North Tyneside women to benefit from new courts aimed at cutting reoffending

The new model of Intensive Supervision Courts will make low-level offenders directly confront issues such as trauma and addiction, tackling the root causes of crime while keeping prison for those who pose a risk to the public.

First launched in 2023, the scheme has now been rolled out to three women’s courts in Northumbria, West Yorkshire, and Merseyside.

The goal is to reduce – and eventually entirely stop – reoffending, giving these women a fair chance at turning their lives around and keeping communities safe.

The courts work by judges playing a more a central role in rehabilitation through monitoring an individual’s progress and can tighter supervision where needed.

Measures include tagging and engaging with drug and alcohol treatment or trauma-informed services to hold women accountable for their offences whilst addressing the underlying cause.

The Lord Chancellor and Prime Minister recently committed to reduce the number of women in custody – particularly mothers of young children - as part of wider reforms to ensure our justice system is fit for purpose today.

Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, Catherine McKinnell, said: “I’ve seen too many cases where horrendous domestic abuse and subsequent addiction has led women to a life of crime which can feel impossible to escape alone.

“Most of these women want to contribute to the community, and they deserve support breaking the relentless cycle they’re in. This is precisely what these innovative courts have been designed to do for women in the North and beyond.

“These courts combine firm punishment with the support women need to stop offending for good.”

More than two thirds of women in prison have been identified as victims of domestic abuse and around 55% have a drug misuse need. Studies also reveal that more than half of women in prison have sustained brain injuries.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth, said: “So many reports and studies highlight the chaos and disruption caused to women and their families arising from prison sentences.

"And so I was delighted we were successful in securing the Intensive Supervision Court approach for women in our area.

“It began in South Tyneside Magistrates Court on Friday, October 9 and Saturday at North Tyneside on Wednesday, October 14.

“The ISC presents a real opportunity for us to work differently with women offenders – in a more trauma informed, supportive and holistic way and through community-based alternatives. This work is part of my focus on diverting women from custody through my flagship programme which focuses on women in the criminal justice system.

“We know when mums go to prison it can be devastating for their children often leading to trauma caused by separation, social isolation, and often shame.

"If we can reduce the impact of prison sentences on women we can keep families together, and hopefully reduce the risk of children following their mother into the criminal justice system.”

The government is also investing £32m in local women’s centres and charities across the country to deliver vital support that aims to divert women away from the justice system and prison.