Through our policy work, we aim to influence politicians and policy makers, and contribute to conversations that can shape culture change across the justice system. Please read below for our latest policy responses.
One Small Thing’s Response to The Sentencing Council’s Consultation on revisions to the Imposition of Community and Custodial Sentences Guideline, February 2024
We welcome the opportunity to respond to the Sentencing Council’s consultation on revisions to the imposition of community and custodial sentences guideline. We are encouraged by some of the revisions, particularly around pre-sentence reports, and the inclusion of a specific section relating to women. We are also pleased to see the Council emphasize that community sentences can fulfil all the purposes of sentencing, and highlighting that short custodial sentences are not as effective at reducing reoffending than community sentences. We see these revisions as a positive step in the right direction and hope this will lead to less women being unnecessarily imprisoned when they could be safely supported in the community.
One Small Thing’s response to the Sentencing Council consultation on miscellaneous amendments to sentencing guidelines, November 2023
In our response we focused on question 17 on including a new mitigating factor - ‘pregnancy, maternity and postnatal care’. One Small Thing strongly agrees with the proposal to include a specific mitigating factor and expanded explanation on pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care. However, we do not support the draft version of the expanded explanation provided in this consultation in its current form. It does not adequately describe the risks associated with sentencing a pregnant or postnatal woman to custody, nor draw on the data and evidence available from experts, as well as lived experience, to communicate the impact custody has on pregnant/postnatal women and their babies.
One Small Thing’s response to the Justice Committee Inquiry on the future of prison population and estate capacity, October 2023
Our mission is to redesign the justice system for women and their children. We are therefore pleased to have the opportunity to respond to the Justice Committee’s inquiry on the future of prison population and estate capacity, highlighting the implications a rising prison population, and plans to addressing this, will have for women in the justice system. We are deeply concerned about the impact current conditions within prison are having on women, which will likely worsen as population rises, unless decisive action is taken to reduce the use of custody and invest in community alternatives.
One Small Thing’s response to The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee Inquiry on Community Sentences, June 2023
Our mission is to redesign the justice system for women and their children. We believe a key element of how the system should work is that that whenever possible, women should be supported in the community rather than unnecessarily imprisoned. We are therefore delighted to have the opportunity to respond to The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee Inquiry on community sentences.
One Small Thing’s response to the Government’s consultation on community safety partnerships review and antisocial behaviour (ASB) powers, May 2023
In our response we have focused on the questions related to ASB powers as this is most relevant to our work supporting women and their children in the community and justice system. Overall, we do not agree that the proposed expansion of police and local authority powers around ASB is the answer.
Response to the Commission for Young Lives call for evidence, October 2022
We welcome the opportunity to respond to this call for evidence and to advocate for changes that can support young people affected by the criminal justice system. One Small Thing has a particular focus on reducing maternal imprisonment and therefore in this response we focus predominantly on how we can reduce the harms of parental imprisonment.
Response to the Home Affairs Committee inquiry into policing priorities, October 2022
We are responding to this call for evidence to highlight how the Police service can better respond to the needs of the women they work with, and what role they can play in diverting more women away from the justice system altogether. We believe a modern Police service responds in a trauma informed and gender responsive way, prioritising diversion and de-escalation.
Response to 'Swift, Certain, Tough, New Consequences for Drug Possession’ White Paper, October 2022
Whilst we welcome the acknowledgement in the White Paper that too many people committing minor drug possession offences are being drawn into the criminal justice system, we do not believe the proposals put forward in this paper will adequately address this issue. The suggested three tier model could lead to further criminalisation, with particular concern for the impact on women, young people and racially minoritised groups.
response to the government’s Mental Health and wellbeing plan, July 2022
We welcome the opportunity to respond to this call for evidence and to advocate for changes that can support the mental health and wellbeing of women who are involved in the justice system. It is vital that the Government’s new 10 year mental health and wellbeing plan is informed by the experiences of justice involved women, and takes action to specifically address the disproportionately poor mental health outcomes achieved for this group.
Response to Justice Select Committee’s inquiry into the role of adult custodial remand in the criminal justice system, April 2022
We welcomed the opportunity to respond to this inquiry and believe overall that the legislative framework for determining whether to remand an individual to custody is not currently fit for purpose, or being appropriately applied.
response to the Prison Strategy White Paper, February 2022
We welcome the commitment to embedding trauma-informed support and improving conditions in the current prison estate, however we do not believe the overall ambition of building more prisons is the right direction of travel. Prisons are presented as the only solution to tackle crime, and there is no mention of the balance needed with community-based approaches.
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