Overcoming stigma

Influencing the political and public debate on crime

In this episode, we hear from Anouschka Rajah, Research and Analysis Manager at More in Common and joint author of the 2025 Course Correction report on public attitudes to criminal justice. More in Common was founded in the aftermath of the tragic murder of Jo Cox MP in 2016 and carries out public opinion research to inform politicians, policy makers and the media on how communities across the country view major issues facing society, including crime and justice.    Anouschka talks about the backlash politicians fear from the public by pushing ahead with reforms to the current justice system - they fear losing voters who will criticise changes they're announcing for being too soft on crime. She explains how being seen to be supporting anything other than the current status quo, or what is seen as public opinion, has the potential to create an electoral “nightmare”. She reminds politicians that “Twitter is not Britain” and that research shows the public are in fact a lot more nuanced than they get credit for.   Edwina and Anouschka agree the public have lost faith in the current system and talk about how most people don't want money to be spent on just building more prisons.  They discuss the complexity of public opinions on crime and punishment, noting that the media often focuses on extreme cases with the debate appearing to be polarised. However, Anouschka confirms that focus groups show people actually want a case-by-case approach to sentencing - recognising the need for rehabilitative measures whilst also considering public safety. Women, especially mothers with families, are more likely to receive support for community sentences. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Harnessing momentum: 20 years since the Corston report was commissioned and what’s really changed?

In this episode, we hear from Dame Vera Baird about how to harness momentum following the publication of the Women’s Justice Board report in March. Dame Vera explains why she is optimistic for the future of women’s justice and calls for a co-ordinated approach involving multiple government departments and the commitment of key ministers to take reforms forward.   In this discussion, Edwina and Vera talk about the urgent need to address the root causes of women's involvement in the justice system, such as domestic and sexual abuse. Vera describes how a future Women's Justice Board should be set up in a similar way to the Youth Justice Board - one which is permanently in place and has its own statutory responsibilities for shaping the approach of the criminal justice system to women - in exactly the same way that the YJB has successfully done.   Dame Vera reflects on her extensive career working in criminal justice with roles including Victims’ Commissioner, Solicitor General and Police & Crime Commissioner for Northumbria. She discusses her early career as a barrister, where she rarely represented women, and her transition to handling domestic abuse cases, particularly those involving women who fought back against abusive partners.   Moving forward, they discuss the importance of working with the Judicial College and Government so magistrates’ courts become a court of record and that magistrates are trained on the new sentencing powers under the Sentencing Act, so that decisions can be properly reviewed and magistrates are held to account.   LinkedIn accounts to tag are: @verabaird ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Finding common ground in justice reform

In this episode, Edwina speaks to Jacob Dunne about his journey from prison to becoming a leading voice in criminal justice reform. They talk about his phenomenal memoir Right From Wrong, which was turned into the Olivier award winning play Punch (www.punchtheplay.com [http://www.punchtheplay.com/]) by James Graham (@misterjamesgraham).   Jacob discusses the challenges of being labelled as an ex-offender and the importance of not judging people based on their past. He describes how he wanted Punch to be the most socially impactful play of all time and it would be a “dream come true” if he could persuade the Department for Education to make it part of the curriculum. Jacob explains that the profits from the play are going towards an adapted schools version that will tour hundreds of schools in 2027.    Jacob also reflects on joining Common Ground Justice Project as a co-founder last year, to help create the space for a more constructive public conversation on justice—one rooted in common sense, common decency, and common ground - rather than ideology. Together Edwina and Jacob explore the importance of listening to different perspectives to achieve a more balanced debate, one that values both the voices of victims and those with experience of the criminal justice system. www.commongroundjustice.uk [http://www.commongroundjustice.uk/] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Community approaches to housing and the local narrative

In this episode, we hear from Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester responsible for safer and stronger communities. In this discussion, Edwina and Kate explore how Greater Manchester is reshaping its response to domestic abuse and housing. Kate outlines an innovative housing scheme that protects survivors’ priority on social housing lists when they move across Greater Manchester, and new orders that enables survivors to stay in the family home while perpetrators are housed elsewhere.   Edwina and Kate discuss gender‑based violence, youth offending, the distinct challenges faced by women in the criminal justice system, and the system‑wide reforms required to address them. Kate discusses the inclusive 10‑year gender-based violence strategy, early intervention with children and young people, Housing First for women leaving prison, and a whole system diversion approach that tackles the root causes of women’s involvement in the justice system through housing, substance use support, employment support and peer mentoring.   Kate also reflects on the profound impact of maternal imprisonment on children, the success of family drug and alcohol courts, and how the mayoral model in Greater Manchester enables police, housing, probation and other services to work together to create safer, more supportive communities, offering a blueprint that could be replicated across the country. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Overcoming stigma

In this episode, we explore the stigma associated with being a woman in prison with Jules Rowan, the co-host of the Life After Prison podcast. In this discussion Edwina and Jules discuss the barriers women face when they leave prison and the systematic change needed on fundamental issues such as housing for women in contact with the justice system. Jules’ describes her journey from serving a prison sentence to becoming a personal trainer and talks about how the justice system is a scary and lonely place to be at the age of 19 with minimal legal help or understanding of the system. They discuss how important it is to empower women to be able to tell their own story - in order to shift the stigma and re-define their journey - which in so many cases includes childhood trauma, abuse, substance use, lack of support and poverty.   @julesrowan @afterprisonpod @zakarriyahkhalil7 @prisonradiouk   Linked in Jules Rowan Prison Radio Association ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.