Progress with female offenders
1 May 06
Scottish initiative for female offenders extended to England
A unique facility that has succeeded in changing the offending behaviour of some of the most difficult female offenders in Scotland is to be adopted in England.
The 218 – or Time Out – Centre was established in 2003 in Glasgow with Scottish Executive funding, to provide both residential and community based support for those whose chaotic lifestyles would otherwise inevitably result in prison terms. An evaluation of its performance shows that it has achieved major reductions in offending, drug use and self-harm among its members, helped them find stable accommodation and improved their life skills.
The project is now being looked at by the Home Office, which is to pilot of similar centres in England.
Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry said: “Most women offenders are mothers, are unemployed, have had problems at school, are on state benefits and in debt, have suffered some form of abuse, and have serious problems with alcohol and drug misuse. Their offences for the most part are relatively minor and they pose very little risk to their communities. And it is generally accepted that imprisoning a woman can have a disastrous effect on her family as well as herself.”
“It is against that background that the 218 (Time Out) Centre was established to provide a more effective community based service to deal with women in the criminal justice system - to tackle their offending behaviour and stop them from reoffending by dealing with the root causes of their offending."
A Journal feature on the 218 project can be read at http://www.journalonline.co.uk/article/1001230.aspx .