Women offenders: after the Corston Report - United Kingdom ...
Women offenders: after the Corston Report - United Kingdom ...
Women offenders: after the Corston Report - United Kingdom ...
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Justice Committee: Evidence Ev 69for example, HMI Prisons was impressed by <strong>the</strong> extent to which women provided positive support to each o<strong>the</strong>rboth informally and as peer supporters in a well organised and effective induction and resettlement service.19. <strong>Women</strong> are increasingly being held in multi-functional establishments and fur<strong>the</strong>r away from home. Thisis despite <strong>the</strong> fact that PSO 4800 says that women should be held as close to home as possible. There are nowomen’s prisons in Wales or in large parts of England. A prison’s catchment area is now so large as to makevisiting difficult for families and to pose challenges when trying to make links with community resettlementservices.20. Previously, young adult women lived in separate units from older women. Now, in almost all women’sprisons, <strong>the</strong>y have been absorbed into <strong>the</strong> general population despite <strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong> emotional, education andactivity needs of a 19-year-old will usually be very different from <strong>the</strong> majority of <strong>the</strong> female prison population(half of whom are over 30 according to our surveys). In contrast, young adult men are seen as a distinct groupwith distinct needs. Young adult women are almost invisible and do not receive <strong>the</strong> same focus as <strong>the</strong>irmale counterparts.21. There are some women whose level of need is so extreme (for example, those in <strong>the</strong> Keller Unit atStyal) that prison is simply <strong>the</strong> wrong environment in which to hold <strong>the</strong>m. This is despite <strong>the</strong> best efforts ofdedicated staff within prisons. That staff are supportive of women is borne out by our surveys. Most womenhave told us that <strong>the</strong>y have a member of staff <strong>the</strong>y can turn to for help. None<strong>the</strong>less, <strong>the</strong>re is a limit to whatstaff can achieve without sufficient resources and guidance. Men who are as repeatedly violent to o<strong>the</strong>rs inprison as some women are to <strong>the</strong>mselves are treated as a national responsibility and managed with resourcesand attention from <strong>the</strong> centre. <strong>Women</strong>, on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, are left to local prisons to manage as best <strong>the</strong>y can.22. The management of prisons, and individual prisoners, can often be dominated by men. The ratio of maleto female staff is too high in some prisons. Recent inspections of Peterborough and Send found a ratio of 63:37and 42:58 respectively. At Peterborough, only about 40% of officers had undertaken training on working withwomen prisoners. More generally, a decision making hierarchy in respect of women in prison can contain onlymen—from a male wing officer through management structures all <strong>the</strong> way up to a male chief executive ofNOMS and a male Secretary of State (and inspected by a male Chief Inspector). This chain of men may notbe <strong>the</strong> best structure to respond to <strong>the</strong> needs of very troubled women.23. The prison population is 95% male and <strong>the</strong> management of prisons is overwhelmingly geared towards<strong>the</strong> management of that male population. This is despite <strong>the</strong> differences in need between men and women inprison. Simply treating women <strong>the</strong> same as men will not create <strong>the</strong> equality that criminal justice agencies nowhave a statutory duty to promote. To reduce <strong>the</strong> women’s population and to maintain and fur<strong>the</strong>r developimprovements for women in prison, visible leadership and a distinct structure are required. There are variousmodels which can be looked to for inspiration such as <strong>the</strong> Youth Justice Board or <strong>the</strong> Ministerial Board onDeaths in Custody which has been a successful model for focusing attention on a particular issue.24. All our reports, including inspection and <strong>the</strong>matic reports, can be found on our website athttp://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/inspectorate-reports/hmi-prisons.September 20121. IntroductionWritten evidence from <strong>Women</strong>’s Breakout1.1 <strong>Women</strong>’s Breakout welcomes <strong>the</strong> Justice Select Committee inquiry into women <strong>offenders</strong> and those atrisk of offending, particularly at this time when <strong>the</strong>re is a sense that <strong>the</strong> impetus generated from <strong>the</strong> <strong>Corston</strong><strong>Report</strong> appears to be waning, and it feels as if we are on <strong>the</strong> verge of losing some hard won progress.1.2 The <strong>Corston</strong> <strong>Report</strong> provided us with a thoughtful and realistic vision to improve outcomes for womenin <strong>the</strong> criminal justice system and those at risk of offending. It reached across <strong>the</strong> Criminal Justice system, asis appropriate, and called for a co-ordinated approach to <strong>the</strong> issues affecting this very vulnerable group ofwomen. While all of <strong>the</strong> recommendations are of interest to <strong>Women</strong>’s Breakout and its member organisations,we have a unique offer to <strong>the</strong> Justice Select Committee as we are <strong>the</strong> delivery arm of a set of recommendationsand have worked for <strong>the</strong> last five years with <strong>the</strong> Ministry of Justice, and subsequently <strong>the</strong> National OffenderManagement Service, on <strong>the</strong> implementation of <strong>the</strong>se recommendations.1.3 The <strong>Corston</strong> <strong>Report</strong> made a number of recommendations that put <strong>Women</strong>’s Centres at <strong>the</strong> heart of aprogramme of community alternatives for women who offend or are at risk of offending. The report called for<strong>the</strong> development of a larger network of community centres in accordance with a centrally coordinated strategicnational plan with <strong>the</strong> delivery of appropriate and coordinated services based on a one-stop-shop approach.The report stated that <strong>Women</strong>’s Centres should be used as referral centres for women who offend or are at riskof offending; as court and police diversions; as part of a package of measures for community sentences; andfor <strong>the</strong> delivery of probation and o<strong>the</strong>r programmes.