms are needed and sets out how it can be changed for the better. Read the briefing here 

OPPORTUNITY: call-out for lived experienced voices in court proceedings

Revolving Doors are working with researchers from the Institute of Crime and Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck, University of London to explore people’s lived experience of the law and how these experiences have changed over time. They are interested in speaking with individuals that have been a defendant in the Criminal Court or party to proceedings in the Family Court (Public and/or Private) from 2021 onwards.

The research findings will directly feed into policy workshops to develop practical recommendations to support participation in and access to justice. Interview participants will be remunerated for their time with a £40 voucher, for a 1–2-hour interview. Revolving Doors will also reimburse organisations who are able to support them in identifying participants in the study. For more information, please contact lived-experience@bbk.ac.uk

FEATURED VACANCY: Internship Opportunity for Young Women 

Abianda has an internship opportunity available for young women aged 18-25 who are interested in developing their professional and office-based skills [£23,933 FTE, London, part time]. This role is ideal for someone who wants to work alongside other women for 12 months in an organisation that focuses specifically on making things better for girls and young women affected by criminal exploitation and violence. Abianda is a social enterprise that exists to ensure that these young women are no longer hidden in our communities and can live free from harm and abuse. This role is open to young women who have lived experience, this can be both direct and indirect, and who face barriers to employment opportunities. Find out more and apply by 16 September here

FEATURED VACANCY: Case Worker 

Change for Good is seeking a self-motivating and outgoing Case Worker [£27,500-29,000, London full, time] to join their team. The successful candidate will primarily work within HMP Brixton, providing essential support to men preparing for release, and continuing to assist them as they reintegrate into the community across London. This role is central to their mission to empower those leaving prison and resettling in London to transform their lives through mentoring, advocacy and peer support. You will have experience of working with people in contact with the criminal justice system, confidence in engaging one-to-one to communicate their offer, an understanding of the criminal justice system, and be able to work within a challenging environment with empathy. Find out more and apply by 20 September here

CLINKS MEMBERS’ VACANCIES:

Advice and Information Officer with Prison Reform Trust [£20,861 FTE, hybrid/London, part time]; Family Support Worker - Based at Visitors' Centre at HMP Chelmsford with Ormiston Families [£21,840 FTE, HMP Chelmsford, part time]; Operations Manager with The Growth Company [£55,000, Hull & Humber, full time]; Support Worker 24/69 with Imagine Independence [£22,372 , Merseyside, full time]; Housing Officer with Nacro [£24,962, Lancaster, full time]; Mentor Advocacy (FBD, NE) with The Wise Group [£25,664, North East, full time]

For more information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

READS OF THE WEEK:

EXTRA INFORMATION:

About Clinks Light Lunch

This edition of Light Lunch has been sent to the inbox of 13877 people working (or with an interest) in the criminal justice system of England and Wales.
If you would like to include something in a future edition of Light Lunch, use our submission form.
Get involved Become a Member | Follow Clinks on Twitter
Contact us www.clinks.org | info@clinks.org | 020 4502 6774
Click here to manage your subscriptions. For assistance, email info@clinks.org
Registered office: 82A James Carter Road, Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7DE 
Registered charity: 1074546 | Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales: 3562176
© Clinks, 2024

Clinks logo