Policy & Practice
Policy Press publishes policy review and polemic books that aim to challenge policy for, or thinking about, a certain field of policy or practice as well as books aimed at a practice audience. These books are written in an accessible style whilst being academically sound and appropriately referenced.
Integrating victims in restorative youth justice
Current youth justice policy aims to introduce principles of restorative justice and involve victims in responses to crime. The challenges involved in delivering this in a form that is sensitive to victims are considerable. This report provides an evaluation of the manner in which one Youth Offending Service sought to integrate victims.
Economic segregation in England
Causes, consequences and policy
One of the key objectives of government neighbourhood policy is to encourage a sustainable mix of tenures and incomes. This report addresses questions of why integration has been so difficult to achieve in practice and draws conclusions for future policy.
FREE pdf version available online at www.jrf.org.uk
Reshaping probation and prisons
The new offender management framework
The Government has embarked on a programme of radical reform for the probation and prison services with the setting up of a National Offender Management Service (NOMS). This groundbreaking volume takes a critical look at the different aspects of the NOMS proposals, at a time when the Government is still working out the detail of its reforms.
The citizen's stake
Exploring the future of universal asset policies
Can and should asset-based policies become a new pillar of the welfare state? Can they form the basis for a more egalitarian form of market economy? The citizen's stake throws open the debate by bringing together the ideas of leading thinkers in academia and policy to explore the future scope of asset-based policies in Britain.
Developments in direct payments
From a campaigning concept in the 1970s, direct payments - the substitution of cash for services - have become a key part of UK government social care provision. This book charts the change, critically evaluating progress, take-up, inclusion and access to direct payments by different user groups.
Children these days
What is it like to be a child growing up in Britain these days? Is it a happy or anxious time? What are the best and worst aspects of being a child today? This book draws on accounts of over two thousand children and five hundred adults, to examine the present day meaning of childhood and its implications for policy and practice.
Building better credit unions
In the UK there is increasing acceptance that credit unions have an important role to play in providing affordable credit to all sections of society. This study identifies current patterns of credit union development, quantifies their performance and isolates factors which make some more successful than others. Free PDF available at www.jrf.org.uk
What works in tackling health inequalities?
Pathways, policies and practice through the lifecourse
This authoritative yet accessible book identifies the key targets for intervention through a detailed exploration of pathways and processes that give rise to health inequalities. It sets this against an examination of both local practice and the national policy context, to establish what works in health inequalities policy, how and why.
Faith as social capital
Connecting or dividing?
The UK government has identified Faith communities as important players in community development and regeneration. But religion is also associated with conflict and division. How far is this faith in 'Faith' justified? How far should Faith communities comply? This report assesses the debate and the evidence. Free PDF available at www.jrf.org.uk
Household spending in Britain
What can it teach us about poverty?
Much of the recent policy debate surrounding poverty in Britain focuses on income as a measure of living standards. In this report we consider one alternative to income for measuring poverty that has been largely overlooked in the mainstream poverty debate in the UK: namely household expenditure. Free PDF version available at www.jrf.org.uk
The persistence of poverty across generations
A view from two British cohorts
The recent focus on reducing child poverty stems mainly from worries about the future consequences of poverty on children's later achievement. This report explores the link between childhood poverty and poverty later in life, and asks whether this link has grown stronger or weaker in recent decades. Free PDF available at www.jrf.org.uk
Getting out and staying out
Results of the prisoner Resettlement Pathfinders
Short-term prisoners have exceptionally high reconviction rates. Growing recognition of this and of deficiencies in prison-probation coordination has accelerated 'resettlement' of ex-prisoners up the penal agenda. This report looks at the effectiveness of these strategies in detail through three case studies of 'Resettlement Pathfinders' projects.