22 May 2012
National Citizens Service
Latest news on NCS
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Voluntary Sector North West
St. Thomas Centre
Manchester
M12 6FZ
Tel: 0161 276 9300
Fax: 0161 276 9301
Email: info@vsnw.org.uk
New National BME Criminal Justice System Network launched
3 January 2012
Following a number of consultation events, which included a joint event with 1NW in Manchester, BTEG and CLINKS have set up a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Criminal Justice System Network.
The purpose and activities of the new network have been shaped by the consultation events. The network's first newsletter (Issue 1 below) outlines the activities and purpose of the network.
To find out more please contact Mark Blake, who is the Project Development Officer for the BAME CJS Network 020 7832 5807 mark@bteg.co.uk.
ISSUE 1 - December 2011:
BTEG BAME CJS Network monthly newsletter
Introduction
Welcome to the first monthly newsletter of BTEG’s BAME CJS Network. The newsletter will update you on our activities at the Network and relevant news from across the CJS.
This project is funded by the Ministry of Justice and BTEG is working with Clinks the national membership organisation that supports the Voluntary and Community Sector working with offenders in England and Wales and by signing up as a member with Clinks you will be able to receive regular communications about developments in the CJS and funding opportunities. A web link to their website is below.
Consultation events
A big thank you to everyone who attended the series of consultation events we held in London, Peterborough, Birmingham and Manchester over October and November. The events were held to get the views of groups working on the ground on how to take the Network forward and to help inform our strategy in developing the Network. The clear response from the consultations was to welcome the development of the Network and that support for BAME groups and the Network could contribute to a greater focus on improving outcomes for BAME communities within the CJS. A full report from the consultations has been produced and was discussed at our first steering group meeting at the end of November.
We had a total attendance of 68 across the 4 events. Some of the themes that emerged were as follows:
- Improving outcomes for BAME communities makes for a better CJS- the CJS needs to make achieving better outcomes for BAME communities a priority and recognise the strong business case for doing so. Delivering better outcomes to all communities has to be the focus.
- Dialogue with communities is key- a sincere honest dialogue demonstrates concern and a desire to address problems. We avoid `elephant in the room’ syndrome with regards to race equality.
- Small is beautiful- small VCS organisations have a big contribution to make in improving the CJS particularly in relation to improving outcomes for BAME communities
- Private sector doubts- there is major scepticism that growing private sector provision can deliver for BAME communities
- BAME groups have a major contribution to make- but the position of the sector is weak. Few organisations have the capacity to deliver commissioned services and those that do are struggling and find their experience and approaches aren’t always valued. BAME groups as with many in the wider community/voluntary sector need to be better at recording impact.
- Nurturing- existing groups need to be nurtured, fledgling groups need to be supported and there is a case to support new user led initiatives to support and inform CJS learning
- Involve offenders & young people- there was a strong sense that ex-offenders were a key ingredient in developing effective interventions and that more young people needed to be involved
- National- the network need to be national in its focus
- Self sustaining- developing social enterprise models for BAME groups was seen as crucial
You can access a copy of the report at the link below
http://www.bteg.co.uk/index.php/Policy-and-Projects/BAME-CJS-Network/Consultation-event-report.html
http://www.bteg.co.uk/index.php/Policy-and-Projects/BAME-CJS-Network/Consultation-event-report.html
Survey
BTEG is carrying out a short survey of network members. I would be very grateful if you could spare ten minutes or so to complete it. The information will help us in our efforts in developing the Network. The link to the survey is below:
Reducing reoffending for BAME offenders event
BTEG in partnership with the Runnymede Trust will be holding a seminar on January 17 2012, between 3.00-4.00 at the House of Commons, on the subject of, `Reducing re-offending for BAME offenders’, the invite is below. We will have a write up of the event and an accompanying briefing paper in next month’s newsletter. If you have an examples of work that has had a demonstrable impact on reducing reoffending for BAME offenders please get in touch as I would like to include some examples in the briefing paper.
Black Training and Enterprise Group (BTEG) and the Runnymede Trust
Invitation: Parliamentary event on reducing reoffending for ethnic minority offenders
Houses of Parliament Grand Committee Room, 17 January 2012, 3-4pm
Houses of Parliament Grand Committee Room, 17 January 2012, 3-4pm
The Black Training and Enterprise Group (BTEG) and the Runnymede Trust are delighted to invite you to a parliamentary event on reducing reoffending for ethnic minority offenders, hosted by Richard Fuller MP.
We will be joined at the event by Crispin Blunt MP, the Minister for Prisons, who will be giving a short speech. This will be followed by a panel discussion featuring the following:
- Olga Heaven, Director of Female Prisoners Welfare Project Hibiscus
- Trevor Hercules, ex-offender, author and community activist
- Dr Coretta Phillips, London School of Economics and Political Science
- Wendy Sinclair, Director for HR New Business, Serco
We believe that now is an ideal time for holding this event. In October the Chief inspector of Prisons released a report on the Young Offenders Estate which highlighted nearly 40%of those serving custodial sentences were from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities and that although custodial sentences had fallen for all groups for BAME young people, the rate of the fall was smaller than that for the white population.
We hope this event can contribute to a wider discussion with the criminal justice system and those affected communities that can seek solutions and support the Government in achieving its objective of reducing reoffending rates for all communities.
Please RSVP to Mark Blake: Mark@bteg.co.uk, 0207 832 5807
Capacity is limited places and will be allocated on a first come first serve basis
Network News
We will have a regular section in the newsletter where members can forward any news that they would wish to share with other members. It could be about an event, news of some fundraising successes, or just to share general information about your project or developments in your local area. Please send any relevant information to me by 15 January 2012. Thanks.
mark@bteg.co.uk
mark@bteg.co.uk
Children and young people in custody
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons with the Youth Justice Board launched the above report in October which sets out how young people aged between 15-18, feel about their own experience of imprisonment in 2010/11. The overall picture is summed up by Nick Hardwicke the Chief inspector of Prisons as `young people’s experience of custody has deteriorated.’
One of the reports key findings is that the BAME population for young people held in custody has risen by 6% in a year up from 33% in 2009/10 to 39% in 2010/11. It also highlights that although the rate of custody has fallen overall, that for white young men the reduction was 33% over the previous 5 years it has only fallen by 16% for BAME young men.
The report gives no pointers as to what should be done in relation to these negative trends affecting BAME young people. With the recent reprieve for the YJB which was due to be closed but will now carry on in its role as the lead body responsible for youth justice provision the question needs to be posed what will there response to these disturbing trends be? There is quite clearly a big concern around these inequalities but also when positive trends such as a reduction in custody are recording that the rate of success is so disproportionately slower for BAME communities the danger is the disproportionality gap grows wider!
We will be pressing for a formal response from the YJB on how it intends to address the race equality challenges of its own review. We will keep you informed of progress and seek to involve network members where we can. The report can be downloaded at the link below
Stop Watch film
The young people led campaign Stop Watch, have produced a film of the views of young people on Police stop and search. It makes a useful contribution to the debate on Police community relations.
Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RRTSAG)
BTEG’s Director Jeremy Crook has recently been accepted as a new member of the above government advisory group which reports to the Prisons Minister Crispin Blunt MP. Clinks provide the secretariat for the group. BTEG is keen to involve our Network in the work of the RRTSAG. They hold a number of task and finish groups where they bring in external people to produce policy advisory papers for the Minister on specific themes. Further details can be found at Clinks website and we will report regularly on developments.
Local Demonstrator Project
As part of our first year programme we are delivering a local demonstrator project in Croydon. This involves a partnership with Croydon BME Forum and its members working in and around the CJS. The outputs will be a report mapping the key race quality challenges around the CJS in Croydon and BAME groups working on the ground in the area. We will also be holding an event with the local community safety partnership on how to ensure commissioning processes involve all communities and address all community needs. We will feedback on progress over the coming months.
Member Features
In addition to the news section we will also have a section that features a short piece from a network member this could be an item on your work or a piece from a service user, a case study, poetry from a service user whatever you would like to contribute. If you would be interested in writing a short piece for the newsletter please email me to discuss, Mark Blake mark@bteg.co.uk
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Contact Us
Voluntary Sector North WestSt. Thomas Centre
Ardwick Green North
Manchester
M12 6FZ
Tel: 0161 276 9300
Fax: 0161 276 9301
Email: info@vsnw.org.uk
