May 26, 2026 In News, Research

Know This: Research and knowledge sharing briefing (edition 11)

Our ‘Know This’ briefings are a regular note to alert colleagues to recent discussions happening in the sectors relevant to our work. The briefing 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.

 

Government Updates

Crime and Policing Bill 2026 (April 30, 2026)

The new Bill has now come into law, reaching Royal assent in April. It includes more powers for courts to impose stalking protection orders, and new ‘Right to Know’ guidance on disclosing the identity of an online stalker to victims at the earliest opportunity. It also gives police powers for addressing antisocial behaviour and retail crime, new offences for protecting children and vulnerable adults from harm, and further laws to address knife crime. 

New Practice Guidance

Neuroinclusive Domestic Abuse Intervention Guidance (NDiDA, April 2026)

The NDiDA (Neurodivergence in Domestic Abuse) Practice Guide is grounded in several years of research into domestic abuse perpetrator programmes, with the practical purpose of supporting safer, clearer and more confident decision making when working with neurodivergent men who have used violence in intimate relationships, without minimising harm or accountability.  

The website also includes a resource for services working with survivors whose partner is neurodivergent and accessing an intervention. 

The guide has been developed by academics at Durham University, led by Dr Nicole Renehan, in collaboration with expert partners from the justice and neurodiversity fields. Dr Renehan has published extensively on neurodivergence in the justice system, specifically domestic abuse perpetration, coordinates the Neurodiversity in Domestic Abuse Practice network and co-coordinates the Neurodivergence in Criminal Justice Network (NiCJN). 

Risk in Context: Trans and Gender Diverse Communities (Safe and Equal, 2026)

This guide is the first ‘Risk in Context’ resource from Safe and Equal, an Australian organisation working with family and gender-based violence. The resource centres the experiences of trans and gender diverse survivors and supports practitioners to take an intersectional approach when undertaking risk assessments of victim/survivors, by providing insights, research, practical examples and guiding questions.  

Research and Reports

Dis/ableist criminology: Conceptualising the social harms experienced by neurodivergent individuals who have encountered the criminal justice system (Macdonald & Peacock, 2026)

This research article examines the narratives and life histories of three neurodivergent individuals (one with ADHD, one with dyslexia and one with autism and OCD) who have desisted from crime, illustrating how intersecting factors shape their pathways into and out of criminality.  

Participants discussed their early disengagement with education, the impact of lower socio-economic status, social harms such as trauma, violence and exploitation, and the escalation of criminal careers and identities. Desistance journeys involved positive steps such as securing stable accommodation or a job, rehabilitating from addiction and latterly being able to reflect on their prior criminal actions following their diagnosis of neurodivergence later in life.  

Participant views of the Healthy Sex Programme: findings from a qualitative research study (Blagden et al., 2026)

This evaluation of the HMPPS accredited programme for people with sexual convictions was conducted by academics from the University of Derby. Themes included the benefits of holistic, tailorable content and ability to adapt delivery methods to suit the individual learning and communication styles of participants, and the importance of the therapeutic relationship in supporting participants’ rehabilitation.  

Risk and Protective Factors of LGBTQ+ Identity Abuse in Romantic Relationships: A Scoping Review (Spooner et al., 2026)

Identity abuse is a form of domestic abuse seen in LGBTQ+ relationships. This scoping review outlines the risk and protective factors for perpetration and victimisation of identity abuse in romantic relationships, such as LGBTQ+ enacted stigma, specific gender expressions, and mental illness. The paper also attempts to determine the prevalence of specific tactics used in the perpetration of identity abuse, such as ‘outing’, isolation from LGBTQ+ community, derogatory language and belittling identity. However, differences in measurement across studies makes this difficult to collate. 

The extent and consequences of continuity of care for prisoners with serious mental illness: A systematic review with a narrative synthesis (Brooker & Sirdifield, 2026)

This article reviews the existing literature on the continuity of care for people released from prison with serious mental illness. The paper outlines that post-release engagement with mental healthcare is generally poor, but can be improved by investing in multi-component services which allow pre-release planning, and expedited access to government-funded health insurance in the USA. The findings on the impact of continuity of care on justice outcomes were mixed, though there was evidence that longer interventions have greater impact on reincarceration.  

Children and young people

As we develop new provision for children and young people at Interventions Alliance, our ‘Know This’ briefings now include research insights, policy updates, and recent news about children’s social care.  

Cutting Youth Crime. Changing Young Lives: The youth justice system reform and delivery plan (Ministry of Justice, May 2026)

On 18th May the government published a new White Paper on Youth Justice. The paper addresses the modern harms facing today’s children and young people, including exposure to abuse, coercion and harmful sexual behaviour both online and in their daily lives. It places greater emphasis on the importance of early intervention, out-of-court resolutions, community alternatives to custody and rehabilitative interventions for young people. Increased considerations are given to mental health and wellbeing, neurodivergence and trauma histories. Reforms in children’s social care will also improve information sharing between agencies to enhance safeguarding of children and young people. 

Hidden Children: An investigation into Unregistered Children’s Homes (Public First, April 2026)

Unregistered children’s homes provide care and accommodation to children, but are not regulated by OFSTED, making them technically illegal. Children in these settings often have histories of major trauma, exploitation, and self-harm. These children are falling through regulatory gaps between criminal justice, mental health, and care systems, leading to unregulated care for the most vulnerable young people. Confirmed cases of unregistered children’s homes rose more than 372% since data collection began four years ago. This report outlines the drivers for their use, and what needs to change. 

In the news

Teenage boys’ sentence for raping lone girls in Fordingbridge ‘too lenient’

One of the most shocking news stories of the past week concerns the sentencing of three teenage boys for ten counts of rape in two attacks in 2024 and 2025 against a 15-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl. The boys, two aged 14 and one aged 13 at the time of the attacks, were sentenced on 21 May in Southampton Crown Court – two for the sexual assaults and one for aiding and abetting. The sentencing saw the boys receive non-custodial sentences, including Youth Rehabilitation Orders (YRO) and Intensive Supervision and Surveillance (ISS). In sentencing, Judge Nicholas Rowland noted his motivation in not “criminalising children unnecessarily”, emphasising their “young ages”. The severity of the attacks (the assaults themselves, the filming of the attacks, the use of a knife in one, and the subsequent uploading to social media) have seen a huge backlash over the past weekend, with the victims and their families, various ministers and the general public claiming the sentences as too lenient and calling for an urgent review. 

  • Read the BBC News story: Boys’ sentences for 10 counts of rape ‘too lenient’ 

Other news

  • Read this article in The Conversation (13 May) on the ways technology is being used to facilitate filming, tracking and creation of deepfakes of victims. Authored by Professor Lisa Sugiura, a friend and associate from the University of Portsmouth, and Dr Jason Nurse (University of Kent), the article is based on thinking drawn from their recent research. 
  • Read this BBC article (2 May) from the family of Tony Hudgell, the 11-year-old boy who campaigned for parents found guilty of child neglect to be subject to a child cruelty register under the new Crime and Policing Bill. 
  • Read this Mirror article on the families of stalking vicitms’ response to the new Crime and Policing Bill.  

TV and media

Carl Frampton: On Probation  

This new BBC NI series sees the former world champion boxer go behind-the-scenes at every level of probation in Northern Ireland – the first time cameras have been allowed in this service. 

Podcast: Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice  

This podcast, hosted by Megan Thomas and Ceri Halfpenny from the ⁠University of Portsmouth, has returned with a new series. The podcast hosts conversations about probation with researchers and practitioners, with episodes so far covering creative rehabilitation, lived experience, AI, and rehabilitating probation.  

The previous series featured IA’s own Carl Hall and Kerry Ellis Devitt, discussing domestic abuse and stalking.