CJA Events & Member Meetings

The CJA holds regular events which give members and other organisations in the criminal justice sector the opportunity to discuss challenges, hear new ideas, support one another, and meet key policy makers. Find out more about becoming a member.

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Upcoming events

Online report launch: Beyond a numbers game, 5 June, 1PM-3PM

Join us on for the online launch of the CJA’s latest report. Beyond a numbers game explores how we can improve the recruitment, retention and progression of racially minoritised staff and how to build inclusive working cultures across the Criminal Justice System. Speakers include:

• Avtar Singh, HM Inspector of Probation who led the thematic inspection Race equality in probation: the experiences of black, Asian and minority ethnic probation service users and staff.
• Abimbola Johnson, Practicing barrister at Doughty Street Chambers and Chair of the Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board for the Police Race Action Plan. Abimbola is also a management committee member of the Black Barristers’ Network.
• Sarah Coccia, Executive Director of South Public Sector Prisons –  HM Prison and Probation Service. Sarah is also the operational lead for the Diversity and Inclusion action plans associated with the Lammy Review and the HMIP thematic review into Black male prisoners and Black prison staff.

Recent events

CJA Symposium: Improving Trust in the Criminal Justice System and Research, 3 March 2023

In March, the CJA, along with its partner University of Westminster, held its first academic symposium on the theme of improving trust in the criminal justice system and research. Over 100 delegates were in attendance, including academics, voluntary sector practitioners, statutory bodies, campaigners, people with lived experience and students from across the UK.  

How can we improve mental health in the criminal justice system?

At this Members Meeting, we welcomed a panel of experts to discuss how we can improve mental health in the criminal justice system. Watch the video below or read a blog summarising the key insights on improving mental health. We also heard from Charlie Taylor, Chief Inspector of Prisons, about his goals and priorities for the next five years. Read our blog highlighting the key points from Charlie Taylor’s keynote speech.

The role and future of policing

At this Members Meeting, an expert panel and members discussed the role of policing, how it should evolve over the next 20 years and how the legitimacy of the police could be strengthened. Watch the video or read a blog summarising the discussion.

Building a diverse criminal justice workforce 

At this event held in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, we welcomed government ministers and experts from across the system to discuss how we can build a more diverse criminal justice workforce. Justice secretary Robert Buckland and shadow justice secretary David Lammy provided opening remarks. We also wrote a blog summarising the key insights from the event. 

Tackling race disparity in the criminal justice system 

At this Members Meeting, justice minister Alex Chalk MP discussed the government’s response to the Lammy Review. This was followed by a panel of experts who set out how we can tackle race disparity in the criminal justice system. 

Valuing lived experience in the criminal justice system

In this online event as part of HMPPS Insights20, CJA Director Nina Champion was joined by three individuals with lived experience of the criminal justice system who now work in prisons and probation, helping people to turn their lives around. The panel discussed the value of lived experience and how we can improve representation of people with lived experience at all levels of the criminal justice workforce.