Enhancing inclusion and health outcomes for criminal justice-experienced people through lived experience engagement: the example of RECONNECT

Revolving Doors is a national charity working to break the cycle of crisis and crime. We advocate for a system that addresses the drivers of contact with the criminal justice system, including trauma, poverty, and discrimination. We bring independent research, policy expertise and lived experience together to champion long-term solutions for justice reform. In this case study, we outline the work of our Lived Experience Team (LET) with RECONNECT, from the perspective of two of our RECONNECT lived experience representatives, David and Emily.

The issue

Disengagement and mistrust are major obstacles to achieving health inclusion for individuals with criminal justice experience. Past experiences of being let down and unheard have led to a lack of trust and disengagement from health services. This issue is particularly prevalent among those serving short-term prison sentences, who may question the importance of seeking support. Once released from prison, individuals are often left to navigate their health needs on their own, leading many to fall through the cracks, especially those caught in the revolving door of crisis and crime. This is characterised by repeat, low-level crime driven by unmet health and social needs, such as problems with drugs and alcohol, poverty, homelessness, or mental-ill health. Inadequate healthcare within prisons, long waiting lists, and limited awareness of available support further contribute to the challenges. Trust also plays a significant role, as individuals may be hesitant to admit their struggles or disclose sensitive issues – particularly women, who fear the consequences for their children – and tailored services that address their specific needs are often lacking. The transition back into the community brings additional hurdles for those lacking digital literacy, or guidance on the support available. While probation services may offer some support through signposting, there is a noticeable gap in their ability to provide the in-depth, comprehensive support that is most needed for people leaving prison, leading to health needs being overlooked.

Our approach and how it made a difference

In 2019, NHS England approached Revolving Doors with a vision for a care after-custody service aimed at improving continuity of care for individuals transitioning from prison to the community, which formed the basis of the RECONNECT service. This collaboration involved the Lived Experience Team (LET) working closely with the NHS England Health & Justice team to shape a service that truly met the needs of people leaving prison

Lived experience engagement has been central to the service's shaping, from initial discussions and specification development to board-level meetings and implementation. The LET played a pivotal role in developing some of RECONNECT’s key features, such as the inclusion of peer mentors. Recognising the barriers of mistrust faced by criminal justice-experienced people when interacting with professionals, our lived experience members consistently point to peer mentoring as a solution to bridge that gap and foster engagement.

“People with lived experience have been there. If you want to find solutions, you need to go to those who are most impacted by the solutions you’re trying to develop.”

– LET representative for RECONNECT

“I prefer to speak about my problems with someone who has been through the same and has come out on the other side... especially around sensitive things like mental health, because they get it, and they can understand how you feel at a given time. If you have someone who’s just there as a tick box exercise, you’re not going to get the same level of engagement and interest from people using the service.”

– LET representative for RECONNECT

The importance of extended support and personalised care was also emphasised. The LET voiced the need for support to begin well before release and be available for an extended period, allowing sufficient time to build trust.

“I’ve received therapy before and was only given 8 sessions. It made me feel really pressured to be ‘fine’ and wasn’t helpful to my recovery. Everyone gets through things at different times, and that’s what we wanted RECONNECT to reflect.”

– LET representative for RECONNECT

The LET's first-hand knowledge brought attention to important aspects that others without lived experience may have overlooked. For instance, they successfully made the case for RECONNECT not to be included as part of a licence condition and provided valuable insights on the language and strategies used to promote the service.

“Involving people with lived experience is cost-effective: as a service, it avoids you wasting money on solutions that don’t work.”

– LET representative for RECONNECT

“Meeting health needs should never be part of a licence condition.”

– LET representative for RECONNECT

Our lived experience members were also able to assess the impact of RECONNECT while conducting a visit to one of the service’s operational sites. One memorable feedback they report was that of an individual using RECONNECT in Surrey who went from being homeless on release to now being on a positive trajectory towards becoming a peer mentor. They described the support they received as “life-changing”, highlighting the transformative role of having a peer mentor who was readily available, offering continuous support, and facilitating faster referrals. Their success story exemplifies the vital role of lived experience engagement enabling positive life transformations that may not have been possible otherwise.

“When I did the site visits, I was pleased to see that people were really engaging with the service – this was one of our key concerns from the start. People engage better when it’s voluntary.”

– LET representative for RECONNECT

Key learnings from RECONNECT

• To maximise the involvement of individuals with lived experience, it is most effective to adopt a "blank page" approach that allows them to contribute valuable input right from the beginning of service development.
• Individuals with lived experience should be involved at both a strategic and delivery level, including by actively participating in the service specification and board meetings, acting as peer mentors, and evaluating impact.
• Equally important is the provision of accessible information that caters to individuals with diverse educational backgrounds, enabling their full engagement in the process, from induction packs for those using the service to internal reports for those in lived experience roles.
• Through-the-gate support, consistency, and continuity of staff are essential in providing effective support to those who are traditionally disengaged from health services.
• Specialised pathways providing tailored support for women, neurodivergent people, and other groups experiencing distinct needs, were identified as a crucial factor contributing to the success of RECONNECT.
• Enabling people to self-refer into RECONNECT empowers individuals, eliminates unnecessary bureaucracy, and increases engagement.
• Accountability measures such as site visits and audits carried out by people with lived experience help identify areas for improvement and promote transparency.
• Providing individuals with the flexibility to engage with the service at their own pace and allowing ample time to establish trust is crucial.
• Simplifying vetting processes and reducing waiting times for peer mentors’ applications can enhance the effectiveness of the service.