Cross Party Group on Families Affected by Imprisonment

The first meeting of the Cross Party Group on Families Affected by Imprisonment took place in October 2011 where South West Scotland CJA was represented. The meeting highlighted international experiences shared at the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Day of General Discussion and the priorities for the Group. Family Impact Assessments at the point of sentencing continue to be an issue for national discussion.

A further meeting of the group held in January 2012 heard from the Association of Visiting Committees regarding proposals to replace Visiting Committees with an independent advocacy service. The Group also discussed Prison Visitor Centres and the debate about the contribution and function of visitor centres, and whether support for families is best located inside or outside the gate. It was noted that new research from Cambridge University indicates that 72% of families were not accessing any support services at all.