Funding boost for women's services - Pact response

In response to the Government's announcement about a new £32m investment to support women caught up in the criminal justice system, Andy Keen-Downs, CEO of Pact said: 

“This investment is a welcome step towards creating a justice system that understands women’s lives and responds to them with compassion, evidence, and common sense. Too many women are sent to prison for short sentences that achieve little except deepening the trauma, poverty and instability that led them into offending in the first place.

"We know that most women in the criminal justice system are themselves victims — of violence, coercion, addiction, and profound social disadvantage. If we are serious about reducing crime and protecting families, then we must address those root causes rather than relying on custody as a default response.

“We see first-hand how the right support — stable housing, treatment for addiction, mental health care, and help rebuilding family relationships — can transform a woman’s prospects. Community based, trauma informed services offer safety and dignity, and they work: they prevent reoffending, keep children out of care, and support women to build stable, hopeful futures.”