I had a very interesting day at Birmingham Magistrates Court observing a pilot scheme which involves the use of Intensive Supervision of community based sentences, as opposed to short custodial sentences, for women who have committed less serious crimes.
The court imposes requirements to engage with various agencies who provide tailored support with issues such as addiction and mental health conditions, all under the supervision of a Judge and the Probation service.
I was able to observe how the Court concludes whether an Intensive Supervision order is appropriate and then sit in on a number of the regular reviews that take place in front of the supervising judge to ensure that those on the programme are both adhering to the conditions, but also accessing the support and help that they need.
The initial findings from the pilot are encouraging, partly because evidence indicates that community sentences are more effective in reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences.