IWD 2022: ‘Lawyers for Girls’ Network Launch

Tuesday 15 March 2022

Webinar, Online

This webinar is brought to you by the Garden Court Youth Justice and Child Rights Team.

#BreakTheBias  #IWD2022

Date:Tuesday 15 March 2022
Time:5pm-6.30pm
Venue:Online
Cost:Free
Areas of Law:Criminal Defence

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“Girls and young women in contact with the criminal justice system face multiple forms of disadvantage. They are likely to have complex, overlapping needs, with their experience of coming into contact with the criminal justice system frequently underpinned by experiences of violence, abuse and exploitation, poor mental health, addiction, exclusion from education, poverty and having no safe place to call home. The challenges they face are mutually reinforcing and take place in a wider context of social and structural inequalities which shape their lives, including gender-inequality and racism.” [1]

Generally, the overall decrease in the number of children entering the formal criminal justice system is a good news story. The decrease has been far greater for girls as compared to boys. The number of first-time entrants (FTEs) who are girls has fallen by 92% (from around 22,400 to around 1,900) over the last ten years. [2]

As a result, girls make up just 17% of the first-time entrants and just 3% of children in custody. [3] But, this results in a youth justice system that is geared up for boys. As the ‘Young Women’s Justice Project’ have identified, "Girls are consistently overlooked in policy and despite pockets of good practice, there is limited provision designed to meet their needs".

With around just 20 girls [4] serving custodial sentences, there is a real opportunity to make a measurable impact for girls in contact with the justice system. Lawyers specialising in representing children have recognised a unique and individualised approach is needed when representing girls.

This is achievable by building a community of specialist lawyers, who recognise and understand the distinct needs of girls, working closely with organisations able to support them through their contact with the criminal justice system. Regular training and reflective practice will help ensure this specialism develops swiftly and will help identify strategic cases to challenge the systemic inequality faced by girls and young women. As one example, there are no young offender institutions for young women, meaning at eighteen girls transition straight into adult female prisons. This is potentially challengeable or remedied by a unique sentencing approach.

'Lawyers for Girls' will be a network of lawyers who have experience representing girls and are committed to providing specialised representation.

Join us for the launch of the network and to celebrate International Women's Day 2022.

[1] Young women in the criminal justice system at risk of violence, abuse and exploitation, Alliance for Youth Justice & Agenda Alliance, July 2021.
[2] Youth Justice Statistics 2019/20 England and Wales, Youth Justice Board / Ministry of Justice, p13.
[3] Youth Justice Statistics 2019/20 England and Wales, Youth Justice Board / Ministry of Justice, p13 and 42.
[4] Aged 10-17.

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