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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<strong>Women</strong> <strong>offenders</strong>: <strong>after</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Corston</strong> <strong>Report</strong> 35which he should not when he is in prison, it is possible. But it is not for women; <strong>the</strong>irchildren are dispersed and reunification is frequently impossible.” 16884. We heard several examples which illustrated <strong>the</strong> profound impact of imprisonment onfamilies. 169 A former woman offender who had been caring for her grandchildren,including a disabled grandson, before being imprisoned, had been unable to get <strong>the</strong>m backfrom care <strong>after</strong> her release, and was only able to have monthly contact. 170 Ano<strong>the</strong>rdescribed observations of her fellow prisoners’ difficulties in making appropriatealternative arrangements for <strong>the</strong>ir children:“It was very unusual to meet a woman in prison who did not have several children,very often with different partners, very often children in care or children about to beplaced in care if <strong>the</strong>y didn’t have supporting family. I had one daughter, and mysiblings closed ranks around me really and helped with my daughter, but <strong>the</strong>re werea lot of women who didn’t have strong families or had several children. 17185. It is unknown how many children are affected annually by <strong>the</strong> imprisonment of <strong>the</strong>irmo<strong>the</strong>r, but it is estimated to be around 17,000. 172 A higher proportion of women (14%)than men (1%) reported having lived alone with dependent children prior toimprisonment. 173 Although <strong>the</strong> majority are sent to live with friends or relatives, between10 and 20% of <strong>the</strong>se children are taken into care; moving home may also mean movingschools. 174 Many women going into prison may not have been <strong>the</strong>ir children’s main carerbut this does not mean that <strong>the</strong>y did not have regular contact and good relationships with<strong>the</strong>m. 175 According to <strong>the</strong> Prison Reform Trust, children with a parent in prison are threetimes more likely to have mental health problems or to engage in anti-social behaviourthan <strong>the</strong>ir peers; nearly two thirds of boys who have a parent in prison will go on tocommit some kind of crime <strong>the</strong>mselves. 176 Clinks cited research indicating that childrenwith a parent in prison are likely to experience ‘complex health, social and welfaredisadvantages, including <strong>the</strong> impact of poverty, family discord, substance abuse and mentalhealth issues’. 177 Never<strong>the</strong>less <strong>the</strong> children affected by imprisonment are not systematicallyidentified, nei<strong>the</strong>r is <strong>the</strong>re information on where <strong>the</strong>y live or which services <strong>the</strong>y areaccessing. 17886. The UK has signed up to <strong>the</strong> UN Bangkok Rules which state that a woman’s currentchildcare responsibilities should be considered as part of sentencing decisions by courts.168 Q 27169 See for example Ev w4, Ev 103, Ev w19, Ev w23, Ev w45, Ev 95170 Qq 45–48171 Q 49172 Ev 103, Ev 95173 Ministry of Justice, National Offender Management Service, A Distinct Approach: A guide to working with women<strong>offenders</strong>, March 2012, Ev 95174 Ev w48175 Ev 95176 Ev 103. See also Ev 114177 Ev 89, citing U. Convery and L. Moore. 2011. ‘Children of imprisoned parents and <strong>the</strong>ir problems’, in P. Scharff-Smithand L. Gampell, eds. Children of imprisoned parents. Denmark: Jes Ellehauge Hansen178 Ev 95