October 5, 2026 In News, Research

Know This: Research and knowledge sharing briefing (edition 13)

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/Policies and Plans

Domestic abusers to be marked and tracked in boost to victims’ safety (5 October 2026)

The Ministry of Justice has today announced that victims and survivors of domestic abuse will be better protected through new measures coming into force. These will require courts to make a formal record when domestic abuse is a factor in offending.  This new marker will help police, prisons and probation better identify and manage perpetrators and subsequently protect victims.

Specialist rape courts rolled out across the country (21 September 2026)

A Ministry of Justice Press Release has recently announced changes for victims of rape and sexual offences. The new plans will see:

  • Courtrooms for specialist rape and serious sex offences rolled out across every Crown Court in England and Wales
  • Rape cases prioritised in the courts, with specialist upgrades introduced, including private waiting rooms and entrances for victims
  • A generally new approach placing victims at the front of the criminal justice system
  • Read the Press Release

Police rape and sexual offence teams to be rolled out 18 months early (31 August 2026)

Police Professional announces every police force in England and Wales will have specialist rape and sexual offence teams (dedicated to investigating rape and sexual offences, supporting victims and bringing offenders to justice) in place by December 2027. This is following an 18-month Government accelerated rollout.

 

New research and reports

Online and Offline Stalking Victimisation in the Crime Survey for England and Wales: Its Predictors and Victim/Survivors’ Views on Criminalisation (September 2026)

Publishing recently in the British Journal of Criminology, Janickyj et al. (2026) discuss their research into online and offline stalking using nationally representative Crime Survey for England and Wales data from 2012 to 2020 to determine the prevalence of cyberstalking and ascertain how these experiences impact participants’ perceptions of the events. Their analysis shows that while cyberstalking is not as widespread, it is increasing in prevalence, and faster than it is happening offline. However, analysis also revealed that cyberstalking is viewed as less criminal than offline stalking.

 

New guidance

Domestic abuse related death reviews: statutory guidance (Updated: 15 September 2026)

This guidance strengthens and broadens previous reviews (Domestic Homicide Reviews and Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews) to include deaths such as homicide, suicide, neglect and unexplained deaths linked to domestic abuse. Its purpose is to identify learning, missed opportunities and weaknesses in how agencies recognise, share information about and respond to domestic abuse, with greater focus on the victim’s experience, perpetrator behaviour and multi-agency working. It also introduces an initial scoping process and places greater emphasis on turning findings into measurable improvements to help prevent future deaths.

Changing the Script: An accessible leaflet for people choosing opioid substitution treatment (September 2026)

Less guidance more a guide, Changing the Script is a resource developed by experts by experience (EbE) at Revolving Doors, alongside criminal justice blogger, Russell Webster, to help people think through the different options for using medication to help get off opioids.

 

Children & Young People: Government Updates

Information sharing to safeguard children and young people (Updated: September 2026)

The Department for Education has released updated statutory duty guidance for practitioners and organisations providing safeguarding and welfare services for children and young people. The new Information Sharing Duty (Duty to Share) seeks to strengthen information sharing concerning children and young people in England, to better safeguard and promote their welfare.

Ofsted outlines plans to tackle sharp growth in unregistered children’s homes (14 July 2026)

Ofsted announces changes in approach to tackling unregistered children’s homes. This is designed to stop unsafe and unlawful placements and to address issues of sufficiency in the children’s social care system.

The press release notes:

“Local authorities have a duty to ensure there are enough suitable places for looked-after children, close to their home and able to meet their needs. However, while there are now more children’s homes than ever before, homes are getting smaller, are often not in the right places, or are unable to meet the needs of children needing residential care.”

Research published by Ofsted details the reasons for this, including workforce capacity, affordability of housing, and a lack of foster carers. It also notes the subsequent increase in LA’s use of unregistered children’s homes, putting children at risk of being looked after by unvetted and unsuitable people.

 

Children & Young People: Research and reports

‘You really are on your own’: A study of the early deaths of young people who were in care (August 2026)

Research by John-Baptiste and Chamberlain (2026) examines the early deaths of care-experienced young people aged 18–24 in England, focusing on 112 deaths notified to the Department for Education during 2025. Findings show that these young people face a substantially higher risk of early death than the general population, with a fifth of deaths registered around age 18, when support often drops sharply as young people leave the care system. The report highlights recurring issues including loneliness and isolation, unstable or unsuitable accommodation, homelessness, mental-health difficulties and suicide, experiences of custody, exploitation, disrupted relationships, and inconsistent support from local authorities and other services. The report calls for more consistent, relationship-based and needs-led support into adulthood, better coordination between services, stronger support for care-experienced people in custody, improved supported accommodation and healthcare, and a more thorough approach to learning from each death.

Unplanned placement changes in children’s homes: an observational study of national administrative data on children in care and providers in England (July 2026)

Research by Hood et al. (2026) identified factors associated with higher and lower rates of unplanned placement change for children placed in a children’s home in England. Using secondary analysis of national administrative data, results showed higher rates of unplanned placement change for children aged 15–16, children from mixed heritage backgrounds, children assessed in relation to risks outside the home, and children who had already experienced multiple moves. Placements in local authority owned ‘in-house’ children’s homes had lower rates of unplanned change. Higher levels of staff turnover and use of agency staff, lack of a registered manager and a shorter period of operation were all associated with higher rates of unplanned placement change. Results highlight the relevance of provider factors in placement breakdowns and raise concerns that some of the most vulnerable children in care are being placed in unsuitable forms of provision.

 

In the news

Prisoners freed early in England and Wales risk living on the streets, say probation officers (1 October 2026)

Around 700 prisoners have been released today under the prisoner early release scheme, designed to ease prison overcrowding. This has been amid concerns that many will have nowhere to live, and that the probation system will struggle to monitor them all. This action has been particularly poorly received by domestic abuse charities who have raised concerns that survivors will subsequently be put at a greater risk from their perpetrators.

US prosecutors reopen case of alleged gang rape at Cornell University (28 September 2026)

Social media has been awash with commentary about the alleged gang rape at Cornell University in 2024, with New York state prosecutors saying they will reopen a criminal inquiry. The alleged victim filed a civil lawsuit on 16 September stating she was drugged and raped by seven men at a fraternity house at the university. The case has generated significant public outrage but has also has exposed another aspect to the worrying upwards trend in misogyny and violence towards women and girls by men and boys.

 

Events and media

Launch event for the latest special issue of the British Journal of Community Justice (BJCJ): Probation and Mental Illness (7 October 2026 – 330pm-430pm)

Editors, Dr Andrew Fowler, Dr Vickie Barrett and Dr Stephanie Wallace, along with guest editor, Charlie Brooker, are hosting a webinar to launch a special issue of BJCJ to showcase cutting-edge research and practice developments aimed at improving outcomes for justice-involved individuals and strengthening collaboration between criminal justice and health services.

The special edition features a new article by the research team @IA, “We carry it around with us”: The impact of performing emotional labour in trauma-laden and sensitive research, and we will be talking about this at the event.

  • If you would be interested in joining the event, please email: bjcj@mmu.ac.uk, and they can register you. 

Reflection on the Where are the Women and Girls Symposium – University of Cambridge – HMPPS Insights Blog (1 September 2026)

Eden House Key Worker, Amelia Sharman, has produced her second blog in a series of work looking at the role of women’s (Independent) Approved Premises.  The blog, reflecting on her experiences of attending an event focused on an upcoming special edition of the Probation Journal looking at the experiences of justice-involved women and girls, considers the important role of women’s APs better supporting the long-term outcomes for women residents.

Beyond the slogan: The reality of building trauma-informed social care organisations (6 August 2026)

Georgina Chetwynd, Senior Research and Development Officer at Research in Practice, speaks to Dr Sheena Webb and Dr Danny Taggart about what trauma means, and  organisational approaches to embedding trauma-informed approaches.

Probation Quarterly (Issue 41, September 2026)

This issue presents a wide selection of articles discussing reflections on practice and the use of technology. It also features an article from IA’s Senior Researcher Jess Lawrence and Head of Behaviour Change Practice Victoria Curtis, on the benefits of considering remote delivery of structured interventions.

 

Resources

The Butler Trust, the Knowledge Exchange

The Knowledge Exchange is a place for people working in criminal justice settings to find and share resources, research, and examples of notable practice relevant to their roles.

The Clinks Directory

Newly launched, the Clinks Directory brings together organisations and services working across the criminal justice system in England and Wales. It is designed to help people find support, explore what is available in their area, and connect with voluntary sector organisations. The Directory is designed to be used by justice involved people but will also be helpful for professionals working in justice fields.