Women offenders: after the Corston Report - United Kingdom ...

Women offenders: after the Corston Report 35which he should not when he is in prison, it is possible. But it is not for women; theirchildren are dispersed and reunification is frequently impossible.” 16884. We heard several examples which illustrated the 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 them backfrom care after her release, and was only able to have monthly contact. 170 Anotherdescribed observations of her fellow prisoners’ difficulties in making appropriatealternative arrangements for their 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 they didn’t have supporting family. I had one daughter, and mysiblings closed ranks around me really and helped with my daughter, but there 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 the imprisonment of theirmother, 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 the majority are sent to live with friends or relatives, between10 and 20% of these children are taken into care; moving home may also mean movingschools. 174 Many women going into prison may not have been their children’s main carerbut this does not mean that they did not have regular contact and good relationships withthem. 175 According to the 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 their peers; nearly two thirds of boys who have a parent in prison will go on tocommit some kind of crime themselves. 176 Clinks cited research indicating that childrenwith a parent in prison are likely to experience ‘complex health, social and welfaredisadvantages, including the impact of poverty, family discord, substance abuse and mentalhealth issues’. 177 Nevertheless the children affected by imprisonment are not systematicallyidentified, neither is there information on where they live or which services they areaccessing. 17886. The UK has signed up to the 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 womenoffenders, 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 their problems’, in P. Scharff-Smithand L. Gampell, eds. Children of imprisoned parents. Denmark: Jes Ellehauge Hansen178 Ev 95