Recommendation 97

We heard about the best practices arising from the work of women’s centres. Women in Prison told us that “approaches based around prevention, early intervention and community-based support, are evidenced to be effective at reducing reoffending and support women in rebuilding their lives”, arguing that “research found Women’s Centres can cut reoffending to 5% against a national average of 23%”. 185 The Prison Reform Trust added that “women’s centres can play a vital role in reducing reoffending, providing safe, non-stigmatising settings for women to address issues surrounding their offending behaviour such as access to support with abusive relationships”. 186