Female Offending Blueprint for Wales 
The minority of offenders in England and Wales are women, yet many of these women are  are at risk of being exacerbated by a short custodial sentence (often for low risk offences) that 
together with justice partners to develop Blueprints for delivery of Female Offending and Youth 
victims of crime themselves, often having experienced physical or emotional abuse. Baroness  can disrupt important social bonds with children and family members, contributing to social  Justice services.  This Blueprint for Female Offending sets out the ambition to accelerate the 
Corston’s Report, Review of Women with Particular Vulnerabilities in the Criminal Justice System 
exclusion and having an adverse impact on future generations.  The challenge is to provide a  transformation of services to create a fairer, more equal society with better outcomes and justice 
(2007) identified that women can present as extremely vulnerable with a range of complex needs 
joined-up approach that acknowledges the gender-specific needs of women, promotes positive 
for all. It will create sustainable community-based solutions to keep women and communities 
that have been found to be distinct from the needs of men who commit crime. Involvement  wellbeing and supports successful long-term outcomes to reduce reoffending. 
safe and free from criminal behaviour. 
in the Criminal Justice System can have far-reaching and long-lasting effects on the women 
themselves, their families and the communities in which they live.  The challenges they face  To achieve this, Welsh Government, UK Government and policing in Wales are working 
Our aspirations are to:
The Whole-system Approach will focus on:
Our guiding principles
Support women to live crime free, positive and healthy lives, improving well-being  Early Intervention & Prevention In addition to working with partners to tackle root causes of crime: 
A focus on Victims: together with seeing perpetrators brought to justice, Victims 
and making communities safer.
• 
Diverting women, where appropriate, away from crime and into women-centred, community-based, sustainable  tell us they want to know this will never happen again. We are learning all the time 
support services that meet their needs
about models of reducing reoffending. This evidence-based, innovative approach 
Reduce the number of women in the system by intervening earlier to keep them  • 
Explore options for trauma-informed services which can best meet the needs of vulnerable women, and families,  is guided by our desire to:
safe and address the vulnerabilities that often lead to crime.
affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and at risk of entering the system, learning from the Enhanced  • 
ensure fewer people are victims of crime
Case Management (ECM) approach. 
• 
highlight that women who offend are often victims themselves - as outlined 
Deliver a bold ambitious approach with transformative, sustainable services that 
in the Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse, Sexual Violence (Wales) 
are distinct to Wales and locally-led, building on and learning from the successful  Courts & sentencing Building confidence in alternatives to short-term custody and remand by: 
Act 2015
Women’s Pathfinder Whole System Approach model. 
• 
Working with courts & sentencers to build a clearer understanding of community services available to directly tackle  • 
understand the ripple-effect of crime in creating victims outside those directly 
causes of offending
involved
Create safe environments in which children and women are protected/guarded  • 
Training front-line professionals to recognise & respond to women and families experiencing trauma. 
from harm and supported to thrive.
Welsh Government’s well-being objectives and cross-cutting priorities in the 
Community-based solutions Supporting women, including those at risk of offending, to engage with services in the  national strategy Prosperity for All, maximise the contribution of partners to the 
Integrate services to offer targeted support for women, from start to finish,  community by:
well-being goals. 
recognising the far-reaching, long-term impact resulting from the imprisonment of  • 
Exploring a range of options for secure, safe and reliable accommodation for women in Wales
women when there are more effective alternatives to tackle the causes of offending  • 
Developing women-focused services, including meaningful working relationships with a trusted key professional,  A Public Health approach applying the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) 
behaviour drawing on relevant research and data.
building strengths and recognising the trauma or adverse events women may have experienced, understanding and  Act 2015 Sustainable Development principle of improving Economic, Social, 
addressing how this relates to their offending behaviour. 
Cultural, Environmental well-being using the five ways of working:
Work with the Youth Justice Board and partners to share learning that can be  • 
Embedding clear referral pathways and individualised, sequenced plans for vulnerable women in the community to 
adopted for girls under the age of 18 and work together to ensure continuity of 
provide interventions, by fully trained, skilled professionals in a timely manner. 
Long-term: 
interventions in respect of young women who transition into adult services.
breaking intergenerational cycles of crime, creating a fairer society with more 
Custody and Resettlement Supporting women in custody and resettlement back into the community by:
equal outcomes for all
Set the standard for future work and cooperation between the Welsh Government,  • 
Working with rehabilitative services to deliver effective pre and post-release interventions in prisons where women  Prevention: 
Ministry of Justice and partners, applying the principles here to adopting a similar 
from Wales are located
safeguarding women and children, tackling root causes of offending behaviour
approach to adult males at risk of offending. 
• 
Establishing services to improve and maintain links with children and families
Collaboration: 
working together to deliver transformative services
Research and Evaluation Further develop a Welsh evidence-base, with reference to existing national and international  Integration: 
evidence of what works, to better understand the distinct needs and vulnerabilities of women who offend by:
understanding the links across policy areas and how this approach can improve 
• 
Evaluating the Women’s Pathfinder whole system approach to inform future design and delivery of services for women  the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of our communities
at risk of offending;
Involving people:
• 
Working with the Early Action Together Policing and Partnership Programme to research impact of ACEs on women in  Ensuring the right approach to delivering effective services by involving those 
Wales and how trauma-informed services can best meet the needs of vulnerable women and families.  
affected (victims, women, children and communities)
Women-focussed, gender based and trauma-informed, responding to the specific, 
individualised needs of this diverse population (rather than as one homogeneous 
group) to reduce reoffending.
What success looks like
Achieving our ambitions to reduce crime, make communities safer and ease  Women and children will live in a safe and secure home and as a result will 
Sometimes people find themselves in a bad situation, life can spiral out of control. It’s good to give 
 demand on services, such as policing and health, will make a lasting contribution  be less likely to commit crime.  Women will have the skills they need to look 
people a second chance because just one mistake can change your life
to building the Wales we want: prosperous and secure, healthy and active,  after themselves and their children, enabling them to live rewarding, fulfilled and 
ambitious and learning, united and connected. 
positive lives within their communities. 
I need to be a more confident parent so it doesn’t have a knock-on impact on the children as well, 
they need help too
Our shared success means children will have a better start in life, reducing the  Our joined-up approach will result in better emotional, physical health and 
impact of adverse childhood experiences such as domestic abuse or having a  wellbeing, building positive, supportive relationships within families and 
...just to be treated like a human being and you know, just listened to and have someone there for us
mother in custody.   
strengthening our communities. 
The All Wales Criminal Justice Board will oversee delivery of the Blueprint implementation plan through specialist programme and advisory groups commissioned by the All Wales Women in Justice Group, driving delivery at local levels through Local Criminal Justice Boards

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