Key findings

The findings won’t be a surprise to those working in the criminal justice voluntary sector. Demand for voluntary sector support continues to grow, with people presenting with more complex and urgent needs against a backdrop of declining public services and a rising cost of living.

In response, organisations are increasing caseloads, stretching staff capacity, and making difficult decisions about what they can and cannot sustain. This is not a sustainable way to deliver essential services.

Workforce challenges

Staff burnout is a major concern, as is the ability to retain skilled workers when salaries cannot compete with those in the public sector. Recruitment and retention are major issues, with voluntary organisations losing staff to better-paid public sector roles, and anticipating this worsening as the increase in employer’s National Insurance Contributions starts to bite (public sector employers are protected from this increase). 

Charities reported staff under extreme emotional strain, with burnout widespread, particularly among frontline workers dealing with high levels of trauma. Vicarious trauma is also an issue, with organisations reporting staff being diagnosed with PTSD. 

Vetting remains a barrier to employing people with lived experience, despite widespread recognition of the value they bring.

Funding

At the heart of this is the precarious nature of funding. Charities emphasised that short-term funding cycles create instability, preventing long-term planning – especially for smaller organisations. They described the sector as “plugging the gaps” left by declining public services.

Participants described challenges with statutory funding that we have seen in previous years’ surveys: freezes on prison budgets, contract shortfalls, and limited clarity on future opportunities while the sector awaits the outcome of the spending review. This has coincided with increased competition for funding from trusts and foundations. The sector’s sustainability is further challenged by the decision of several philanthropic funders to close while they review their priorities.

Short-term contracts, underfunded commissioning, and a competitive funding environment have left many organisations subsidising public services just to keep them running. While voluntary organisations are committed to adapting and innovating, there is a limit to how much they can absorb without sustained investment.

If these issues remain unaddressed, the quality of support available to people in contact with the criminal justice system will suffer.

Resilience

Yet, despite these challenges, there is still hope, resilience, and impact. Organisations continue to find ways to deliver high-quality, life-changing support — whether through employment programmes, women’s diversion schemes, or trauma-informed services that reduce reoffending.

The voluntary sector remains a driving force for rehabilitation and justice reform, but it cannot be expected to do this work alone, nor should it be treated as an afterthought in policy and funding decisions.

Looking ahead, Clinks argues that it is essential that voluntary organisations are recognised, valued, and properly resourced. We need to move beyond a system where the sector is constantly expected to adapt to unstable funding cycles, shifting policies, and gaps in statutory services. Instead, there must be genuine, long-term investment in prevention, rehabilitation, and partnership working with the voluntary sector—not just as a delivery mechanism, but as an equal and integral part of the criminal justice system.

Clinks Chief Exec Anne Fox concludes her foreword by quoting one of the charities consulted for the report:

“We keep going because we have to. Because if we don’t, who else will?”