Justice Matters: April update

This is the latest update on Justice Matters, the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies' three year initiative promoting radical alternatives to criminal justice.

Get involved in the 'alternatives to prison' debate

The Centre, in collaboration with the University of Liverpool, held a very successful workshop on alternatives to prison in London on 21 April 2015. Attended by around 70 campaigners, researchers and activists, participants debated how we might make prisons obsolete and the available policy and practice solutions to harm that do not rely on punishment and exclusion. You can see videos of the three introductions to the day, and Prison Watch UK covered the event via a live blog and tweeting. You can also read our Project Assistant Abi Amey's reflections on the discussion.

Why not hold an alternatives to prison event where you are?  A staff member from the Centre would be happy to introduce the discussion. Email us if you are interested in being a host. In the second half of 2015, the Justice Matters project will be holding a national one day event to take the discussion forward. Watch this space.

One day event - Justice matters for women: Time for action. Full line-up of speakers now published. Book now to avoid disappointment!

Are you working with women to limit the damage caused by criminal justice? Want to fight for change but don't know where to start? Feel frustrated and helpless in the current climate?

Following our call to action, 'Empower women, resist injustice and transform lives', Women in Prison and the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies are hosting a one day event to build collective action for challenging criminal justice failure and building social justice alternatives. Join us on Wednesday 20 May for a positive and forward looking event to turn shared concerns into collective action. The event is already two thirds full, so if you want to come please book sooner rather than later.

I would build...

As part of Justice Matters, we have invited people to submit their ideas on what criminal justice policy or practice could be abolished and what might be built instead. Read the latest contribution from Professor Steve Tombs who argues that public policies beyond criminal justice offer effective ways of dealing with the harms of the corporation. If you have a proposal about what you would build in place of criminal justice then please email us.

Thanks to all of you who have donated to support recent Justice Matters events

Individual donations are helping us fund Justice Matters. If you are thinking about a larger grant, please contact us direct.

That’s all for this month. If you have been sent this bulletin by someone else and would like to subscribe to our Justice Matters mailing to keep up to date with the initiative, click here.

The Justice Matters Team