Keeping Women Out of Prison

The Social Responsibility Committee of the National Board of Catholic Women invites you to

Women in the Criminal Justice System: Keeping Women Out of Prison

Join us for this inspirational event, and together we will explore the challenges faced by women in the justice system and discuss constructive alternatives as we learn more about the issues, hear from experts, and reflect on how we, as people of faith, can support women in finding hope and dignity outside of prison.

with

Emily Evison, Prison Reform Trust (PRT) and
Julia Corcoran, Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT)

and chaired by Bishop Richard Moth, Liaison Bishop for Prisons.

Programme of Events

• Welcome and Protocol (Rose Cartledge – Social Responsibility Committee Convenor)
• Opening prayer (Bishop Moth – Liaison Bishop for Prisons)
• Introduction of topic and speakers (Bishop Moth)

Presentations

1. Resetting approaches to women’s imprisonment, Emily Evison – Prisons Reform Trust (20 minutes)
2. PACT and Picking up the pieces, Julia Corcoran – Prisons Advice and Care Trust (20 minutes)

Forum and Discussion

• Breakout room on discussion of two questions, with reference to work in your parishes or personal experience (10 minutes)
• Feedback from breakout discussions (10 minutes)
• Concluding reflections (Bishop Richard)
• Vote of Thanks (5 minutes) (Patricia Stoat – Social Responsibility Commitee)
• Final Prayer (Bishop Richard)

Speakers

Emily Evison

Emily Evison leads on women’s policy at the Prison Reform Trust (PRT), an independent UK wide charity working to create a just, humane and effective prison system. She previously worked on PRT’s National Lottery funded, large scale “Transforming Lives: reducing women’s imprisonment” programme. Before joining PRT in 2018, Emily studied MSc Criminal Justice Policy at LSE and also mentored at PLIAS Resettlement for a number of years, a charity which supports people to resettle back into communities after a prison sentence.

Julia Corcoran

Julia Corcoran currently works for PACT – the Prison Advice and Care Trust – as the Head of Faith in Action. She previously worked for Operation Noah as the Bright Now Campaign Manager. Julia has worked nearly 15 years in the charity sector working with faith organisations and Catholic charities and has expertise in fundraising, campaigning, leadership training, volunteer management and project management. She also hosts a podcast for Thinking Faith (a work of Jesuits in Britain) called “Things I wish I knew” and is a trustee of CSAN (Caritas Social Action Network).

Bishop Richard Moth

Bishop Richard was born in Zambia in 1958, but was brought up in Kent. He was ordained to the priesthood on 3rd July 1982. From 2009 to 2015, he served as Bishop of the Armed Forces and was installed as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton on the 28th May 2015, at Arundel Cathedral.

Bishop Richard is Chair of Governors at St Mary’s University in Twickenham and Chair of the Department for Social Justice for the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. One of Bishop Richard’s key responsibilities within the department is his role as Liaison Bishop for Prisons. He has been outspoken on a number of issues affecting prisoners and their families including the dangers of overcrowding, the impact of Covid-19 and the importance of creating a criminal justice system ‘that works and offers a genuinely rehabilitative environment… [bringing] humanity and hope to our prison estate.’

Bishop Richard’s motto ‘Pax et Gaudium in Domino‘ is reflected in his Coat of Arms, it means ‘Peace and Joy in the Lord’. Bishop Richard chose this motto to express the joy of the Gospel.