Centre launched to help reduce victims of sexual harm

This is the sixth project by the SLF since its launch in 2014

The Corbett Centre for Prisoner Reintegration is the first of its kind in the UK. Through the Centre, SLF will offer practical and emotional support, education and training to people with convictions who are trying to live productive and offence-free lives. The charity hopes to cut serious crime by reducing repeat offending, especially sexual offending, thereby preventing further victims.

Service users will have access to advice on employment, education and housing issues. They will also be offered help with social skills to tackle isolation and thereby improve their ability to safely integrate into local community life and provide good citizenship.

Formed as a partnership between HMP Whatton and the School of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University, SLF offers support to people with sexual convictions.

The aim of the charity is to promote wellbeing within communities through the reduction of sexual offending, re-offending, victim levels and levels of risk associated with such crimes. Much of this is provided by trained volunteers and staff who have knowledge and experience of working with individuals convicted of a sexual offence.

Partnered with NTU, Nottinghamshire Police and other local agencies, the work of the charity will contribute to the development of innovative and creative educational programmes to increase awareness about preventing sexual harm.

The Centre will also facilitate NTU research into the reintegration and rehabilitation of individuals with sexual convictions.

Professor Belinda Winder, head of NTU's Sexual Offences, Crime and Misconduct Research Unit and co-founder of SLF, said: “This important initiative will support our existing research to understand and prevent sexual abuse. It will also go a step further in encouraging us to apply our findings so that we can have a real impact on improving the safety of the public and preventing sexual crime.”

Lynn Saunders, chair and co-founder of SLF and governor of HMP Whatton, added: “I am delighted that we are able to provide this much needed resource. I am extremely grateful for the support of NTU and Nottinghamshire police in this exciting and important new venture for the Safer Living Foundation.”

Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping said: “This ground-breaking piece of work will hopefully set the new standard for post-sentence reintegration into the community.  It’s absolutely logical.  If we can rehabilitate offenders and support them as they return to live in the community, they will be safer and less likely to reoffend.  This in turn means there will be fewer victims of sexual abuse and harm.  It’s an ambitious project and I’m proud to be involved.”

This innovative work has been nationally recognised, including being commended in the Organisation of the Year category at the Howard League for Penal Reform Community Awards 2018; winning the Social and Community Impact award at the Guardian University Awards 2016; and receiving the Robin Corbett Award for Prisoner Reintegration in 2015. Lynn Saunders also won the leadership excellence award in the Guardian Public Service Awards 2018.