research report

Reducing the numbers in custody: looking beyond criminal justice solutions

The second and final paper in the Reform Sector Strategies project funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

The two papers produced as part of this work intend to generate debate among those committed to reducing the prison population on how to tackle prison expansion in England and Wales and bring about a reduction in the prison population in the longer term.

Comparative study on the practice in the field of return of minors: final report

A study on ―best practices in the field of the return of minors was carried out by ECRE, in strategic partnership with Save the Children, on behalf of the European Commission. The study looked at
legislation and practice regarding the return of children, either unaccompanied or within families, who return voluntarily or are forced to return because of their status as illegally staying third country
nationals.

Short breaks services statements: commitment and transparency

Report that looks at local authority compliance with the Short Break Duty through analysing 55 short breaks services statements that have been sent to EDCM from local authorities.

It aims to identify good practice and also to explore what further guidance it may be helpful to provide local authorities with to enable them to fully meet the requirements of the Duty and the needs of local disabled children and their families.

Criminal justice v. racial justice: minority ethnic overrepresentation in the criminal justice system

The conviction of some of the perpetrators of the murder of Stephen Lawrence at the start of 2012 has led to a renewed focus on the institutional racism in our criminal justice system; institutional racism that meant that the Lawrence family had to wait over 18 years for any form of justice. Media comment has focused on the headline grabbing disparities in the use of stop and search, recruitment and retention in the police service, and access to justice for victims of racist violence. These are the issues that are addressed in this paper.

Landing in Dover: the immigration process undergone by unaccompanied children arriving in Kent

Report that follows on from the Children’s Commissioner’s earlier report Landing in Kent. It focuses on immigration procedures to which unaccompanied children arriving in Kent are subject between their first encounter with the authorities and the time they are placed in the care of Kent County Council children’s social care services.

From the poor law to welfare to work: what have we learned from a century of anti-poverty policies?

Report that has two broad objectives: to review anti-poverty policies over the course of a century; and to evaluate the results.

It offers a policy-focused narrative, rather than a close inspection of poverty statistics or a detailed assessment of particular anti-poverty programmes. It aims to identify the lessons that can be learnt from more than a century of public policy, with a view to determining how new policies might be
developed to eradicate poverty and reduce income inequality.

Rules of engagement: changing the heart of youth justice

The link between social breakdown and crime is well established. In the CSJ’s seminal report Breakthrough Britain, five common drivers of poverty and social breakdown were identified – educational failure, family breakdown, addiction, worklessness and economic dependency, and debt.

In February 2010, the CSJ launched a review of the youth justice system to identify how it might be reformed to improve outcomes for young people, victims and society.

Under-occupation and the new policy framework: a report to the Housing Futures Network

Report commissioned by the Housing Futures Network as part of the Facing the Future work being carried out by Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research. The main report looks at wider changes to the sector and the financial challenges that it faces. It looks at under-occupation within social housing and explores in detail the implications of the proposed cuts to housing benefit that will affect under-occupiers of working age.