Criminal Justice

Maya Mate-Kole (Chair)

Advisory Members:

Desmond Brown, Avon & Somerset Lammy Review Chair

Niamh Bryne, OPCC Head of Communications & Engagement

Charlene Richardson, Bristol City Council Safer Options Coordinator

Moestak Hussein, Bristol City Council/ Home Office Coordinator

As the Commission on Race Equality was relaunched and following community consultations the criminal justice system was not identified as a priority theme and so a task group was not established initially. However, amidst the global Black Lives Matter movement, a response to police brutality, racism and structural inequality, the introduction of The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, local Police and Crime Commissioner elections and violence against women and girls the role of CoRE in relation to this system was recognised as imperative. 

We know Black and minoritised communities continue to be overrepresented throughout various stages of the criminal justice system including stop and search, use of force and in custody.  Within Avon and Somerset Constabulary in the last quarter there was a decrease in stop and search disproportionately with those from a Black Ethnicity 6.6 xs more likely to be stopped and searched than their white counterpart (Avon & Somerset Police April-Jun 2021). This data combined with several high-profile police incidents, community concerns, fractured relationships, serious violence, and street conflict highlights just how far we still must go.

Subsequently the Criminal justice Task Group was re-established May 2021 with the aim to address race disparity within the city relating to the Criminal Justice System to be achieved by focussing on the following key priorities:

Avon & Somerset Lammy Review

  • To support the work of local Lammy review including the development of a framework and working group to monitor the implementation of final report recommendations.

Training

  • Scrutiny and review of Equality and Diversity, cultural intelligence and de-escalation training delivered across Avon & Somerset Constabulary including outcome measures and impact

Representation

  • Increase Black, Asian & minoritised communities' representation within strategic groups/boards and governance structures relating to criminal justice within the city.

Community Engagement

  • To increase community awareness of criminal justice system including pathways, rights & responsibilities & tackling serious youth violence

Commissioning

  • Review commissioning, tendering and resource allocation processes in relation to service delivery and support services for those involved in serious youth violence and community.

Strategic Planning

  • To influence the OPCC and ASP's priorities and objectives to identify and address where there is disproportionate impact on Black and marginalised communities.

Update (October 2021)

  • Ongoing collaboration with ASC in relation to inclusive policing strategy plan and community engagement plan.

  • Chaired Youth Task Group as part of local Lammy Review.

  • Scrutiny of police incidents/arrests.

  • Ongoing collaboration with ASC in their development of young people's Scrutiny of Powers Panel and accessible pathways to SOP panel to increase representation

  • Mapped representation amongst criminal justice advisory groups and strategic boards to identify gaps in influence and opportunities to widen participation to link to auditing workstream.

Targets

  • Develop auditing tool and framework to assess inclusivity of boards relating to the criminal justice system; Identifying areas for improvement & establish best practice.

  • Work with Independent Office for Police Conduct to explore opportunities for collaboration to improve trust with Black and minoritised communities.

  • Collaborate with local solicitors and Safer Options to develop rights & responsibilities workshop series that can be delivered with local community groups, parenting groups and education settings.

  • Map commissioning landscape within criminal justice system and review process and framework used by partners for service needs assessment, service gap analysis, procurement, and resource allocation; identifying barriers for community/ Black led organisations to inform the revision of processes to promote inclusive procurement and commissioning. 

  • Review and interrogate use of equality impact assessments by OPCC and ASP in relation to priorities, policing practices, and strategic plans.

  • Agree mechanism with police partners to review training and offer feedback including developing a mechanism for sharing evaluation and impact of training delivery.