The CJA has published a briefing looking at the impact of COVID-19 on people with protected characteristics across the criminal justice system.
There is strong evidence that people with protected characteristics suffer worse outcomes within the criminal justice system. It is unsurprising that at this time of national crisis, some groups of people have been impacted more severely than others. Although progress has been made to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on such groups, the government must go further and faster.
Our briefing, Unequal Impact: COVID-19 and the impact on people with protected characteristics, was sent to the Women and Equalities Committee for its inquiry into the impact of COVID-19.
People affected by the criminal justice system can often be hidden from public view and public discourse, whether victims of domestic violence or people sharing prisons cells locked down for 23 hours a day. We have set out pragmatic recommendations in this submission, most of which have already been made to the Ministry of Justice and Home Office in previous weeks by ourselves and many of our members. We hope the Committee will find this evidence useful and will help to hold the Ministry of Justice and Home Office to account.
You can read our other policy briefings and consultation responses on our resources page.
