Information and Support
If you or someone you know have been affected by the issues raised in the BBC Three Crime and Punishment season, the following organisations can help.
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Crime & Punishment Season
Does the punishment fit the crime? A season of new BBC Three documentaries explores justice in the UK and America.
SUPPORT FOR PRISONERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Nacro (England & Wales)
Nacro provides a range of services to people who are or have been prison, and their families including skills, debt advice and to help resettle ex-offenders.
Phone: 0300 123 1889
SACRO (Scotland)
SACRO offer a range of services including community mediation, families and prisoner contact and supervised accommodation for the homeless offender.
Phone: 0131 624 7270
NIACRO (Northern Ireland)
NIACRO Family Links offers practical and emotional support, advocacy and advice to families and children who have a family member in prison.
Phone: 028 9032 0157 (weekdays 9am–5pm)
Pact
Pact provide practical and emotional support to prisoners' children and families, and to prisoners themselves.
Phone: 0808 808 3444
The Prisoners’ Advice Service
Pact provide practical and emotional support to prisoners' children and families, and to prisoners themselves.
Phone: 020 7253 3323 (Mon, Wed and Fri.10:00-12:30 and 14:00-16:30)
Families Outside
Families Outside provides support and information to mitigate the effects of imprisonment on children and families in Scotland.
Phone: 0800 254 0088
Prisoners’ Families and Friends Service
Prisoners’ Families and Friends Service provides support, advice and information to the families and friends of prisoners.
Phone: 0808 808 3444
POPS
POPS (Partners of Prisoners and Families Support Group) aims to provide a variety of services to support anyone who has a link with someone in prison, prisoners and other agencies. POPS provides assistance to these groups for the purpose of enabling families to cope with the stress of arrest, imprisonment and release.
You can contact POPS by phoning 0161 702 1000 or emailing us on [email protected]. Alternatively for more information visit the POPS site.
Ormiston
Ormiston Children & Families Trust supports children and young people in the east of England, cope with the imprisonment of a parent.
ADDICTION
WithYou
WithYou provides free and confidential support to adults and young people experiencing challenges with drugs, alcohol, or their mental health. An online webchat service is available seven days a week
Visit the We Are With You website
Drinkline
Drinkline is a confidential helpline for those worried about their own or someone else's drinking. They can put you in touch with your local alcohol advice centre for help and support.
Phone: 0300 123 1110
FRANK
FRANK provides a confidential service to anyone wanting information, advice or support about any aspect of drugs.
Phone: 0300 123 6600
Webchat available
Know the Score
Know the Score provides confidential drugs information and advice across Scotland.
Phone: 0800 587 5879
Webchat available
AddictionNI
AddictionNI provides support and treatment to people affected by alcohol or drug addiction in Northern Ireland.
Phone: 0289 066 4434
The Wales Drug And Alcohol Helpline
The Wales Drug And Alcohol Helpline is a bilingual helpline providing information or help to individuals, their families, carers, and support workers.
Phone: 0808 808 2234 (24/7)
ASCERT
ASCERT provides support services to young people, adults and families in Northern Ireland who are affected by drugs or alcohol.
Phone 0800 2545 123
Phoenix Futures
Phoenix Futures provides support for people with substance misuse problems in community, prison and residential services across Scotland and England.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Women's Aid
Women's Aid provides practical support and information for women experiencing domestic violence via the Survivor's Handbook and local domestic violence services.
The Hideout
The Hideout is a website created by Women’s Aid to help children and young people to understand domestic abuse and how to take positive action if it's happening to them.
The 24 Hour Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline (Northern Ireland)
The 24 Hour Domestic & Sexual Abuse Helpline (Northern Ireland) offers referral to a range of services to all women, men and children affected by domestic & sexual violence.
Phone: 0808 802 1414
The ManKind Initiative
The ManKind Initiative provides confidential help and support for male victims of domestic abuse and domestic violence.
Phone: 0808 800 1170
Live Fear Free Helpline
Live Fear Free Helpline is a confidential, sign posting and information service for anyone experiencing domestic abuse and/or sexual violence in Wales.
Phone: 0808 80 10 800 (24/7)
Scottish Women's Aid
HOMELESSNESS, FINANCE, LEGAL AID
Shelter
Shelter helps people struggling with bad housing or homelessness, via their website, helpline and face to face services.
Phone: 0808 800 4444
Shelter Cymru
Shelter Cymru provides free specialist legal advice and advocacy to anyone with housing difficulties in Wales.
Phone: 08000 495 495
Shelter Scotland
Shelter helps people struggling with bad housing or homelessness, via their website, helpline and face to face services.
Phone: 0808 800 4444
Housing Rights Service
Housing Rights Service provides advocacy and legal representation and debt advice to families in Northern Ireland threatened with repossession.
StepChange Debt Charity
StepChange Debt Charity helps people in financial difficulty by providing free, confidential, independent and realistic debt advice.
Helpline: 0800 138 1111
National Debtline
National Debtline offers free, impartial, debt advice.
Phone: 0808 808 4000
My Money Steps
My Money Steps is a free, interactive online debt advice service, which provides a personalised action plan for dealing with your debts.
Civil Legal Advice
Civil Legal Advice provides specialist independent legal advice in debt, education, discrimination, housing, and family law to people in England & Wales who live on a low income or benefits.
If a client is financially eligible, it never charges for use of its services. All of the help and advice is funded by the government through legal aid.
Advice is available via the helpline on 0845 345 4 345 and an Online Advice service at the Civil Legal Advice site.
Those who cannot be offered advice will be directed to alternative sources of advice and information, including local legal aid providers.
HOMICIDE
Victim Support
Victim Support provides emotional and practical help to victims or witnesses of any crime, whether or not it has been reported to the police.
Phone: 0808 16 89 111 (24/7)
Victim Support Scotland
Victim Support Scotland offers emotional and practical support to all victims and witnesses of crime across Scotland.
Phone: 0800 160 1985
Victim Support NI
Victim Support NI offers emotional and practical support to all victims and witnesses of crime across Northern Ireland.
Phone: 028 9024 3133
Support after Murder and Manslaughter
Support after Murder and Manslaughter offers understanding and support to families and friends who have been bereaved as a result of murder or manslaughter, through the mutual support of others who have suffered a similar tragedy.
Phone: 0121 472 2912
MENTAL HEALTH
Mind
Mind provides advice and support on a range of topics including types of mental health problems, self-harm, legislation and details of local help and support in England and Wales.
Phone: 0300 123 3393
Community Advice & Listening Line
Community Advice & Listening Line offers emotional support and information on mental health and related matters to people in Wales.
Phone: 0800 132 737 (24/7) or text "help" to 81066
SAMH
SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) can provide general mental health information and signpost you to your local services.
Phone: 0344 800 0550
Visit the SAMH website
Inspire
Inspire provides support services including addiction and mental health across Northern Ireland.
Phone: 0808 189 0036
RAPE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE
Rape Crisis England & Wales
Rape Crisis England & Wales offers confidential support and information to women in England and Wales who have survived any form of sexual violence, no matter how long ago. Also provides immediate support to friends and family on how to support female survivors of sexual violence.
Phone: 0808 500 2222
Rape Crisis Scotland
Rape Crisis Scotland provides confidential support for anyone affected by sexual violence, no matter when or how it happened. They can also put you in touch with local rape crisis centres.
Phone: 0808 801 03 02
NEXUS NI
NEXUS NI offer counselling to victims of rape, sexual violence and sexual abuse across Northern Ireland aged 16 and over.
Phone: 028 9032 6803
Survivors Trust
The Survivors Trust provide support and signposting for women, men and children who are survivors of rape, sexual violence or childhood sexual abuse.
Phone: 0808 801 0818
Survivors UK
Survivors UK provides support for men and non-binary survivors of sexual abuse via an on line helpline, counselling, ISVA, plus group and peer support services.
The National Association for People Abused in Childhood
The National Association for People Abused in Childhood offers support, advice and guidance to adult survivors of any form of childhood abuse.
Phone: 0808 801 0331
Visit the National Association for People Abused in Childhood website
Prisoners Education Trust
Prisoners Education Trust (PET) provides access to broader learning opportunities for prisoners, to enhance their chances of building a better life after release.
Phone:0203 752 5680
Opportunity Youth
Opportunity Youth (Northern Ireland) provides a range of services including drug and alcohol support in the community and in prisons and support for young offenders.
Phone: 028 9043 5810
SUICIDE, INQUESTS
PAPYRUS
PAPYRUS offer support, practical advice and information to young people considering suicide and can also offer help and advice if you’re concerned about someone you know.
Phone: 0800 068 41 41 (24/7)
Lifeline
Lifeline provides support to people suffering distress or despair in Northern Ireland, regardless of age or district.
Phone: 0808 808 8000 (24/7)
Samaritans
Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provides a safe place to talk 24 hours a day.
Phone: 116 123
CALM
CALM, the campaign against living miserably is a suicide prevention charity that offers free, anonymous and confidential support via their helpline and webchat for anyone who is in crisis.
Phone: 0800 58 58 58
Visit the CALM website
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide exists to meet the needs and break the isolation of those bereaved by the suicide of a close relative or friend.
Phone: 0300 111 5065
CARE SYSTEM
Become
Become offers confidential help and advice to young people in, or who have been in care.
Phone: 0800 023 2033
A National Voice
A National Voice is an organisation run by and for care experienced young people. Some staff are also care experienced.
Its main aim is to create positive changes to the Care System in England and provide a national platform to hear the voices of approx 65,000 children and young people who are Looked After.
Prison Reform Trust
The work of the Prison Reform Trust is aimed at creating a just, humane and effective penal system.
They do this by inquiring into the workings of the system; informing prisoners, staff, and the wider public; and by influencing parliament, government and officials towards reform.
INQUEST
INQUEST provides specialist advice on deaths in custody or detention or involving state failures in England and Wales.
Coram Children's Legal Centre
Coram Children's Legal Centre offers free legal information, advice and representation to children and their families in child, family and education law.
Phone: 0345 345 4345
Wellbeing Scotland
Wellbeing Scotland offer a diverse range of support services for adults, children and families in Scotland who have suffered any form of abuse, trauma, at risk of sexual exploitation, plus support with issues that affect wellbeing including bullying, anxiety or relationships.
Phone: 0800 121 6027 (Mon Fri 9-11am)
LEARNING DISABILITIES
Voice UK
Voice UK is a national charity supporting people with learning disabilities and other vulnerable people who have experienced crime or abuse.
Its helpline for carers, parents and professionals is 0808 802 8686, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, or email [email protected].
Text 07797 800 642.
Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities
The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities (FPLD) is part of the Mental Health Foundation and is dedicated to reducing the stigma and discrimination faced by people with learning disabilities.
The FPLD provides information and resources, and pilots innovative service models that can help people with learning disabilities lead full and independent lives.
Phone: 020 7803 1120
Email: [email protected]
Visit the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities site
ADDERS
ADDERS provides information and as much free practical help as possible to those affected by Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
ADDISS
ADDISS, the Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service, provides information and resources to anyone who needs assistance - parents, sufferers, teachers or health professionals.
Phone on 020 8952 2800
