Comm
enting on the Lammy Review into treatment of, and outcomes for, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals in the criminal justice system, Switchback’s Interim CEO, Leah Selinger, said:
“This important report shines a light on the over-representation of BAME individuals in the criminal justice system. 89% of the young adult offenders we work with in London are from BAME backgrounds, and we welcome the call to address bias where it exists and improve rehabilitation support for BAME and other offenders.
“In particular we would encourage the government to take this opportunity to forge a more positive, work-focused prison culture, as suggested by the report. Switchback Trainees are five times less likely to reoffend than the average, and 80% move into jobs. Key to this success is creating a supportive environment where ethnicity – or any other factor – doesn’t hold offenders back from making a shift in personal narrative necessary to live life differently.”
