1. “Hold your head up girl and you’ll go far”:
The fight for gender equality in Criminal
Justice Responses
Gail Wilson
Research & Policy Officer
Up-2-Us
16.03.16 Howard League Conference: ‘Women and the CJS’ panel session

2. “girls in trouble are not only perpetrators of criminal
behaviour, but frequently also have extensive
experience of physical, sexual and emotional
victimisation…The different gendered experiences
of young women render them in need of different
and innovative strategies” (Burman and Batchelor,
2004, p.10)

3. Setting the context
• There are common pathways that young women tread
to prison.
• We as practitioners, academics, managers must
understand the triggers for offending.
• Policy can be utilised to help break the generational
cycle taking these pathways – learning from what is
already in place.
• Intervention must prevent, divert and reduce numbers of
young women in the CJS.

4. Gendered risks & pathways
Looked after Secure
placement Adult mental
health services
Criminal/
Community Justice
System
• Family
breakdown
• Violence
• Trauma
• Abuse
• Exploitation
• Out of control
• Absconding
• Excluded
from school
• Male peers
• Disadvantage
• Low self-
esteem
Homelessness
Lack of belonging
Drug & alcohol
misuse
Suicide ideation/
attempts
Self-harm
Revolving door
Children’s
Hearing System

5. Criminalising risky behaviour
• 65% of young women known to Time for Change project who had been in
prison had been looked after (in care of local authority) and 40% had been
in secure accommodation (Up-2-Us, 2016).
• Young women in prison are more likely to have mental health problems
than women or young men (Scottish Government, 2011), 80% of women in
HMP & YOI Cornton Vale have a history of mental health problems
(Scottish Working Group on Women’s Offending cited in Prison Reform
Trust, 2014).
• Over 50% women (also relevant to yw) are under influence of drugs or
alcohol at time of offence. 27% committing crime to pay for drugs (Prison
Reform Trust, 2014).
• Indeed, majority of young women’s offences are crimes of dishonesty ie
shoplifting; minor crimes ie drug and public offences or compliance issues
ie breaches of bail, and orders. However, assaults are also very high in
number.
Is prison the most appropriate place for rehabilitation of young women,
those most marginalised and vulnerable?

6. “A combination of high-risk, high-need and
extreme (offending) behaviour, as well as
repeated encounters with normative
discourses about morality and sexuality,
characterise their situation” (Schliehe, 2013,
p2)

7. The importance of gender
How do we as a society and as a system think about and
subsequently deal with young women and girls who are highly
vulnerable and risky?
• Negative narrative
• Gender expectation
• Lack of theoretical knowledge in practice – importance of
attachment and relationships, being trauma informed

8. Breaking the cycle
• There is always a gender dynamic and practice should be
about getting it right for both.
• Re-think how the system deals with young women –
multiple court dates, mental health aspect, chaos and
breaches of orders, prison for non-violent crimes.
• Criminal justice vs welfare system.
• So, how can we ‘rehabilitate’ and target the problem
behaviours and thoughts in a welfare orientated way?

9. Getting it right for young women
• Holistic, transitional support from care, secure accommodation
and prison.
• Providing wraparound intensive support to young women
vulnerable and at risk, keeping them in welfare services until
they mature and want to change, have something to behave for.
• 24/7 trauma-informed crisis support and management.
• Day-to-day risk management.
• It’s about consistency, listening, respecting, practical help and
non-judgement...and giving them time to grow up.

10. What young women say
“Been working with them for years, I just get on with [worker], I can speak to
her, can phone her whenever I need her. She helps with all different things”
“I’ve not been back in prison, not been in trouble since I started working with
TfC. It’s a good relationship, they’re not telling you what to do, just helping”
“I like the oncall an all, that’s good. Cause if you’re sitting there pure like
greetin or wanting tae go mental you know you can always phone up and go
mental. But I never dae, I just phone up an greet”
“She has made me believe in myself and helped me to get more self-
confidence and more toughness”
“I was sick of drinking all the time and getting into trouble. Sick of friends not
respecting me or caring about me. Wanted to do better than I was doing”

11. Policy implications
• Expanding the reach of the Children’s Hearing System in
Scotland.
• Increasing the age remit of Whole Systems Approaches ie Early
and Effective Intervention for young people (women) at risk of
offending.
• Adequately resourcing new Children and Young People
(Scotland) Act 2014.
• Increasing use of Diversion from Court.
• Increasing use of Community Justice and effective community
alternatives.

12. References
Batchelor, S., & Burman, M. (2004). Working with girls and young women. In G. McIvor (ed.) Women
Who Offend. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Moodie, K. (2015). Secure care in Scotland, a scoping study: Developing the measurement
of outcomes and sharing good practice. Glasgow: Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice.
Prison Reform Trust & Soroptimist International (2014). Transforming lives: Reducing women’s
imprisonment.
Robinson, R. (2015). From vision to reality – transforming Scotland's care of women in custody.'
International symposium to consider the future direction of custody for women in Scotland.
Edinburgh: Scottish Prison Service.
Schliehe, A. (2013). ‘It rips my knittin’: Girls and young women in the Scottish Criminal Justice
System – Beyond total institutions? A summary for Up-2-Us. University of Glasgow.
Scottish Government (2011). Alternatives to secure care and custody: Guidance for local authorities,
community planning partnerships and service providers. Young people who offend
(Managing high risk and transitions). Retrieved from http://www.scotland.gov.uk.
Up-2-Us (2016 in edit). Up-2-Us report on a dedicated support service for extremely risky girls and
young women.