Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Accepted
Paragraph: 93
High number of low-risk women unnecessarily placed on custodial remand.
Conclusion
We are concerned by the high number of women placed on remand despite the often low risk that they pose to the public and the fact that many will not go on to receive a custodial sentence. The Ministry of Justice has acknowledged this is a problem, but more action needs to be taken to ensure that low-risk women receive the support The role of adult custodial remand in the criminal justice system 45 they need to await trial in the community rather than remanding them to custody, particularly if it is unlikely that they will receive a custodial sentence following trial. We would welcome an update on the progress on the Female Offender Strategy with regard to ensuring that custodial remand is not used as a default alternative where community provision is not available. We would also welcome an update on the commitment to provide specialist accommodation, finance and debt support for all women on remand or sentenced to custody, due to have commenced in summer 2022.
Government Response Summary
The government detailed existing support for accommodation and homelessness and committed to extending Community Resettlement Service contracts for accommodation and Women’s Services to include unsentenced people in prison, noting that two regional contract extensions have already commenced.
Paragraph Reference:
93
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
We partially accept this recommendation. HMPPS has a range of interventions available to support those on remand when they are released to ensure that they are not homeless. In accordance with housing legislation in England and Wales, the Prison and Probation Services have a duty to refer anyone at risk of becoming homeless on release from prison to a local authority for housing assistance. Those who have been on remand, subsequently convicted and released as time served, are eligible for Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS-3) temporary housing providing that they are subject to probation supervision. Additionally, HMPPS has introduced Strategic Housing Specialists across all prison groups, including one in each female prison, to support prisons and probation in helping tackle homelessness. Strategic Housing Specialists are responsible for improving and strengthening partnership working with key partners – including resettlement teams, local authorities and housing providers – to improve housing processes and better coordinate support for prisoners and those on remand to reduce the number of individuals released into homelessness. Under the new resettlement approach, all resettlement prisons, including local prisons, have an embedded resettlement provision overseen by the Probation Service or alternative arrangements in place as agreed between prison and probation. These pre-release teams identify and address immediate resettlement needs and provide pre-release support for all people in prison, including the unsentenced. Using the Basic Custody Screening Tool they are able to signpost to specialist services within the prison – such as healthcare – and provide pre-release services where they are currently unavailable from Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS) suppliers, including accommodation (e.g. closing down and maintaining tenancies) and finance, benefit and debt, (e.g. signposting and providing low complexity support). As well as preparing people for release, CRS accommodation support includes completing accommodation applications and applications for housing benefit/related benefits; support and guidance to ensure continuation of an existing tenancy and compliance with any tenancy obligations to avoid or manage accommodation arrears; assistance to access rent deposit and rent advance schemes; and advocacy and liaison with accommodation providers to maintain accommodation. We are currently working on extending all CRS contracts for accommodation (men) and Women’s Services to unsentenced people in prison. Changes to two regional accommodation (men) contract extensions have been signed and services have commenced in North East (HMP Durham) and South Central (HMP Bullingdon and HMP Winchester) for people on remand. We will update the Committee on future roll-out plans in due course.