Women’s Justice Board report

The MOJ and Welsh Government should establish a two- to three-year Women's Justice Reform Programme, led jointly by a dedicated team of MOJ and Welsh Government officials, working closely with the MOJ Female Offender policy team, HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) Women's Group and external stakeholders, to provide oversight for delivery of all the actions proposed in this report and to lead three projects over the next year: a. Driving gender-informed implementation of the ISR and IRCC. b. Intensive support for developing local whole system approaches. c. Transforming the funding of women's specialist services and unlocking other sources of support for women.

An anti-racist, intersectional approach should be adopted for all this work, to address disparities faced by Black, Asian, minoritised and migrant women, and those with other protected characteristics.

Introduce incentives, accountability mechanisms and support to ensure all police forces have gender-specific, trauma-informed diversion pathways for women, including a strong focus on reducing arrests and increasing deferred prosecution.

Improve scrutiny of, and expand referrals into, the NHS female L&D pathway to ensure consistent, effective practice everywhere.

Strengthen decision-making by police and prosecutors about victims of VAWG who are accused of offending and provide effective defences.

Address disproportionate criminalisation of women for non-payment of fines resulting from TV licence evasion, Council Tax or truancy.

Reduce remand and recall for all women through legislation and focused work under the Women's Justice Reform Programme.

Support effective expansion of women's ISCs.

Improve resettlement prospects by removing barriers to employment.

Conduct a rapid study into the circumstances and needs of longer sentenced women currently in prison, to support individual sentence progression and draw out learning to reduce future imprisonment where appropriate for women accused of more serious offences.

Legislate to end imprisonment of pregnant women in all but the most exceptional cases; embed and strengthen improvements in care of pregnant women where imprisonment cannot be avoided; develop and promote residential alternatives to custody for pregnant women for use as bail accommodation or as part of a community sentence.

Promote non-custodial sentencing of mothers of children under 18 through directions and awareness raising with sentencers.

Improve outcomes for pregnant women and mothers in contact with the CJS.

Develop and publish a Young Women's Strategy in the next year aimed at preventing young women's entry into the CJS and imprisonment, particularly for care experienced young women and victims of VAWG (including modern slavery, human trafficking and criminal or sexual exploitation), aligning strategically with youth justice reforms and including a strong focus on reducing remand and increasing access to 1:1 support, mentoring and suitable housing.

Provide specific health and wellbeing support for young women in contact with the CJS, including those in prison.