Women In Prison Flashcards
How much as women prisoners increased from 1993-2000?
148% increase
What is women prisoners in for?
Theft
Shoplifting
What are the organisational responses in women prisons?
ACCT- assessment, care in custody and teamwork
- run by the prison
- includes prisoners to help other inmates
Forum for preventing death in custody
- independently chaired by high level group
- 15 member organisation
Suicide and self-harm: what are the numbers?
37% have attempted suicide
Lack of mental health diagnosis
7.3 incidents per individual
15% suicides
47% self harm
Problems in women prisons?
Not enough offender behaviour programmes
No accommodation for women in wales
No provision for women and baby units- too far
The overcome of problems in women prisons? Corston 2007
Improvement in sanitation
Ending strip searches when entering the prison
Raise the profile of women in custody
Life skills given for them when they leave
Consider the impact of children when mothers go to prison
Give services to women- detoxification
Reserve custodial sentences to women with severe sentences
Government respond to justice committee 2013-2014
Avoid custody on low level crimes
Women serve sentences near family
High percentage suffer child abuse
Become resettlement prisons
Rehab as main priority
Children as secondary victims
Cost to families and society
Reoffending impact, unlikely to see their child
Delinquent behaviour in children
Children offenders are invisible, no information is shared to them
More affect to children if their mothers go to prison, than divorced parents
Women are usually lone parent before going to prison
55% of women have children under the age of 18
Prison conditions:
There is more surveillance for women compared to men
Less conform in rules due to mental health
Only 2 women prisons: Arkham grange and east Sutton park
Achievements and future challenges
Pros
ACCT good progress
Gender equality scheme 2008- giving specific needs to women
End full search
More community service options
Reduce female population
One stop shop support
Achievements and future challenges:
Cons
No change is number of prisoners
No sign of multi-functional custodial sentences
Prisons is still not reserved for serious offences
Funding is an issue
Resettlement of female prisoners
Third have lost their home
Not prepared for release
Lack of employment and skills
11% received help on housing matters
Third received help on debt
Higher percentage complete their community service compared to men
Devlin 1998
Women become invisible when they are in prison, through to a masculine world
Corston 2007
Women have been put through a system designed by men for men, their needs are not met
Abuse and trauma
53% abuse in childhood
31% in care
