Featured image is a group collage by Romany people from one of the prisons visited for the project.
Today, Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) released ‘Trapped in the turnstile: Understanding the Impacts of the Criminal Justice System on Gypsy, Roma, Traveller young adults and their families’, a Barrow Cadbury Trust-supported report offering first-hand insights into young Romany, Roma and Traveller people’s experiences of the criminal justice system. A summary version can be found here.
Partnering with specialist organisations Hibiscus Initiatives, York Travellers Trust, TravellerSpace, and Travelling Ahead, as part of a two-year project for the Transition to Adulthood Alliance, FFT held focus groups with young Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people in prison and interviews with their families.
Key findings included:
- Lack of support throughout the custodial journey for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people and their families.
- Lack of accessible and culturally appropriate education, practical courses and workshops, or support for mental health needs.
- Poor awareness and understanding of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
Experiences were varied, but underlying themes of hopelessness, unrelenting discrimination, and a fatalism to repeat the cycle were woven in the stories we heard.
Responses brought attention to how prejudice permeates every life stage for Romany, Irish Traveller, Roma and New Traveller people, and even influences views in later life, with respondents referencing exposure to the CJS from an early age.
Testimonies also spoke of the ‘revolving door’ that’s often created through the CJS, whereby people in prison find themselves trapped in a turnstile without the necessary tools to secure stability post-release.
The report calls for:
- Effective alternatives to remand for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller offenders.
- Signposting and support for individuals at every stage of the criminal justice pathway, including co-produced, accessible resources for families.
- Cultural competency training for staff including probation/parole staff across CJS.
- Culturally appropriate education and additional practical courses for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller prisoners.
Designed to support professionals working with young Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people in the CJS, the report includes key recommendations so that when the future comes, no one gets trapped in the turnstile.
The full report can be seen here, and a summary version here.
Report author and Criminal Justice Policy Officer at Friends, Families and Travellers, Sam Worrall, said:
“This report is the culmination of two years of focus groups and interviews with Romany, Roma and Traveller people currently experiencing the unrelenting gears of the criminal justice system.
‘Trapped in the Turnstile’ provides a crucial platform for prisoners and their families to have their experiences amplified, in the hope that those responsible will take vital steps to ensure no one is subjected to unfair and unequal treatment, regardless of their background.”
Debbie Pippard, Funding Manager at Barrow Cadbury Trust added:
“Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are among the most marginalised in the UK, and vastly over-represented in the incarcerated population…Despite this, their voices and views are seldom heard. We warmly welcome this report, which contains a wealth of contributions of young Gypsies, Roma and Travellers.
We trust that this important report marks the start of increased understanding of their views, experiences and culture, leading to improvements in the criminal justice response and a decrease in numbers imprisoned.”
ENDS
About Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT)
Friends, Families and Travellers is a leading national charity that works to end racism and discrimination against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people and to protect the right to pursue a nomadic way of life.
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Additional Resources
Trapped in the Turnstile: Understanding the Impacts of the Criminal Justice System on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Young Adults and their Families. Friends, Families and Travellers. February 2025. Read.
Summary Report: Understanding the Impacts of the Criminal Justice System on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Young Adults and their Families. Friends, Families and Travellers. February 2025. Read.
