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Promoting good practice in criminal justice
 

Welcome to Churches' Criminal Justice Forum

The Churches' Criminal Justice Forum is a network of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. Its purpose is to uphold Christian values in the field of criminal justice, to promote awareness of criminal justice issues in the churches and to make representations to Government on behalf of the churches. It advocates the use of restorative justice, supports Christians working in the criminal justice system, and promotes community projects to reduce offending.

Next Network Meeting
Wednesday, 28 October, 2009 - 12:30View Details >

Network Meetings are organised at least twice a year, usually in the spring and the autumn, once in London and once outside. They are open to anyone (whether Christian or not) who is interested to attend. They provide an opportunity for Christians involved in the criminal justice system to discuss current topics in criminal justice policy, to be updated on Christian initiatives in the field, and to share news of the work being done by their own organisations and groups.

Join us at

Hold Fast to Hope



Prisons Week 2009



15-21 November 09 

NEWS FROM THE CHURCHES' CRIMINAL JUSTICE FORUM

Please read the information below as an update on the developments regarding the future of the Churches Criminal Justice Forum. 

The Objectives and Operation of CCJF 
As you will be aware, the Forum has been struggling in the last year or so following the departure of Faith Ayoola as Director in August 2007.  Because of difficulties in fulfilling the objectives of our funders, the Executive Committee decided in the spring of 2008 not to employ another full-time Director but to reconstruct the Forum on a more modest basis, concentrating on core tasks. 

At the same time, the Executive was occupied in reviewing the Forum's objectives and structures of governance in order to regularise its position as a network of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.  This raised questions about what constituted the core tasks of the Forum. 

It was decided to pursue this by commissioning a survey of the opinions of our supporters and other stakeholders.  As you know, as you will have received the questionnaire, this was undertaken over the summer by a researcher, Julie Falcon, to whose efforts we are greatly indebted, and the results were reported to the Executive in September.  Please fnd a link to the summary of the results here.  

The survey affirmed the broad objectives of CCJF as pursued over the last six years and gave a sound justification for continuing to act as a networking organisation seeking to promote Christian values in the criminal justice system and raising the profile of criminal justice issues in the churches.  Although a slim majority of respondents appeared not to support CCJF continuing to be a network of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, the Executive decided that continued association with CTBI would not inhibit the wider links which the majority desired.    

The Future Organisation of CCJF
The central requirement is for CCJF to have adequate administrative support, without a paid Director, to maintain its core activities of organising regular Network Meetings and circulating news and information to its supporters.  This has now been resolved by the agreement that Caritas Social Action Network will provide administrative services to CCJF for the equivalent of one day per week.  The tasks of organising Network meetings and circulating news and information will be shared among members of the Executive.

CCJF is proud to welcome our new Chair, Paula Harvey from the Quaker Peace & Social Witness. Christopher Jones has held the post as Chair for four years and he is wished well in his future aspirations.  He will remain an active Executive member of the Forum.

The Executive Committee is confident that we have reached a stage where we can go forward with leaner but appropriate structures and in 2009 can show purpose and energy in addressing the major challenges facing prisons and the criminal justice system and draw on the rich experience of our members in doing so.