Agenda item

(To receive a report from Zoe Walters, Business Manager (Interim) Safer Lincolnshire Partnership, which provides the Committee with an overview of the actions undertaken by the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership to support women and girls at risk of entering the criminal justice system)

SITTING AS THE CRIME AND DISORDER SCRUTNY COMMITTEE

(Note: Cllr K E Lee left the meeting at 11:53)

Consideration was given to a report from Zoe Walters, Business Manager (Interim) Safer Lincolnshire Partnership, which provided the Committee with an overview of the actions undertaken by the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership to support women and girls at risk from entering the criminal justice system.

Appendix A to the report provided details of the Women’s and Girls Strategic Delivery Group for the Committee to consider.

The Committee were advised of the background to the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership; the Lincolnshire Women’s Strategy; the Women and Girls Strategic Delivery Group; the Delivery Plan; Funding and Sustainability; and the key deliverables to be achieved within the next 12 months.

During consideration of this item, the following comments were noted:

·       The success of the conference held entitled ‘Support that changes women’s lives’ held on 23 May 2023;

·       The vital need for trauma training.  The Committee noted that this was currently being scoped to see what was needed.  There was recognition that everybody should be trauma informed at all points of contact.  The Committee noted that the training would recognise all different elements such as housing accommodation, previous experiences, childhood trauma, and domestic abuse.  It was noted that the training could be made via the Enable Platform that was also used by wider partnerships.  The scoping would also consider the ability for Councilors and others to utilise the training;

·       The importance that the first point of contact was a positive contact;

·       The voices of women and girls and the experiences they had encountered.  The committee noted that the University of Lincoln had mapped the journey of females from pre-criminal justice through to contact with the criminal justice and that the experiences received as shown on page 94 of the report seemed to mirror a national picture, in terms of accessing the support they needed.  It was highlighted that women and girls only got the support that met their needs once they were in the criminal justice system, and that there was therefore a need to change this approach;

·       The possibility of providing mobile support for women and young girls.  The Committee noted that the training would not just be Lincoln centric and would be provided in a variety of locations owned by Lincolnshire agencies, including the council i.e. children’s centres;

·       Any insight into what was causing peak age offending (15 year old girls).  The Committee was advised that this was an area currently being looked at, and that the strategic delivery group would be working to make sure that the local judiciary was involved in this work stream, including mechanisms to ensure they were fully aware of the implications when they imposed a short sentence, or when someone was remained in custody.  It was also highlighted that an evidence base was being generated for Lincolnshire around the pathways for 15-year-old girls, and that there would also be links with the Joint Diversionary Panel run by the Youth Offending Service; and the Serious Violence Core Priority Group; and

·       A request was made for the Crime and Disorder Committee part of the meeting to be considered earlier on the agenda.

RESOLVED

1.     That the report on the work of the Safe Lincolnshire Partnership’s Lincolnshire Women’s Strategy: Preventing Women and Girls at Risk of Entering the Criminal Justice System presented be received and that the Committee’s satisfaction on the activities undertaken to date to demonstrate the efforts of the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership to produce a strategy in support of women and girls that experience adverse situations and exhibit complex need be recorded.

2.     That the comments made in relation to the report be received and be taken into consideration by relevant officers and Portfolio holders.