First Report - Women in Prison

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.

The government committed over £10m to a Residential Women’s Centre in Wales over the next 3 years and is developing its operating model and planning a feasibility study to evaluate it, despite a planning rejection.

The government accepted the recommendation, stating that governors work with NHS commissioners and providers to ensure timely access to healthcare, and Local Prison Health Delivery Boards plan responses, describing existing arrangements rather than new steps to prevent using prison as a place of safety.

The government accepted the recommendation and outlined a new Resettlement Approach, including embedded pre-release teams in women's prisons to connect women with community support and services. It committed to pursuing legislation to allow earlier release where a release date falls on a Friday or before a bank holiday (Private Members' Bill Second Reading in December) and to developing a personalised resettlement passport covering education, skills, and work, with initial trials by the end of the year.

The government committed to embedding pre-release teams in all women's prisons to provide specific support services including finance and debt, and aims to commence additional specialist accommodation and debt support for women by autumn.

The government accepted the recommendation, detailing that the Community Accommodation Service considers women's needs with gender-specific provision, an additional 39 beds in Approved Premises, and a commitment to reserve 10% of bed spaces in each probation region for female offenders in the new contract.

The government accepted the recommendation, detailing that the community accommodation service uses private rented sector or short-term hotels, with 10% of provision in each region dedicated to single-gender usage for female prison leavers, and additional support through Women’s Commissioned Rehabilitation Service.

The government rejected the recommendation, stating a cross-department strategy is already being delivered through the Prison Strategy White Paper and Beating Crime Plan, which include ensuring no one is released homeless and specific support for women's accommodation needs.

The government accepted the recommendation, outlining that Probation Practitioners will build relationships regardless of prison location, pre-release teams will link with home area services, and new initiatives include early release legislation and a personalised resettlement passport for women by the end of the year.

The government accepts the recommendation, stating a new performance measure will be introduced in 2023 for pre-release assessments for those with short sentences. Short Sentence Functions will involve staff working directly with people on probation, including pre-release teams in women’s prisons, and success will be measured by monitoring compliance, reduced enforcement, and improved accommodation outcomes.

The government accepted the recommendation, outlining a new resettlement approach with embedded pre-release teams in women's prisons, enhanced collaboration between Probation Practitioners and other services, and new specialist support for accommodation, finance, and debt for women by autumn.

The government accepted the recommendation, committing to review the effectiveness of Out of Court Disposals (OOCDs) for women and detailing an 18-month study by RAND Europe, Get the Data and Skills for Health and Justice on police use of OOCDs for adults with health vulnerabilities, including women, due to conclude in March 2023.

The government accepted the recommendation, confirming existing funding for Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services, and committed to a review to identify good practice in L&D women's pathways, followed by a workshop in November and a report to the Non-custodial Partnership Advisory Group.

The government accepted the recommendation, stating that the Sentencing Council will consider whether evidence supports separate guidance for female offenders as part of its five-year strategy, and will explore this as part of a review of expanded explanations in guidelines commencing later in 2022.

The government launched a grants funding competition on 1 September for providers of women's residential services to apply for funding to pilot residential women's centres, with awards anticipated early 2023.