Jeremy Wright MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Ministry of Justice
102 Petty France
London SW1H 9AJ

Date: 28^th February 2013

Dear Jeremy,

I am writing to urge the government to reconsider its position on Part 7 of Schedule 15 of the Crime and Courts Bill. I was dismayed to see this amendment removed from the Bill, despite cross-party support. A number of constituents have written to me in favour of the amendment, arguing that it is vital to vote specific women’s provisions into the bill. I would like to convey their support and ask that you reinstate the amendment.

The Prison Reform Trust has argued strongly for the amendment to be included. They have highlighted a series of reports, such as Baroness Corston’s of 2007, that demonstrate how community solutions that directly address the causes of women offending are more effective than prison at reducing crime and the subsequent costs to society. As reoffending rates for women are currently at 51 per cent within a year of leaving prison, surely it makes sense for more to be done to provide probationary services?

At present, women’s probation services are not protected by legislation. This means that the patchy service provided at present may well become even less common throughout the country, especially in the context of public spending cuts. The aforementioned amendment would ensure that services are consistently available across the country, building confidence in community sentencing, and reducing the number of women imprisoned unnecessarily. This in turn could go some way towards helping to reduce reoffending rates.

The amendment would also address the problems that can arise when women are separated from their children when they go to prison – I am sure you are aware that this separation affects 18,000 children annually.

As organisations in my own constituency have highlighted, community provision can also help women rebuild their lives, and it benefits the wider community. By providing caseworkers and services that address unemployment and improve literacy the Inspire Project in Brighton is one example of workable community programmes. An amendment to the Crime and Courts Bill could cement this approach in law.

I understand that the Government is currently consulting on the proposed reform of probation services, hence the decision to remove the amendment. However, as Lord Woolf has argued, ‘there is nothing in the proposed provision which can harm the Government's good intentions’. The Crime and Courts Bill provides an opportunity to protect women’s probation services through law. I hope the Government will reconsider and reinstate Part 7 of Schedule 15 of the Crime and Courts Bill.  

Yours sincerely,

Caroline Lucas MP, Brighton Pavilion

Read the ministerial response here.