This project aims to provide pathways out of the justice system for socially and economically disadvantaged and vulnerable women who are charged with criminal offences, providing them with targeted, specialist in-house case-management services to address the causes of their offending and disadvantage. The case-management services target interlinked issues specific to women facing criminal charges including family violence trauma, victimisation, mental health issues, homelessness and alcohol and other drug addiction.
LACW’s in-house case-managers support women who are in or at risk of entering the criminal legal system, addressing issues that place them at risk of further criminalisation and imprisonment, with a focus on family violence trauma.
Both legal and non-legal needs are identified, and structured case-management provided through regular meetings and outreach to facilitate referrals to specialist services including victim support, housing, drug and alcohol and mental health services. The case managers oversee the provision of support, ensuring the client’s needs are addressed in a holistic way, reducing the likelihood they will cycle into reoffending and imprisonment, and providing pathways out of the justice system. A key benefit of in-house case management is our clients’ enhanced chances of being granted and succeeding on bail. This helps women to retain stability in housing and other therapeutic supports to ameliorate the risk of receiving a jail term.