ON THIS DAY in 2016, a pioneering scheme aimed at transforming the lives of women offenders in Conwy and Denbighshire received a significant boost with additional funding.
The Pathfinders Diversion scheme, which was established by Integrated Offender Management (IOM) Cymru and operated by the Rhyl-based Women's Centre, was designed to steer women away from a life of crime and provide them with alternative solutions to their problems.
The project had already shown promising results, prompting the Home Office to allocate £202,987 in funding to extend its operation until March 2017.
Gemma Fox, managing director of the North Wales Women's Centre, expressed her delight at the news, stating: “I’m delighted the Home Office has seen fit to extend this project until March 2017.
"We couldn’t have wished for better news.”
Fox, who had dedicated 16 years to developing the North Wales Women's Centre, described the initiative as one of the most groundbreaking she had ever been involved with, believing it had the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of at-risk women and their families across the region.
The scheme focused on helping potential female offenders maintain stability by guiding them towards various options that could resolve their issues.
Prior to the announcement of the funding extension, the project was only financed until September 2016.
The Pathfinders Diversion strategy included part-time case workers who attended the custody suite at the divisional police headquarters in St Asaph.
They were alerted about the arrest of women offenders, allowing them to intervene promptly.
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Fox elaborated on the target demographic, saying: “It is aimed at women with no previous convictions or women who have not reoffended within two years of a previous conviction.
"We aim to help them work things out, through practical interventions such as rehabilitation programmes for those with alcohol or substance misuse problems.”
The initiative marked a significant step forward in addressing the needs of women in the criminal justice system in North Wales.
This article was originally published in the Rhyl Journal on April 18, 2016.
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