New Chance Service

New Chance is an intervention for women over 18 years, intended to divert them away from entering further into the criminal justice system. West Midlands Police are the single referring agency into the service and make referrals primarily through Out of Court Resolutions but may also make voluntary referrals where appropriate.

The New Chance service aims to

• Divert women from the formal criminal justice process by providing an effective community-based alternative to prosecution or conviction and potential short custodial sentences.
• Address underlying and root issues contributing to offending behaviour, including but not limited to substance use, mental health, housing instability, domestic abuse and socio-economic factors, through support tailored to an individual woman’s needs.
• Provide trauma- and gender-responsive support that recognises and meets the specific needs of women in the criminal justice system, considering their individual experiences.
• Improve community safety by promoting rehabilitation, reducing re-offending rates and improving women’s outcomes e.g. education, training and employment and family relationships. Achieved through empowering women to lead safe and healthy lives.
• Work collaboratively with statutory and non-statutory community-based partners to ensure a coordinated multi-disciplinary approach that leverages local knowledge and resources to achieve the best outcomes for women.