Lloyds Bank Foundation welcomes the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Women in the Penal System inquiry into the arrests of women in England and Wales

Lloyds Bank Foundation welcomes the recent announcement that a cross-party group of MPS and peers will launch an inquiry into the arrests of women in England and Wales. 

The inquiry by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Women in the Penal System (APPG) will be aimed at encouraging and enabling police forces to prevent women being drawn into the criminal justice system unnecessarily and aligns with work that Lloyds Bank Foundation is funding through the Howard League for Penal Reform.

Under its newly launched Criminal Justice National Programme, Lloyds Bank Foundation is supporting the Howard League for Penal Reform to work with police and other agencies to prevent women ending up in the penal system on a community penalty or in prison when it’s unnecessary.

The three-year programme aims to replicate the Howard League’s successful work over the past decade to reduce the number of child arrests and bring about a reduction in the arrests of women.

Caroline Howe, Policy & National Programmes Manager, commented on the importance of the work as part of the Lloyds Bank Foundation’s commitment to helping people in the criminal justice system, through core funding, development support and influencing change.

“The consequences of an arrest can be life-damaging, yet we know that too often women facing complex social issues are unnecessarily caught up in the criminal justice system when they, and society more broadly, would be better served by diverting those women to more appropriate services. Alongside our funding to small and local specialist charities supporting women in the criminal justice system, we’re pleased to be able to support this programme as part of our focus on influencing positive change in policy and practice.”

For more information, please contact Lloyds Bank Foundation Press & Communications Officer Imthiaz Rehman on 020 3988 3742 or irehman@lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk.