Parliamentary Launch – Available but not Accessible

Press Release

Immediate release

16/03/2023

Parliamentary Launch – Available but not Accessible

Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people experience significant disproportionalities in the criminal justice system. Despite account for approximately 0.1% of the overall population, people from Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller backgrounds make up 9% and 5% of the youth and adult justice estate populations respectively.

On Monday 27^th March, the Traveller Movement will be hosting an event in conjunction with Carolyn Harris MP, the Co-Chair of the APPG for penal affairs, to launch our new report Available but not Accessible, a mixed-methods research study exploring the extent to which Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people are able to engage with purposeful activities inside the justice estate. The report includes quantitative analysis of P-NOMIS prison data, as well as surveys and focus groups with over 200 criminal justice sector staff and prisoners from Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller backgrounds.

HMPPS have funded this important work as part of its Innovation grant programme, and we are encouraged to know that a  wider HMPPS Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller strategy is due imminently.

At the launch event, the Traveller Movement will present the study’s key findings and recommendations, and a panel of expert stakeholders in the criminal justice sector will consider how these recommendations can be implemented in order to secure positive and lasting change for Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people who are in the prison estate.

Tickets for the event are available via Eventbrite, and the full report will be available via the Traveller Movement website following the event.

Traveller Movement CEO Yvonne MacNamara said:

“This report presents an in-depth analysis of the accessibility of purposeful activities in the prison estate. It’s important research centres the lived experiences of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller people as well as the views of prison staff as important stakeholders. The case for change is clear. We look forward to working with HMPPS to help deliver on the report’s recommendations over the coming months and years.”

ENDS

Contacts

Greg Sproston

Policymanager@travellermovement.org.uk

020 7607 2002

Notes to Editor

* The Traveller Movement (TM) is a national community development policy and voice charity who campaign against discrimination, promote inclusion, participation and community engagement for the Irish Traveller and Gypsy communities in Britain. TM is proud to work in partnership with the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities together with service providers and policy makers across the UK to better promote social inclusion and community cohesion.