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Save The Date: CARA Conference

Lecture Theatre 003

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"Turning that ship around"

Pathways through prevention, rehabilitation and recovery, for the justice-involved

From community resolutions to decarceration, 'Turning that ship around' is a one-day national conference that explores ways to improve outcomes for families involved with the criminal justice system.

As part of the event, will be sharing the findings from a national evaluation of Project CARA (Cautioning and Relationship Abuse). The CARA scheme was developed in 2011 as a conditional caution offered by the police to adults involved in first time offences of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) of standard or medium risk - as a way of intervening and preventing further domestic violence and abuse amongst first time offenders.

Since 2021, researchers from the University of Birmingham, University of Bristol, University of Southampton, University of Northumbria, Newcastle University, University of Leeds Beckett and University of Sheffield  have been working on funded research with The Hampton Trust, Restorative Solutions and Police Forces from across the UK, on the impact of Project CARA.

The event will launch key findings from the CARA study, bringing research evidence for the first time from victim-survivors, clients and those delivering CARA. 

Throughout the day we will also be hosting key speakers, and parallel workshops, that aim to promote debate and shared learning on prevention, rehabilitation and recovery for those involved with the criminal justice system. The conference is relevant for anyone working within the criminal justice system (CJS) but it will also have wider appeal to public health and social care organisations and professionals. 

The CARA conference is also being supported by Northumbria University, the Centre for Health and Social Equity (CHASE), Newcastle City Council Combatting Drugs Partnership and representatives of Northumbia University Gendered Violence and Abuse Interdisciplinary Research Theme.

Our programme will be focused on exploring:

The role and impact of community resolutions, including out-of-court resolutions, on reducing offending behaviours and promoting life chances and health;

How successful rehabilitation and recovery can prevent the cycle of reoffending;

How we can deliver meaningful and cost-effective solutions to ensure better outcomes for victims and their families;

How we can better orientate policy and processes to support children of a justice-involved parent.

Part of the day will be concerned with facilitating a large consultation session where you will be given the opportunity to share your ideas on policy practice and the needs of families and different family members involved in the CJS. On the day of the conference, we will also be joined by two “live artists” who will develop a mural in real time that captures the themes, learning and recommendations. Find out more about the artists here

Schedule 

 When What Who
 9:00am  Welcome and registration   
 9.30am  Conference introduction Dr William McGovern and Donna Kay
 9.45am  Opening Speaker TBC

10:00am

 Project CARA Chris Partridge, Emma Hazan, Dr Sara Morgan, Dr Rasiah Thayakaran and Professor Tracey Young
11.00am  BREAK  
11.30am

 Breakout sessions

1) TBC

2) Outcome Study: CARA Paper Professionals

3) Gangs, serious youth violence, child criminal exploitation and Drill music: A regional perspective

 

Dr Steph Scott 

Dr Hayley Alderson

Dr John Cavener

 12.15pm  LUNCH  
 1.15pm  Opening presentation: rehabilitation and reparation  Kam Stevens
 1.45pm  Project CARA findings: Presentation two - victim perspectives   Lydia Lochhead
 2.15pm  BREAK  
 2.35pm

Breakout sessions

1) Performing Gendered Justice: Judicial Dynamics in Problem Solving Courts for Women

2) Children Heard and Seen

3) Female Offending Caused by Coercive Control Project

 

Dr Sarah Waite and Dr Alexandria Bradley

Sarah Burrows/James Ottley

Professor Vanessa Bettinson

 3.15pm  Opening questions and panel  Host: Professor Monique Lhussier 
 3.45pm  Closing remarks

Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Dr Ali Heydari (delivered virtually)

Professor Rachel Armitage

Speakers

The presentations and breakout sessions will be interactive and they will include contributions from a range of topics, subject and discipline areas. 

Funding

The evaluation of Project CARA was funded by the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) National Priority Research Consortium for Health and Care Inequalities.

Read more here.

About the venue

Our £100 million, award-winning City Campus East development houses purpose-built and versatile spaces for conferences, talks, lectures and seminars. Conference attendees will enjoy the open exhibition and networking space, catering area and inclusive spaces, such as use of a parenting room and quiet rooms. These eco-friendly buildings are now part of the dramatic city skyline and provide the perfect venue to meet.

 

Register now

 

More about CHASE at Northumbria University

Northumbria University is dedicated to reducing health and social inequalities, contributing to the regional and national workforce and improving social, economic and health outcomes for the most marginalised in society. Through its new Centre for Health and Social Equity, known as CHASE, researchers will be delivering world-leading health and social equity research and creating innovative, evidence-based policies and data-driven solutions to bring impactful change across the region, the UK and globally.

Within CHASE our researchers are using the latest technologies across genomics, proteomics, epigenetics and metabolomics to further our understanding of diseas, ageing, drug delivery, nutrition and health at an individual level.

 

Event Details

Lecture Theatre 003
Business & Law Building, Northumbria University
City Campus East
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8ST


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