Good practice in service user involvement

The people and families who have direct experience of the criminal justice system are a vital source of intelligence about how services designed to support them can best be made to work.

This guide showcases six current examples of best practice in service user involvement from the voluntary sector working in criminal justice:

• Service user councils | User Voice
• Prisoner engagement project | Healthwatch Peterborough
• Liaison and diversion lived experience team | Revolving Doors Agency
• Prisons healthcare procurement | WY-FI and NHS England Health and Justice
• Changing the world together | Women's Community Matters
• Older prisoners forums | RECOOP

The case studies have been selected to represent as broad a range of different approaches, models, organisations and aspects of the criminal justice system as possible. Each case study identifies key project outcomes, elements considered to be essential requirements for setting up and sustaining the project, and some of the main challenges experienced along the way.

Our aim is that you will be able to learn from these examples and put this good practice into action in your own organisation or context.