IN-CJ Podcast International Network for Criminal Justice

This discussion addresses the unique challenges faced by women in the criminal justice system. Moderated by Sherri Bloodworth the Operations Support Director with the Department of Community Supervision in Georgia. She was joined by Melanie Scarborough, Pamela Wiggins, Renace Nead, and April Ross, representing various Georgia state agencies, including the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Georgia Department of Corrections, and the Georgia Commission on Family Violence.

The panellists discussed the distinct challenges women face within the criminal justice system, highlighting the need for gender-responsive approaches. Many facilities, originally designed for men, fail to meet the specific needs of women, emphasizing the need for dedicated spaces that ensure privacy and proper hygiene. Effective re-entry programs were identified as crucial, focusing on family reunification, mental health, substance abuse treatment, and educational opportunities to help women transition back into society.

The discussion underscored the high rates of trauma, domestic violence, and substance abuse among incarcerated women, calling for trauma-informed care and education on healthy relationships to break cycles of violence. Various supportive initiatives were highlighted, such as hygiene cabinets and post-partum units, which provide essential support and maintain dignity for women in custody. Educational and vocational training, like welding certifications, were also discussed as important for improving employment prospects and self-sufficiency for women upon release.

Systemic changes were deemed necessary, including legislative support, adequate funding for gender-specific programs, and enhanced community partnerships to create a more effective support system. Looking to the future, the panellists discussed plans to expand programs, including introducing doula services for pregnant offenders and continuing to focus on trauma-informed care and peer support.

As part of the IN-CJ Newsdesk 2024 series, we are pleased to present a thoughtful discussion by Dr Jiri Mertl, a researcher and lecturer at Charles University in Prague and the University of Ostrava. Mertl’s work focuses on the role of peer support in the rehabilitation and recovery of women involved in the criminal justice system.

Jiri Mertl highlights the importance of peer support within the criminal justice system, particularly for women who have experienced incarceration. Based on his research with Czech NGOs, Mertl examines the unique challenges these women face, such as the prevalence of drug abuse as a coping mechanism for trauma and the impact of domestic violence.

Mertl’s research includes interviews with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women in the Czech Republic, exploring their interactions with public institutions and NGOs. His findings underscore the need for gender-responsive and trauma-informed approaches to rehabilitation, acknowledging that many women’s pathways into criminality are linked to relational trauma and social inequalities.

Central to Mertl’s discussion is the concept of peer support. He explains that peer support, grounded in authenticity and the ethics of care, is a valuable tool for rehabilitation. By sharing lived experiences, peer support helps in mutual recovery, resilience building, and personal development. This approach benefits both the individuals receiving support and the peers providing it.

Mertl discusses several cultural and structural barriers to effective peer support in the Czech Republic, including insufficient funding, lack of legislative support, and the absence of formal peer support programs in prisons. He emphasizes the need for systemic changes to address these issues, advocating for better funding and legislative recognition to enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of peer support initiatives.

Looking ahead, Mertl calls for ongoing research and practical application of peer support in criminal justice. Addressing the current gaps and challenges could significantly improve rehabilitation outcomes for women in the criminal justice system. His discussion highlights the importance of supportive, inclusive approaches tailored to the needs of marginalized populations.

We invite you to listen to Jiri Mertl’s full discussion to explore his insights further. Contributions like Mertl’s are crucial in shaping more effective and compassionate criminal justice systems. Stay updated on future discussions and events by visiting the IN-CJ website and following us on Twitter.

In this discussion, Rachel Wood, a PhD researcher at the Open University, discusses her innovative project, “Inside Mum.” This presentation, part of the Newsdesk 2024 by the International Network for Criminal Justice (IN-CJ), explores the use of service and co-design in developing parenting education programmes for women who have experienced the criminal justice system. The conversation provides a comprehensive overview of Rachel’s research, its motivations, and its initial findings.

Rachel’s project aims to address the unique needs of incarcerated mothers, a group often overlooked in prison design and rehabilitation programmes. Drawing on a range of theoretical frameworks, including attachment theory and trauma-informed care, Rachel outlines the current gaps in knowledge and practice. She emphasises the importance of gender-responsive and trauma-informed approaches, recognising that many women in prison have histories of relational trauma that significantly impact their pathways into and out of offending.

The discussion highlights several key concerns:



* Designing for a Marginalised Group: With women constituting only 4% of the prison population, their specific needs, particularly as mothers, are frequently neglected. The project seeks to create effective, inclusive programmes that support the unique challenges faced by incarcerated mothers.

* Co-Design and Participatory Methods: Rachel emphasises the value of involving those with lived experience in the design of services, ensuring that the programmes developed are both effective and acceptable to the women they aim to support.

* Research Gaps and Future Directions: The initial scoping review reveals a significant lack of comprehensive research on service co-design for this population. Rachel identifies the need for further primary research and proposes a sequential mixed methods approach to fill these gaps.

* Impact on Policy and Practice: By highlighting the gaps and potential solutions, Rachel’s research aims to inform future policy and practice, promoting more equitable and effective support systems for women in the criminal justice system.



This engaging discussion not only sheds light on the challenges faced by incarcerated mothers but also underscores the importance of innovative, participatory research in creating supportive and rehabilitative environments. For more details on the “Inside Mum” project and to stay updated on its progress, visit the IN-CJ website or follow the network on Twitter.

This discussion examines the role of women in forensic science. Featuring Dr Emma Johnston and Leisa Nichols-Drew, both senior lecturers at De Montfort University, who shared their experiences and insights into this vital field. Emma and Leisa began by recounting their unique career paths. Emma detailed her background in biology and forensic science, including her work with LGC Forensics and her significant research projects in Guatemala and Europe. Leisa shared her journey from studying biomedicine to working with the Forensic Science Service and her focus on training police and conducting research on knife crime.

The discussion highlighted the noteworthy representation of women in forensic science, a field where women are more prevalent compared to other STEM areas. Emma and Leisa explored possible reasons for this trend, such as the profession’s alignment with helping roles and the impact of having strong female role models.

Despite the progress, they acknowledged ongoing challenges, including gender pay gaps and the under-representation of women in leadership roles. They emphasised the importance of supportive environments and role models in encouraging more women to pursue and advance in forensic science careers.

Emma and Leisa also addressed the rewarding aspects of their work, from solving complex cases to contributing positively to the criminal justice system. They shared personal stories illustrating the real-world impact of forensic science, such as Emma’s involvement in identifying missing persons in Guatemala and Leisa’s work on knife crime prevention.

In discussing educational opportunities, they dispelled the myth that forensic science lacks job prospects. They highlighted how the skills developed in this field, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication, are transferable to various career paths.

The conversation concluded with reflections on the supportive ethos within the forensic science community and the ongoing efforts to promote gender equality and professional development in the field.

For those interested in learning more about the experiences of women in forensic science and the broader implications for the criminal justice system, the full podcast is available on the IN-CJ website. Stay updated on future discussions and events by following IN-CJ on Twitter. This discussion is part of the Newsdesk 2024 event series, aimed at fostering dialogue and sharing knowledge on critical issues in international criminal justice.

In this discussion, Sara Ciucci , Roz Morrison and Julie Eden-Barnard discuss the important topic of women in the criminal justice system. This conversation, part of the Newsdesk 2024 initiative by the International Network for Criminal Justice (IN-CJ), features Sara moderating a panel with Roz and Julie, both senior lecturers at De Montfort University.

The discussion focuses on the distinct experiences and challenges faced by women within the criminal justice system, both as offenders and as professionals. Roz and Julie draw on their backgrounds in probation and academia to highlight the differences between male and female experiences in this field. They emphasise the need for a gender-responsive and trauma-informed approach, acknowledging that women’s pathways into and out of offending are often influenced by relational trauma and other gender-specific factors.

One main concern is the ongoing gap in implementing research findings to create more supportive environments for women. The panellists discuss the benefits of female-only programmes, which provide safe spaces for relational repair and mutual support among women.

Additionally, the conversation addresses the barriers women face in advancing their careers within criminal justice organisations. Morrison and Eden-Barnard note that systemic changes are needed to accommodate women’s familial and caregiving responsibilities, which often hinder their professional progression.

The discussion concludes with a call for all criminal justice professionals to be aware of and respond to gender-specific issues. By fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment, the system can better meet the needs of women, both those involved in the criminal justice process and those working within it.

This dialogue highlights the current state of women in criminal justice and underscores the importance of continued research and practical application of gender-responsive practices to create a more equitable system.

The IN-CJ Webinar ‘Serious Mental Health – International Challenges for Criminal Justice’ held on 7th May 2024, covered the challenges related to mental illness in the criminal justice system across multiple countries. Dr Coral Sirdifield of the University of Lincoln School of Health and Social Care, facilitated the discussion, which explored the need for interdisciplinary collaboration between various agencies, and the importance of involving individuals with lived experiences in co-designing support systems. The discussion explored the challenges related to mental illness in the criminal justice system, and how they are manifest across multiple countries, the need for interdisciplinary collaboration between different support agencies, and the importance of involving individuals with lived experiences in co-designing support systems.

International Challenges in Criminal Justice and Mental Health

Tonya Van Deinse, a research associate professor at the University of North Carolina, gave an overview presentation on serious mental illness and challenges for the criminal justice system internationally.  Tonya, with her background in mental health treatment, discussed the high rates of serious mental illnesses among people who generally interwact with the criminal justice system, and the need for system-level interventions. She emphasised the complexity of the issue, including cultural, sociopolitical, and legal contexts.

Tonya also touched on the different ways mental disorders are diagnosed and the need to consider severity and chronicity. She highlighted the disproportionate contact of people with mental illnesses with the criminal justice system and stressed the importance of addressing system-level challenges related to mental health. She outlined the topics for the upcoming discussion, including the nature of serious mental illness, the needs of people with serious mental illnesses, and the challenges faced by justice systems.

Tonya discussed the challenges faced by individuals with serious mental illnesses in the criminal legal system, emphasising the need for a multi-level approach to interventions addressing various contextual factors. She suggested utilising a sequential intercept model to promote collaboration across different systems and highlighted the importance of addressing the needs of individuals with mental illnesses before they come into contact with the criminal justice system. Tonya also underscored the necessity of organisational capacity, including screening, assessment, and follow-up processes, as well as the training of corrections officers and community supervision officers. She emphasised the need for a balance between public safety and the provision of treatment for individuals with mental illnesses.

Panel Views

After Tonya presented her work, the panel, consisting of Coral, Charlie and Shelley discussed the implications of Tonya’s concerns. Shelley, who is based in Victoria, Australia and has experience in forensic mental health, shared her views on issues that resonated with Tonya’s presentation. These included shared complexity in dealing with the nexus between serious mental illness and criminal justice, stigma, issues of intersectionality, significant overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in detention, workforce challenges, and privatisation. Charlie from the UK expressed his interest in learning more about community correctional services in Australia.

Charlie went on to discuss the results of a survey on probation services across Europe, with a focus on mental health policies and suicide rates. He noted that many European countries did not record suicide rates in community probation services, despite high rates. He emphasised the need for comprehensive mental health training for probation ...