March 30, 2026 In News

Know This: Research and knowledge sharing briefing (edition 9)

Our ‘Know This’ briefings are a regular note to alert colleagues to recent discussions happening in the sectors relevant to our work. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of major changes and developments in our sectors. If you see anything you think needs to be in a future bulletin, let us know at PracticeResearchUnit@interventionsalliance.co.uk and we will include it in the next edition.

 

New reports and research

Women’s Justice Board Report: Recommendations for reducing women’s imprisonment (16 March 2026)

The Women’s Justice Board have released a report with a series of recommendations around reducing women’s imprisonment. Acknowledging the lack of demonstrable progress around the recommendations made in the Corston Report. The report states its intention to “set out the steps to be taken to return to the Corston Plan and build upon it.” The report argues that prison is often ineffective and harmful for women, especially those with complex needs. The solution is a system-wide shift towards prevention, community support and reducing unnecessary imprisonment. A summary of the recommendations are below:

  1. Use prison less
  • Avoid short custodial sentences for women wherever possible.
  • Custody should be a last resort, especially for pregnant women & mothers of young children
  • Expand alternatives like community sentences and diversion schemes
  1. Intervene earlier
  • Identify and support women before they enter the criminal justice system
  • Address root causes such as domestic abuse, mental health issues, substance misuse and poverty
  1. Expand community-based support
  • Invest in women’s centres and local services as alternatives to prison.
  • Provide holistic support (housing, healthcare, employment, family support)
  • Use residential community options instead of custody where needed
  1. Tailor the system to women’s needs
  • Recognise that many women in the system are victims of trauma or abuse
  • Design services that are trauma-informed and gender-specific
  • Improve support for young adult women, pregnant women and mothers
  1. Protect children and families
  • Take into account the impact of imprisonment on children
  • Avoid separating mothers from children where possible
  • Provide better identification and support for children affected by maternal imprisonment
  1. Improve outcomes for those in custody
  • For women who must be imprisoned:
    • Improve healthcare, rehabilitation and resettlement support
    • Focus on reducing reoffending after release
  1. Improve coordination and accountability
  • Strengthen coordination across government departments and services
  • Use the Women’s Justice Board to drive reform and monitor progress

Further information:

Our Head of Research, Kerry Ellis Devitt attended a symposium, along with Amelia Sharman from Eden House, on 25 March to discuss our contribution to a Special Edition of the Probation Journal, focused on women and girls in the justice system. The WJB report was discussed, alongside the continued problems facing the women’s sector. A blog will be available on the IA website in the next few weeks discussing some of themes from the symposium, and our reflections on the day.

Bridging custody and community: The role of Approved Premises in successful reintegration (February 2026)

A new HMIP Research and Analysis Bulletin, authored by Professor (Hon) Helen Wakeling, Dr Flora Fitzalan Howard and Dr Georgia Barnett addresses barriers and enablers to the safe integration of residents from APs into local communities. The research asked:

  1. Are AP residents adequately prepared and supported to safely integrate into communities?
  2. What are the key challenges and barriers faced by APs in supporting the safe integration of AP residents into local communities?
  3. What are the key enablers (or potential enablers) and good practices in supporting the safe integration of AP residents and in building relationships and partnerships between APs and local services and communities?

The report finds that APs are a key tool for managing high-risk people, but effectiveness is shaped by clear barriers and enablers. Barriers including staff shortages, high workloads, limited resources, and an institutional focus on risk management over rehabilitation, which restrict opportunities for meaningful engagement and resettlement support. Enablers including strong staff–resident relationships, consistent staffing, access to purposeful activities, and effective multi-agency partnerships that address needs such as housing, health, and substance misuse. The implication is that without greater investment and a shift toward more rehabilitative, person-centred practice, APs will struggle to achieve long-term reductions in reoffending despite their important role in public protection.

Of relevance to IA, the research team are doing work around the practical and emotional demands of working and managing an independent Women’s APs. Many of the themes we have found so far overlap with ones in this report. You can read more details about our research here: Emotional Labour, Psychological Safety and Women’s IAPs: Addressing a Critical Research Gap – Interventions Alliance. More to come in the following months!

Reframing masculinity for men and boys (March 2026)

This latest HMIP Academic Insights report, authored by Dr Sophie King-Hill, is a fascinating read on the impact of cultural masculinities on the behaviour of boys and young men. The report argues that traditional, rigid ideas of masculinity place significant pressure on young men and boys, contributing to issues such as poor mental health, misogyny, and in some cases, violence. It highlights how these norms are shaped by social, cultural, and increasingly online influences, including exposure to extreme misogynistic content, which can distort attitudes towards women and relationships. The report emphasises the need to “reframe” masculinity by promoting more emotionally open, inclusive, and diverse understandings of male identity, supported through education, youth voice, and positive role models, in order to improve wellbeing and reduce harmful behaviours. The author says:

 

“For probation and youth justice practitioners, this means moving beyond surface-level interventions to address the structural and cultural drivers of offending. Gender-informed practice is not about excusing behaviour; it is about understanding its roots and designing responses that promote accountability while fostering growth. This requires integrating trauma-informed approaches that recognise the interplay between identity, shame and offending, giving boys and young men a voice in shaping solutions. When they are engaged as partners in change rather than positioned as problems to fix, interventions become more effective and sustainable”.

Working Together to Safeguard Children (March 2026)

The Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance from the UK Government emphasises multi-agency, child-centred safeguarding but highlights key challenges in cases involving domestic abuse. Children are increasingly recognised as victims in their own right, yet practice often places undue responsibility on non-abusive parents (typically mothers) to manage risk, while failing to adequately address perpetrators. The guidance notes barriers, such as poor recognition of coercive control and limited engagement with children’s experiences, can lead to ineffective protection. The focus is on a need for stronger multi-agency coordination, greater focus on children’s voices, and a shift toward perpetrator accountability to improve safeguarding outcomes.

  • Read the full report
  • Read a LinkedIn post from the National Centre for Violence Against Women & Girls and Public Protection (NCVPP)

Theatre, film and TV

Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere

Has anyone escaped a conversation, soundbite or opinion piece on the new Louis Theroux documentary on Netflix? Like the brilliant Adolescence, it seems to have captured the attention and concerns of the nation. Kerry caught up with it this weekend, and though she will spare her detailed thoughts (spoiler: it was a bit surface level, and lacked any real evidence of challenging the views and behaviours of these men), it did make her realise what a huge impact the manosphere, incels and online misogyny is having on how we talk about men and boys, and the related harms against women and girls. We’d love to know your thoughts though.

  • What did you think?
  • Are the residents/participants you are working with talking about it? What are they saying?

Further information