Campaigners call for closure of women’s prisons
The government has been urged to close all the women’s prisons in England and Wales, after new research revealed inmates are at high risk of depression and self-harm.
The Howard League for Penal Reform recommends all but the most dangerous female offenders be given punishment outside prison to improve their chances of rehabilitation.
Research by the campaign group highlights the fact that 67 per cent of female prisoners go on to reoffend, compared to just 47 per cent who are given community sentences.
It argues that not only is the system not protecting the public, but it is causing significant damage to the women themselves, of whom three quarters have mental health problems, a third have been sexually abused and half have been subject to domestic violence.
Women make up about six per cent of the total prison population, an increase from 3.5 per cent in 1990, although this has remained steady in the past two years.
But they represent 55 per cent of all self-harm incidents in prisons, while about a third of all female inmates have been put on suicide watch at one time or another.
However, 62 per cent are only sentenced to less than a year and a fifth of the female prison population is waiting to go to trial. When they get there, 59 per cent are not even given a custodial sentence.
Howard League director Frances Cook today called for a properly planned closure programme for the 15 women’s prisons in England and Wales.
She said shifting resources into community sentencing projects would help women and also help their children – 60 per cent of female inmates have children, but they are twice as likely to live more than 50 miles from their home than male inmates.
Ms Cook said the current review being conducted by Baroness Corston in the wake of six female suicides at Styal prison would provide the impetus for ministers to “think radically” about reducing the women’s prison population.
“The vast majority can be managed safely in the community where they can make amends for their offending and help to heal the damage done by crime directly with victims or with the wider community,” she said.
In his review of the criminal justice system last month, home secretary John Reid made clear there were some people in prison who should not be there, including 10,000 foreign nationals, those with mental health issues and vulnerable women.
And today a Home Office spokesman insisted: “Custody will remain appropriate for women who are serious or persistent offenders. However, the government is keen to encourage greater use of community alternatives for women wherever possible.”
He said the women’s offending reduction programme aimed to improve community services to ensure they were appropriate for female offenders, and said £9.15 million had been allocated for new initiatives to provide an alternative to custody.
The community sentencing rate for women increased from 5.7 per cent to 10.9 per cent between 1994 and 2004. However, the league’s research shows a doubling in the custody rates for burglary and fraud, and a 150 per cent rise in the custody rate for theft.
