This document highlights some of the main challenges facing the  criminal justice system and provides practical innovative solutions that prospective Police and Crime Commissioners could include in their manifestos for the 2020 elections. 

This evidence and practice briefing outlines the research on labelling theory, sets out a practitioner’s advice for minimising labelling, and gives a young person’s insight into being labelled.

In Perth and Kincross, there has been a different approach to youth justice as exemplified by the Resilient, Engaged, Achieving, Confident, Healthy (REACH) team. As an edge of care multidisciplinary team, REACH provides intensive support to families with young people experiencing multiple complex needs. In most cases, there is a high chance of the young person – usually between the age of 12 and 18 years – becoming accommodated away from home or in care.

We spoke with Lindsay Ryan, Justice Team Leader, about the SDS project which is expanding after a successful pilot in 2018.

Albinia Stanley, Family Justice Practice Officer at the Centre, writes about the Department for Education's announcement releasing new innovation funding for the expansion of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court model.

We previously spoke with Tammy Banks, CEO of re:shape, a programme that worked with those at risk of causing sexual harm. Despite this project no longer being operational due to funding, we hope that this work can continue to inspire future innovative practice.

A holistic approach to preventing sexual harm

We spoke with Geraldine O’Hare, Director of Probation for Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI), about this innovative practice taking place within Northern Ireland. After a successful pilot of the ECO in the Ards and Armagh & South Down Court Divisions in October 2015, it has now been expanded to the North West and more of Northern Ireland.

Problem solving in Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Department of Justice (DoJ) has implemented a programme of problem solving initiatives as part of an overall approach taken by the DoJ which aims to reduce reoffending rates by tackling the underlying problems that lead to re-offending. One of these initiatives is the Substance Misuse Court (SMC) which has been running at Belfast Magistrates Court since April 2018, with Judge Fiona Bagnall presiding.

Jane Griffiths tells us about the Break4Change programme that helps parents/carers and children involved in Child-to-Parent Abuse.

Child-to-Parent Abuse gets little statutory attention and as a result, is under-reported, under-researched and unknown to many practitioners. Break4Change aims to address these issues.

We spoke with Colin Paine, Thames Valley Police Detective Chief Superintendent, about the new CSE framework developed with Dr Hannah Maslen, deputy director of the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics. The framework is a new and innovative guide with which the police can decide whether it is ethically appropriate to investigate cases of non-recent child sexual abuse.