AYJ Monthly Newsletter: September 2021
AYJ
NEWS
Young Women’s Justice Project Briefing: “I wanted to be heard”
This month, the AYJ published a new report with Agenda, the alliance for women and girls at risk, which looks into experiences of violence, abuse, and exploitation of girls and young women in contact with the criminal justice system, which are too often overlooked. The briefing, I wanted to be heard, presents research which brings together interviews and focus groups with young women with lived experience of violence, abuse, exploitation and the criminal justice system, as well as the services supporting them. Find the full briefing here.
The briefing also reinforces the implications that the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill will have for girls and young women as reported by AYJ Director, Pippa Goodfellow, and Agenda CEO, Jemima Olchawski for iNews here, and as Stylist reported here.
Celebrating the Young Advocates at their first showcase!
The AYJ and Leaders Unlocked held a showcase to celebrate the end of the first year of the Young Advocates project. The Showcase was an opportunity for the Young Advocates to share findings from their peer research with over 120 children and young people across the country, which looked at key issues which can lead children and young people into contact with the youth justice system and within the system itself. Thank you to all those who attended the Showcase and to all those who have supported the Young Advocates Project this past year. You can watch the presentations of their findings on the priority areas of Stereotyping, Education and Warning Signs, and Jails, or read more here.
AYJ Engagement:
AYJ met with the Youth Justice Policy Unit at the Ministry of Justice where shared priorities and opportunities for working together moving forward were discussed.
AYJ met with Shadow Justice Minister Alex Cunningham MP to discuss findings from the Youth Justice System's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic literature review.
AYJ attended the Reducing Re-offending Third Sector (RR3) Advisory Group meeting, representing the youth justice portfolio, and heard from the Ministry of Justice regarding prison reform and the announced prisons white paper. It was confirmed that children and the youth estate would not be in the scope of the white paper. Pippa highlighted the need for consideration of young people turning 18 transitioning into the adult estate.
AYJ joined over 50 other organisations calling for an end to the two-tier care system, signing a letter opposing the fact that new legal protections, ensuring children in care are placed in homes where they receive day-to-day care, will only be applicable for children who are 15 or under. The #KeepCaringto18 campaign highlights this is discriminatory and places children aged 16 and 17 at tremendous risk.
AYJ
VIEWS
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
The PCSC Bill passed its second reading last month in the House of Lords (read here). During the debate a number of Peers raised concerns over the Serious Violence Duty as well as the extended use of video links in court. Baroness Sater made remarks on youth justice including concerns around video links and children, in which she referred to AYJ research. Baroness Massey of Darwen and the Bishop of Gloucester raised concerns about proposals impacting the number of children in custody, and the need to treat children as children.
The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) has published its report on the sentencing and remand of children as part of its legislative scrutiny of the Bill. The report makes clear that provisions that increase the length and likelihood of custody for children risk breaching their rights and must be removed or significantly amended. The AYJ submitted written evidence to the JCHR and AYJ Director, Pippa Goodfellow, also gave oral evidence, both of which are referred to in the report, alongside evidence from AYJ members.
The AYJ is continuing to engage with Peers between now and the Bill’s Committee Stage, due to begin Wednesday 20th October. This includes:
We updated our extensive written briefing on the Bill, available here. Topics covered include children in custody and custodial remand, racial and ethnic inequalities, turning 18, use of Live Links in court proceedings, childhood criminal records, the Serious Violence Duty, child criminal exploitation, community sentencing, and more.
We are hosting a briefing meeting for Peers on the Bill, on Thursday 14th October. Expert AYJ members will highlight the impacts of the Bill and the importance of ensuring custody is a last resort, tackling racial disparities, and taking a distinct approach to children in contact with the law.
AYJ Director, Pippa Goodfellow, spoke at a briefing event hosted by the Criminal Justice Alliance for Members of the House of Lords to examine the potential impact of the Bill on racial inequality in the criminal justice system. Pippa set out the serious and disproportionate implications that the Bill will have on Black and ethnic minority children. Read more here.
We responded to the JCHR report on proposals on the sentencing and remand of children. The AYJ warmly welcomes this important report and its recommendations. Our Director Pippa Goodfellow called for the government to ‘sit up and listen’ to the Committee, stating:
“The legislation as it stands will draw more children into the criminal justice system and lock more children up for longer, further entrenching the appalling racial inequalities that already exist throughout the system. As we emerge from the pandemic, these harmful, discriminatory and ineffective measures represent a deeply regressive move.”
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