Reform how Women are treated in the Criminal Justice System

Published by Farah Damji on Sep 16, 2011

Target: Rt Hon. Ken Clarke, Justice Secretary

Region: United Kingdom

Background (Preamble):

Jonathan Aitken (ex-Cabinet Minister, Ex-MP, Ex-Prisoner) chaired an event this week in London, hosted by the Women’s Resource Centre and Garden Court Chambers that featured short contributions from the principal speakers including Imran Khan, Mark Johnson and Eoin McLennan Murray. This opened up to a Question and Answer session from the audience, featuring questions sent in from women serving prison sentences.

At the end of the evening a motion was put to vote by a show of hands.

“We ask the Government to give higher priority to and address the specific resettlement, rehabilitation and re-offending issues which women face within the Criminal Justice System.”

This motion was passed unanimously and we now call upon the Justice Secretary to act upon this motion as a matter of urgency and whilst the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill (LASPO) is being debated in Parliament.

On October 11th 2011, this Bill is back before the House of Commons and a group of cross party MPs who are strong advocates of women’s rights will propose this as an amendment to LASPO

Follow the link to read more and sign the petition: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/women-in-the-criminal-justice-system.html