Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted
Paragraph: 40
Set out prioritisation of gender-specific diversionary routes and OOCD success measures for women.
Recommendation
We welcome the Government’s intention through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, to reform the Out of Court Disposals framework. We recommend that the Government set out how it will prioritise gender-specific diversionary routes as part of its plans to improve OOCDs. The Ministry of Justice should also set out how it will measure the success of the new OOCDs, and how it will specifically measure outcomes for women.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepted the recommendation, committing to develop and deliver briefing materials for regular engagement sessions with the judiciary and court staff to raise awareness of issues faced by women who offend and inform on sentencing implications, community options, and good practice.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
40
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
We accept this recommendation. We will review the use and effectiveness of Out of Court Disposals (OOCDs), including their effectiveness in responding to the particular needs of women and opportunities to attach women specific conditions such as referral to a women’s centre for support to address her needs. This work will take into account that day to day decisions on the use of OOCDs is ultimately an operational matter for the police. We continue to engage with police forces on what female support services are available locally and encourage this to become a standard service available to be attached as a condition to an OOCD where it is appropriate. We will request updates on the availability and use of such services from police forces and via the National Police Chiefs’ Council, as well as through the publication of scrutiny panel findings. MOJ has commissioned RAND Europe, Get the Data and Skills for Health and Justice, to undertake an 18-month study on how the police use OOCDs to support adults with health vulnerabilities. The study involves structured service mapping of local services available in 29 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales for attachment to an OOCD to support adults with health vulnerabilities, including any specialist services for particular cohorts such as female offenders. The final phase of the study will include looking into improving use of service provision for women specifically in conjunction with an OOCD in seven case study police forces, with learning shared nationally. It concludes in March 2023, with the delivery of the final report.
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