The Northern Ireland Executive published its first strategy for managing female offenders.
Source: Women's Offending Behaviour In Northern Ireland: A strategy to manage women offenders and those vulnerable to offending behaviour 2010-2013, Northern Ireland Executive
Links: Strategy | NIE press release | BBC report
Date: 2010-Oct
An article examined the applicability of need and risk assessments to female offenders. Recent research had suggested that 'gender-informed' measures were likely to be a more valid tool than existing methods when classifying offender need and risk. A serious evaluation of the issue was needed, with a focus on the criminogenic needs of women, the context of their lives, and their pathways into crime. While an entirely new method of assessment focused on women might be required, it seemed equally likely that a more simple 'reweighting' of existing methods might be sufficient – focused on both gender-mutual and female-specific needs.
Source: Laura Caulfield, 'Rethinking the assessment of female offenders', Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, Volume 49 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
An article said that although the outgoing Labour government had begun (towards the end of its third and last term) to deal more effectively with the social exclusion needs of women offenders through a range of community-based initiatives, its approach to diverting women towards such assistance and away from custody was, at best, 'half-hearted'. The result was that more women than ever were being remanded and sentenced to custody.
Source: Carol Hedderman, 'Government policy on women offenders: Labour's legacy and the coalition's challenge', Punishment and Society, Volume 12 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-Oct
A report said that 1 woman prisoner in 4 struggled with borderline personality disorder – yet their needs were going unnoticed within the justice system.
Source: Matt Fossey and Georgia Black, Under the Radar: Women with borderline personality disorder in prison, Centre for Mental Health
Links: Report | CMH press release | Community Care report
Date: 2010-Sep
A collection of essays reviewed existing research data, clinical assessment, and treatment techniques in relation to female sexual offenders.
Source: Theresa Gannon and Franca Cortoni (eds.), Female Sexual Offenders: Theory, assessment and treatment, Wiley
Links: Summary | Kent University press release
Date: 2010-Sep
A report evaluated the pilot of a conditional cautioning scheme that referred low-level, low-risk women offenders to 'Together Women' centres. The scheme was well received by both stakeholders and women offenders, as it provided an opportunity to address women offenders' underlying needs.
Source: Helen Easton, Marisa Silvestri, Karen Evans, Roger Matthews and Sandra Walklate, Conditional Cautions: Evaluation of the women specific condition pilot, Research Report 14/10, Ministry of Justice
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Jul
The prisons inspectorate said that although there had been some improvements in women's prisons, there remained concerns about the overall strategic approach and the inappropriateness of closed prisons for many women.
Source: Women in Prison: A short thematic review, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Jul
A report said that the best approach to support vulnerable women offenders and to prevent them from reoffending was for the criminal justice system and community services to take their needs, which were different to those of male offenders, into account.
Source: Women In Focus: Promoting Equality and Positive Practice – Government strategy to divert women away from crime, Government Equalities Office
Links: Report | GEO press release
Date: 2010-Mar
A report highlighted concerns about the lack of appropriate services available to women and girls involved in gangs, and the impact of serious violence on their sexual and mental health. It said that specialist services and policies were needed that targeted women and girls involved in gangs.
Source: Female Voice in Violence, Race on the Agenda
Links: ROTA press release | Brief | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Feb
A report said that the needs of minority-ethnic women were frequently rendered invisible in the criminal justice system as offenders, victims, and workers in the justice sector, as they faced double discrimination on the grounds of sex and race. They were over-represented within the female offender population, and under-represented as workers within the criminal justice system particularly at senior levels.
Source: Sharon Smee and Zohra Moosa, Realising Rights: Increasing ethnic minority women's access to justice, Fawcett Society
Links: Report | Fawcett Society press release
Date: 2010-Feb
A report provided a review of recent literature on women offenders' needs, and on the policies and practices adopted to address offending by women.
Source: Una Convery, Addressing Offending by Women: A Literature Review, Report 21, Northern Ireland Office
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Jan