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| Vulnerable UK women choosing prison over life on the outside Vulnerable UK women choosing prison over life on the outside | |
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| Charities working with women released from prison say that some are breaching their parole conditions or committing further crimes so that they will be returned to jail – because their lives on the outside are so bleak. | Charities working with women released from prison say that some are breaching their parole conditions or committing further crimes so that they will be returned to jail – because their lives on the outside are so bleak. |
| Many of the women seek a return to prison because they have nowhere to live, fear an abusive partner or have unmet mental health needs. | Many of the women seek a return to prison because they have nowhere to live, fear an abusive partner or have unmet mental health needs. |
| The trend – which is particularly notable around Christmas – highlights what campaigners say is a chronic lack of concern for the women’s welfare upon release. | The trend – which is particularly notable around Christmas – highlights what campaigners say is a chronic lack of concern for the women’s welfare upon release. |
| “Christmas is a really difficult time if they haven’t got family,” said Joy Doal, who runs the Anawim project in Birmingham which helps women prisoners. “Many have come from care and have been in and out of prison. For some, prison is a place where they will feel safe. They get three meals and a bed for the night.” | “Christmas is a really difficult time if they haven’t got family,” said Joy Doal, who runs the Anawim project in Birmingham which helps women prisoners. “Many have come from care and have been in and out of prison. For some, prison is a place where they will feel safe. They get three meals and a bed for the night.” |
| Most of the women released from prison have served short sentences for nonviolent crimes which they often commit to pay for a partner’s drug habit. | Most of the women released from prison have served short sentences for nonviolent crimes which they often commit to pay for a partner’s drug habit. |
| But when they emerge from prison, an increasing number of women are struggling to access benefits or find accommodation because of cuts to support services. A report by HM Inspectorate of Probation published earlier this year found that dedicated funding for women’s services has virtually disappeared under the government’s Transforming Rehabilitation programme. | But when they emerge from prison, an increasing number of women are struggling to access benefits or find accommodation because of cuts to support services. A report by HM Inspectorate of Probation published earlier this year found that dedicated funding for women’s services has virtually disappeared under the government’s Transforming Rehabilitation programme. |
| “Homelessness is one of the biggest contributing factors behind why many women are in prison,” said Claire Cain, policy and campaigns manager at Women in Prison. “It can be a direct cause, when sleeping rough breaks an antisocial order for example, or indirectly, when women reach such a point of desperation that they will commit an offence to get a roof over their head. Around 60% of women leave prison homeless and it is a near impossibility out there to find even safe temporary accommodation.” | “Homelessness is one of the biggest contributing factors behind why many women are in prison,” said Claire Cain, policy and campaigns manager at Women in Prison. “It can be a direct cause, when sleeping rough breaks an antisocial order for example, or indirectly, when women reach such a point of desperation that they will commit an offence to get a roof over their head. Around 60% of women leave prison homeless and it is a near impossibility out there to find even safe temporary accommodation.” |
| Cain said her organisation regularly supported women for whom prison was a preferable option. “We support women all the time where their only options are to stay in an abusive and exploitative flat, surrounded by drugs and alcohol that they are trying to keep free from, end up on the streets, or reoffend and go back to prison in the hope that there will be more options and a different path to take on release next time,” she said. | Cain said her organisation regularly supported women for whom prison was a preferable option. “We support women all the time where their only options are to stay in an abusive and exploitative flat, surrounded by drugs and alcohol that they are trying to keep free from, end up on the streets, or reoffend and go back to prison in the hope that there will be more options and a different path to take on release next time,” she said. |
| There are about 3,900 women currently in prison in England and Wales – 2,300 more than in 1993. | There are about 3,900 women currently in prison in England and Wales – 2,300 more than in 1993. |
| Figures show that nearly half of them – 48%, compared with just over a fifth of men – said they had committed offences to support someone else’s drug use. More than half of women prisoners – 53% – have experienced emotional, physical or sexual abuse. | Figures show that nearly half of them – 48%, compared with just over a fifth of men – said they had committed offences to support someone else’s drug use. More than half of women prisoners – 53% – have experienced emotional, physical or sexual abuse. |
| Cain said the fact that some women were attempting to return to prison underscored the desperate nature of their situations. “It must be understood: the risk women are taking in seeking refuge in prison. Prisons are harmful: 22 women have died in prison this year – the highest on record certainly since 1990. Most of these women took their own life.” | Cain said the fact that some women were attempting to return to prison underscored the desperate nature of their situations. “It must be understood: the risk women are taking in seeking refuge in prison. Prisons are harmful: 22 women have died in prison this year – the highest on record certainly since 1990. Most of these women took their own life.” |
| The issue of women being returned to prison has become a mounting cause for concern among penal reform campaigners. | The issue of women being returned to prison has become a mounting cause for concern among penal reform campaigners. |
| The number of women recalled to custody whilst under supervision following their release has increased by more than 80% since the end of 2014, when the Transforming Rehabilitation programme was introduced. Almost 1,400 women were recalled in the year to June 2016. | The number of women recalled to custody whilst under supervision following their release has increased by more than 80% since the end of 2014, when the Transforming Rehabilitation programme was introduced. Almost 1,400 women were recalled in the year to June 2016. |
| Under the programme, any offender who breaches their licence within 12 months of release is returned to prison for two weeks. Charities say that this means an offender will be returned to prison simply for missing an appointment with their probation officer. The stipulation makes it easy for vulnerable women to end up “choosing” a prison cell over an often chaotic life outside. | Under the programme, any offender who breaches their licence within 12 months of release is returned to prison for two weeks. Charities say that this means an offender will be returned to prison simply for missing an appointment with their probation officer. The stipulation makes it easy for vulnerable women to end up “choosing” a prison cell over an often chaotic life outside. |
| “This increase coincides with changes that mean we are now monitoring more offenders than ever before and providing them with the support they need to turn their back on crime,” a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said. “The justice secretary has been clear that we must simplify the probation system, with specific outcome measures such as getting offenders off drugs, improving educational standards and getting offenders into apprenticeships and work.” | “This increase coincides with changes that mean we are now monitoring more offenders than ever before and providing them with the support they need to turn their back on crime,” a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said. “The justice secretary has been clear that we must simplify the probation system, with specific outcome measures such as getting offenders off drugs, improving educational standards and getting offenders into apprenticeships and work.” |
| But Jenny Earle, director of the Prison Reform Trust’s three-year programme to reduce women’s imprisonment, said the criminal justice system was failing to support women leaving jail. “It’s a sad indictment of society that women seek refuge in prison because the services they need in the community are so under-resourced and over-stretched.” | But Jenny Earle, director of the Prison Reform Trust’s three-year programme to reduce women’s imprisonment, said the criminal justice system was failing to support women leaving jail. “It’s a sad indictment of society that women seek refuge in prison because the services they need in the community are so under-resourced and over-stretched.” |