19 June 2008
Justice Minister Maria Eagle is visiting Cardiff today (Thursday 19 June) to meet with Julie Morgan, MP for Cardiff North, to discuss the provisions available to rehabilitate women offenders in the area.
The Minister also visited the Women's Turnaround Project that works with women offenders and women vulnerable to offending. The project is a positive example of joined-up working and has involvement from the public, private and third sectors.
On her visit Maria Eagle said,
'This visit today will allow me to further establish key links to take forward the government's commitment to ensuring measures are in place to do everything possible for women who come into contact with the criminal justice system. I am particularly concerned about those with vulnerabilities such as mental health problems, drug addiction or histories of abuse.
'Vulnerable women in Cardiff who are not a danger to society may benefit from different interventions. Where women are imprisoned we are committed to ensuring they are held in conditions that are appropriate to ensure their rehabilitation.
'The Women's Turnaround Project clearly demonstrates the value of multi-agency, multi-sector work with women offenders.'
Baroness Jean Corston published an independent Review of Women in the Criminal Justice System with Particular Vulnerabilities in March 2007. The purpose of the Review was to look at the measures in place to ensure we were doing everything possible for women with particular vulnerabilities who come into contact with the criminal justice system.
As part of the government's response to the Corston Report, the Ministry of Justice has produced a National Service Framework for Women Offenders which clearly lays out the government's strategy for addressing the needs of women offenders, and represents a significant step forward in efforts to deliver Baroness Corston's recommendations a reality.
Notes to editors
For more information on the Justice Minister's visit please contact Ministry of Justice press office on 0207 210 8668.