We need to up the pace of criminal justice reform if we are truly
to turn the tide of intergenerational criminality, the Deputy
Mayor of Greater Manchester will tell an international conference
in Manchester this week.
Bev Hughes will deliver a major speech at the ‘Keeping Children
Connected’ conference, organised by Partners of Prisoners and
Families Support Group (POPS) and Children of Prisoners Europe
(COPE), on Friday 8 June.
Speaking about the importance of putting the voices of children
of prisoners and their families at the heart of reform, the
Deputy Mayor is expected to challenge the Government to
accelerate prison reform and take action to ensure young
offenders are placed in institutions that are closer to their
community and provide a secure education.
“The number of young people serving a custodial sentence may have
reduced but the complexity of those in custody has increased and
they are serving their sentences further from home. We know that
for those young people serving a prison sentence in HMYOI
Wetherby many will not have visits from their family.
“Family ties and support are critical to rehabilitation and that
is why we are committed to bringing our young offenders closer to
home. There is a challenge here to Government. Although we may
agree with the principles of a secure school approach being
advocated by Government, reform is taking too long and our young
people are far away in institutions which struggle to provide a
basic regime and education, now. I am determined to challenge
this status quo.”
The Deputy Mayor will also call for action on behalf of all the
current children and future children who through no fault of
their own, end up stigmatised, traumatised and penalised when
adult family members are imprisoned. She will call for more
support to help people be better parents, and better support for
families to help offenders to rehabilitate and resettle once
released.
“Children of prisoners are so often overlooked,” the Deputy Mayor
will tell delegates from across Europe.
“We have approximately 5,000 Greater Manchester residents serving
a custodial sentence at any one time, many of whom will be
parents. This is too significant an issue to ignore.
“But for many young people whose parents are serving a custodial
sentence, and indeed those who are serving sentences themselves,
the state has a crucial role as a corporate parent and we need to
take that responsibility much more seriously than currently is
the norm for children of prisoners.
“It is also the case that many offenders are not equipped with
good parenting skills but how often is the ability to parent
included in the assessment and interventions with adult
offenders. And yet we know that children with a parent in prison
are three times more likely to be involved in offending and that
two thirds of boys with a convicted father will grow up to offend
themselves. The cycle needs to stop.”
Through devolution, Greater Manchester has been leading the way
in transforming criminal justice, trailblazing a whole-system
approach to reducing women offending and co-commissioning family
support services for offenders, their families and friends at HMP
Styal, HMP Wymott and HMP Risley – a UK first.
Greater Manchester has also designed a new approach to Out of
Court Disposals and a problem-solving court which aims to divert
young people from the criminal justice system. Ground-breaking
perpetrator programmes for sex offences and domestic abuse, which
consider the impact of significant trauma in childhood and how it
plays its part in intergenerational offending, are also being
tested across the city-region.
“Ultimately - early intervention and prevention is critical –
looking at the total system and grasping each opportunity to put
children and young people at the heart of reform,” the Deputy
Mayor will tell conference delegates.
