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New website for Taskforce “Beyond Prisons”
The “Beyond Prisons” Taskforce on Women and Community Corrections was established in December 2018 by experts from Parole Board of Canada, following ICPA’s 20th Annual General Meeting and Conference. The goal of the Taskforce is to develop a globally inclusive conceptual framework for women, with an aim to inform governments, policy makers, practitioners, partners and the public about how to improve the current system of use of sentences for women. Fully endorsing the underlying philosophy of the Bangkok rules, the goal is to move to a system that largely rests within the community.
“BEYOND PRISONS: WOMEN AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS” NEW WEBSITE AND NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2020
The guiding principles underpinning the project are that leading strategies for women should be gender responsive i.e. relational, strengths-based, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and holistic in nature.
Taskforce members are drawn from several regions of the world. The co-chairs are Jennifer Oades and Diane Williams (Jennifer Oades, Chairperson of the Parole Board of Canada, is also leading preparations for the 5th World Congress to be hosted in Ottawa in late September 2021 – more news to follow)! As the opening newsletter message from the co-chairs points out, given that the global population of incarcerated women has grown by almost 50% in the last 18 years compared to 20% for men, the need for alternatives is more pressing than ever.
Newsletter
This first newsletter spotlights a project working with justice-involved women in Ohio. “The Three T’s are the keys” refers to their approach being Trauma-informed, Treatment-orientated and Triaging (incorporating a multidimensional and interdisciplinary approach).
Kenya is the featured jurisdiction, where gender-sensitive non-custodial probation and community service work for women have been developed, the project including staff capacity building and revised report writing guidelines. The project was partnered by Penal Reform International, and an informative short film “Equal justice – making community sanctions work for women in Kenya”, can be accessed via the article’s references.
The Taskforce is pleased to share its new website and first newsletter! The Taskforce also invites proposals to be featured in the next newsletter or to join the conversation via the contact form provided on the website!
Visit the website and newsletter:
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