PRT comment: Funding boost for services supporting vulnerable women in the justice system

Today the government announced a welcome £31.6m funding increase to women’s centres and services working to support vulnerable women in contact with the criminal justice system.

The Women’s Justice Board, of which PRT’s CEO Pia Sinha is a member, also published its independent report today, setting out how the government can reduce the number of women in custody.

Commenting on today’s important announcements, Pia said:

“I have worked in the criminal justice system for nearly 30 years. Some of the devastating injustices women faced then, they very sadly still face now.

“It was a privilege to be invited to become a member of the Women’s Justice Board (WJB) together with some of the most knowledgeable and experienced people in the sector. Our mission was to advise and influence government to finally enact the evidence, to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

“There are many traps that women and girls who fall into the criminal justice system face. Too often their needs are not recognised or understood early enough. Even when they are, there are not enough suitable alternatives to divert them away from custody.

“One of the key recommendations made by the WJB was to strengthen the pathway towards early intervention and invest in community alternatives to custody.

“But responsibility for these recommendations doesn’t solely sit within the Ministry of Justice. They require a whole system approach. It is only through collective will, ownership and accountability that we will see change on the ground.

“Housing authorities. Healthcare and mental health services. Substance misuse services. Voluntary sector organisations. Employment agencies. All these services need to work together with common purpose to achieve the ambitions of our plan.

“It is very encouraging that the government has taken our advice and invested in piloting more specialist intensive supervision courts for women. These courts seek to understand the root causes of a woman’s offending and then mandate agencies to provide the necessary wrap around package of support.

“Community and women centres around the country have worked tirelessly to mitigate some of the injustices women face. They provide bespoke, trauma-informed and holistic pre- and post-custody support for women trapped in the criminal justice system. However, for years routes to funding have been a challenge. Many have incurred losses and yet they persist.

“The announcement today of nearly £32 million of investment to tackle the root causes of women’s offending is a powerful and important signal that this government has listened and is willing to walk the walk.

“The Sentencing Act 2026 makes provisions for a presumption to suspend short sentences (which disproportionately impact women) and the increased use of suspended and deferred sentences.  Together with today’s announcement of additional investment in intensive supervision courts and community alternatives, these combined measures provide us with a vital opportunity to address the injustices that women and girls in the criminal justice system face.

“There is still a lot to do. Monitoring the impact of these changes and holding the government to account for delivery will be crucial in building trust.

“But the time to slope shoulders has passed. We need to make sure that every part of the justice system and beyond sees this as their collective concern and makes the unnecessary criminalisation of women a thing of the past.”