A seamless partnership? Developing mixed economy interventions in a non-custodial project for women

The movement towards localism, partnerships and governing 'networks' has renewed academic interest in the voluntary sector role in multi-agency work in criminal justice fields. This article argues that strategic partnerships which service systems for managing offenders are organizing into more complex formations which are poised to alter academic understanding of power relationships and roles among partners. Using Adelbart Evers' (2005) concept of 'hybridization', the complexity of service delivery partnerships and the varying interchanges among participating agencies is discussed. The analysis focuses on the start-up and first year of operation of the 'Chestnut Centre', a community-based project for diverting women from custody based in a city in the midlands of England. The results are presented as a case study of participants' reflections on power and legitimacy in the partnership; experiences of collaborative working; approaches towards service users; and perceptions of multi-agency partnerships. © The Author(s) 2012.