Women’s Justice Board
The Women’s Justice Board has the clear goal of reducing the number of women in prison and addressing the distinct needs of women in the criminal justice system.
Role of the Board
The Women’s Justice Board’s (WJB) purpose is to reduce the number of women in prison and increase the number supported in the community.
It will provide the vision and direction on how to reform women’s justice to address the distinct needs of women in or at risk of contact with the criminal justice system (CJS).
Its initial focus will be on:
- work to intervene earlier, and divert women away from the criminal justice system where appropriate
- community solutions, such as residential alternatives to custody
- improving outcomes for young adult women, pregnant women, and mothers of young children across the CJS
It will also consider how to ensure that women who do need to be in custody are given the best chance possible to tackle the drivers of their offending and to contribute meaningfully to society.
The WJB will oversee the development of a strategy document in 2025.
Current membership
The members of the WJB are external experts selected by Ministers to set the vision for work to address the needs of women in the criminal justice system.
- Chair - Lord Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, Ministry of Justice
- Dame Vera Baird DBE KC
- Michaela Booth, National Lead for Patient and Family Engagement at Practice Plus Group
- Bernie Bowen-Thomson, Chief Executive of Safer Wales
- Anne Fox, Chief Executive, Clinks
- Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Safer and Stronger Communities
- Lady Edwina Grosvenor, founder/now trustee of One Small Thing charity
- Dr Tom McNeil, CEO JABBS Foundation
- Dr Shona Minson, Research Associate, Centre for Criminology, Oxford
- Pia Sinha, Director of Prison Reform Trust
- Katy Swaine Williams, freelance consultant, including for Centre for Women’s Justice
Meetings
Lord Timpson will chair the meeting and the MOJ will provide the Secretariat. The WJB will meet four times a year.
The Terms of Reference will be published shortly.
Partnership Delivery Group
The Women’s Justice Board will be supported by the Women’s Justice Partnership Delivery Group (PDG), which will be made up of senior officials from key government departments and external experts. The PDG will come together to deliver on actions agreed by the WJB.
The Ministry of Justice currently is seeking to appoint 7 specialist external stakeholder members to the PDG. The deadline for applications is 11:59pm on Tuesday 11 February.
Membership of the Partnership Delivery Group will include senior officials and representatives from other government departments and agencies, including but not limited to:
- Home Office
- Department for Health & Social Care
- Department for Work & Pensions
- Department for Education
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- Welsh Government
- His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service
- National Police Chiefs’ Council
Related links
- Female Offender Strategy Delivery Plan 2022 to 2025
- Women and the Criminal Justice System 2021
- Advisory Board on Female Offenders
- Importance of strengthening female offenders’ family and other relationships to prevent reoffending and reduce intergenerational crime
- Lord Chancellor’s opening remarks to the first meeting of the Women’s Justice Board