Welcome to the July 2025 edition of the Clinks Policy Briefing. Please let us know if you have any thoughts on this newsletter or any of the things it has covered by contacting the Policy team.
This month:
- Our Policy Work, including our engagement with the Independent Sentencing Review, Evidence Library webinar with the NICJN, our response to Wales’s Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation Bill, and featured guest blogs for GRT History Month and Small Charity Week.
- Latest Justice News, including the decriminalisation of rough sleeping, the outcome of the 2025 Spending Review, Identified Offender Needs in custody and community, Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-Sentence Reports) Act, 10-year infrastructure strategy, Criminal Court Statistics and Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly, and applying the Child First framework in Youth Justice Services, amongst other news.
- Parliamentary News, including written questions to the Lord Chancellor, Home Office and Secretary of State for Education, debates in chambers, and updates on the Mental Health Bill, Crime and Policing Bill, Victims and Courts Bill, Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, Anonymity of Suspects Bill, and Imprisonment for Public Protection (Re-sentencing) Bill, amongst other news.
- Sector Insights, including, the Prison Reform Trust’s report on post-pandemic prison digitisation in England and Wales, guest blog posts on behalf of Russell Webster on young people who commit offences, a report on ending IPP sentences, and an evaluation of Problem-Solving Courts, amongst a range of other sector insights and publications.
Throughout June, we continued to engage with the Independent Sentencing Review’s final report. We held a session on the Independent Sentencing Review with David Gauke focused on women, and have partnered with Black Men 4 Change, FORWARD, Together Women and the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) to respond to the final report’s omission of race and racial disparities in the justice system.
Following the latest publication in our Evidence Library series with Russell Webster, we held a webinar with Neurodivergence in Criminal Justice Network (NICJN) Coordinators Dr. Tom Smith, Associate Professor in Law (UWE Bristol), and Dr. Nicole Renehan, ESRC Research Fellow (Durham University), where they discussed the latest evidence on working with neurodivergent individuals in the criminal justice system.
We submitted our response to Wales’s Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation Bill. Our Senior Engagement and Development Officer gave evidence to the Senedd’s Local Government and Housing Committee and presented our response.
We have also continued to engage with the Our Future Probation Service programme and the newly established Women’s CRS Stakeholder Advisory Forum.
In recognition of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) Month, we published guest blogs from Friends, Families and Travellers and The Traveller Movement. We also highlighted a series of resources provided by The Traveller Movement, which included: a study on policing by consent, and reports including Fair Sentencing for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller People, Available but Not Accessible and Overlooked and Overrepresented: 5 Years On.
As a part of Small Charity Week, we have platformed several Clinks members, inviting a number of them to author guest blogs in recognition of the role that small charities play in the voluntary sector, providing vital services tailored to the communities they support. Read the blogs here: INYBB, Unlock, Trailblazers, Fresh Start Future Enterprises, and The Reasons Why Foundation.
Building trust: the importance of positive relationships in young offender institutions
On Tuesday 10 June, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, head of HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP), published a report which highlights the failure of the Youth Custody Service to foster positive relationships between staff and children in young offender institutions (YOIs). HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) issued a response here.
Announcement on the decriminalisation of rough sleeping
On Tuesday 10 June, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced that in Spring of 2026, the Government will repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824 to ensure rough sleeping is no longer a criminal offence and will boost funding for homelessness services by an extra £233 million this financial year.
2025 Spending Review
On Wednesday 11 June the Chancellor reported the outcome of the 2025 Spending Review. It allocates £7 billion from 2024-25 to 2029-30 to build 14,000 new prison places and up to £700 million per year by 2028-29 to transform the probation system. £450 million per year by 2028-29 is dedicated to increasing Crown Court sitting days. The Spending Review was debated here.
Identified offender needs, custody and community, October 2024
On Thursday 12 June, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) released official statistics on identified needs of offenders in custody and the community by age, gender, sentence type, ethnicity, multiple needs, count of needs and need changes over time.
Tribunals statistics quarterly: January to March 2025
On Thursday 12 June, the MoJ released quarterly statistics on the type and volume of tribunals cases received, disposed of or outstanding, including statistics on the Gender Recognition Certificate applied for and granted by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) Gender Recognition Panel.
Youth custody data
On Friday 13 June, HMPPS and the Youth Custody Service (YCS) published its monthly statistics on the population of children and young people in custody within the secure estate for April 2025.
Supporting youth justice services to prevent offending: prevention framework
On Tuesday 17 June, the Welsh Government published its prevention framework on bringing together all the services which prevent youth offending into a single joined-up vision of prevention activity.
Power to detain dangerous standard determinate sentence prisoners: policy framework
On Wednesday 18 June, the MoJ updated its policy framework, with updated rules and guidance for HMPPS staff on the Power to Detain Dangerous Prisoners Serving a Standard Determinate Sentence.
Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-sentence Reports) Act 2025
On Thursday 19 June, the Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-sentence Reports) Act received Royal Assent. This Law prevents guidelines on pre-sentence reports which reference personal characteristics, such as race or ethnicity coming into effect, aiming to ensure everyone is treated equally by the courts.
UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy
On Thursday 19 June, HM Treasury and National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority announced they will be allocating at least £600 million each year to improve safety and security in prisons across England and Wales to reduce incidents, create environments more conducive to rehabilitation and offer enhanced court facilities to help reduce backlogs and improve access to justice.
The impact of overcrowding on assaults in adult public prisons
On Thursday 19 June, the MoJ published statistics on the impact overcrowding has on a prisoner’s likelihood of being involved in an assault over a 12-month period.
The Criminal Justice Act 2003 Order 2025
On Wednesday 25 June, draft legislation of The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Removal of Prisoners for Deportation) Order 2025 was published.
Victim Personal Statements Update
On Wednesday 25 June, the Victim Personal Statements guidance was updated with new guidance for victims on Victim Impact Statements and the Mental Health Tribunal.
Criminal Court Statistics and Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly
On Thursday 26 June, the MoJ published its Criminal Court Statistics and Criminal Court Statistics Quarterly for January to March 2025.
Applying the Child First framework in youth justice services
On Thursday 26 June, the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales published independent research by Crest Advisory that explores how the Child First framework is applied across Youth Justice Services in England and Wales.
Justice in Numbers Pocketbook June 2025
On Friday 27 June, the MoJ published its Justice in Numbers Pocketbook, providing a comprehensive overview of crime, court, and prison statistics in England and Wales as of June 2025.
Outcome of unduly lenient sentence referrals
On Thursday 3 July, the Attorney General’s Office released the most recent statistics on recent sentences they examined under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.
10 Year Health Plan for England: fit for the future
On Thursday 3 July, the Department of Health and Social Care published its 10-year plan for the NHS. We will be publishing a response to this plan in due course.
Diversity of the judiciary: 2025 statistics
On Friday 4 July, the MoJ published annual statistics on judicial diversity in England and Wales covering the current judiciary, judicial appointments and legal professions.
HMIP Annual Report 2024-25
On Tuesday 8 July, HMIP released their Annual Report, highlighting significant issues with the ingress of illegal drugs, violence, and poor living conditions in prisons, which are worsened by overcrowding and inadequate staff training.
Recent business
Parliamentary questions:
- The Lord Chancellor was asked about several key issues, including:
- The national older offender strategy, the effect of shorter sentences for violent offences and domestic abuse on reoffending, and the merits of mandating increased security measures in prisons. Additional topics included preventing antisocial behaviour and youth reoffending, funding for voluntary organisations working in sexual violence and supporting prison leavers, supporting the children of people in prison, employment and victim support schemes, community orders, speeding up sentencing for domestic abuse, and the Victims' Code.
- The Home Secretary was asked about anti-social behaviour.
- The Secretary of State for Education was asked about:
- Young Futures Hubs and their establishment plans, the criminal justice system’s formal duty to inform local safeguarding boards and schools when a child’s parent is sent to prison, the impact of this on a child’s education, guidance for schools on supporting children with incarcerated parents, and information sharing.
Debates:
- Wednesday 25 June, a Criminal Justice debate in the House of Commons focused on the MoJ's budget, addressing issues like prison overcrowding, court backlogs, and the need for better rehabilitation and probation services.
- Monday 30 June, the draft Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Suitability for Fixed Term Recall) Order 2025 was debated in the House of Commons, and in the House of Lords on Tuesday 1 July and Wednesday 2 July.
Bill updates
Mental Health Bill
- Tuesday 10 June, First and Second Sitting in the Committee Stage.
- Thursday 12 June, Third and Fourth Sitting in the Committee Stage.
- Tuesday 17 June, Fifth and Sixth Sitting in the Committee Stage.
- Thursday 19 June, Seventh and Eighth Sitting in the Committee Stage.
- Tuesday 24 June, Ninth Sitting in the Committee Stage.
Crime and Policing Bill
- Tuesday 17 June, the First Sitting in the Report Stage.
- Wednesday 18 June, Second Sitting in the Report Stage.
Victims and Courts Bill
- Tuesday 17 June, First and Second Sitting in the Committee Stage.
- Thursday 19 June, Third and Fourth Sitting in the Committee Stage.
- Tuesday 24 June, Fifth Sitting in the Committee Stage.
Imprisonment for Public Protection (Re-sentencing) Bill
- Friday 4 July, First Sitting in the Committee Stage.
Upcoming business
Parliament is due to begin its Summer Recess and will return in September.
Prisons
The Prison Reform Trust published a report on post-pandemic prison digitisation in England and Wales which highlights significant progress in integrating digital technology within prisons, as well as extant challenges. They recommend continued investment in digital infrastructure, digitising resettlement services, and expanding in-cell devices to more prisons to ensure equitable access and support for prisoners.
The Independent Monitoring Board published its 2024 National Annual Report, which reveals that places of detention, including prisons, young offender institutions (YOIs), and immigration detention facilities, continue to grapple with deep-rooted issues.
Youth justice
Miranda Bevan, on behalf of Russell Webster, published a blog post on children in police custody. The blog post discusses the traumatic experiences of children in police custody, highlighting that many detentions are counter-productive and often involve distressing strip searches. Russell Webster also featured a guest blog by Clare Birtwistle of Manchester Metropolitan University on over-representation of looked after children in the criminal justice system and proposes solutions like implementing a Buddy system and expunging childhood criminal records to support their rehabilitation.
Transform Justice posted a blog on the importance of treating children differently from adults in the criminal justice system, highlighting how children’s criminal records can unfairly impact their futures and advocating for reforms to expunge these records, especially for those who were victims of abuse or made impulsive decisions.
Spurgeons posted a blog focused on stopping the stigma for children whose parents go to prison. It highlights the challenges faced by children of prisoners, emphasising the emotional and social impact of having a parent in prison.
Probation
The Royal Society for Public Health published an article on developing standards and quality indicators to support health improvement in people on probation, highlighting the need for better data, collaborative efforts, and systematic approaches to address their complex health needs.
Switchback published a guest blog for Russell Webster discussing the growing problem of prison recall, emphasising the need for urgent reforms, including better support for individuals leaving prison and clearer decision-making structures for probation officers.
Sentencing
The Howard League published a report produced by an expert working group led by a former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, which presents considered proposals aimed at protecting the public while ending the detention of people on Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences and surrounding scandals.
Women
Alexandria Bradley and Sarah Waite, from Leeds Beckett University, published a report which evaluates the Problem-Solving Courts (PSCs) for women in Greater Manchester. It focuses on the experiences of women involved and the perspectives of probation staff and Magistrates, aiming to understand the relational approach, challenges, and improvements needed to better support women in the criminal justice system.
Criminal justice system
The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies held an event to discuss the influence of past decisions on current criminal justice policies, the impact of today's decisions on future generations, and how future expectations shape present-day crime and justice. Notable speakers included Michael Fiddler, Travis Linnemann, and Theo Kindynis, who co-authored the award-winning article "Ghost Criminology."
Victims
Transform Justice released a report which highlights that out of court resolutions can effectively meet victims' needs for quick, supportive, and just outcomes, but their success depends on proper implementation and communication by the police.
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This month's edition was written by...
Clinks Specialist Policy and Communications Officer, Elizaveta Strelnikova
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