Some 200 activists, practitioners, policy specialists and researchers joined an online discussion yesterday on women’s justice, which we hosted jointly with the National Women's Justice Coalition (NWJC).
The event discussed Breaking out of the Justice Loop, by Naomi Delap and Liz Hogarth, which we published last week in partnership with the NWJC. The event also discussed the broader challenge of creating a justice system that works for women.
Opening the discussion, Liz Hogarth set the scene, looking back over the chequered history of women’s justice reforms and learnings from the previous work that had informed the Breaking out of the Justice Loop report.
Her co-author, Naomi Delap gave an overview of the report and summarising its four key recommendations:
- The Women’s Justice Board independent from direct ministerial control.
- A presumption against imprisonment of women and a central role for probation.
- A “holistic, woman-centred and integrated approach”, with sustainable funding underpinning this work.
- A public health approach, emphasising prevention over punishment.
Our Head of Programmes, Helen Mills discussed some of barriers to effective reform – including a lack of resourcing, and sexism and misogyny – and what might be involved in overcoming these.
Wrapping up the discussion, Liz Hogarth emphasised the need for thought leadership from the women’s sector, and a serious exploration of the complex issues around the design of a justice system that works for women.
