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| Female prisoners to serve sentences 'nearer families' | Female prisoners to serve sentences 'nearer families' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Female prisoners in England and Wales could serve their sentences nearer to where they live in a bid to cut reoffending, ministers are set to say. | Female prisoners in England and Wales could serve their sentences nearer to where they live in a bid to cut reoffending, ministers are set to say. |
| The Ministry Justice (MoJ) says it wants female inmates to maintain family relationships, and to improve their job prospects before leaving jail. | The Ministry Justice (MoJ) says it wants female inmates to maintain family relationships, and to improve their job prospects before leaving jail. |
| Labour said the scarcity of women's prisons made the announcement "almost meaningless". | |
| The plans come after MPs accused ministers of ignoring female prisoners. | The plans come after MPs accused ministers of ignoring female prisoners. |
| 'Pernicious cycle' | 'Pernicious cycle' |
| The Justice Select Committee said in July that the government's probation reforms had been designed with "male offenders in mind" and treated women as "an afterthought". | The Justice Select Committee said in July that the government's probation reforms had been designed with "male offenders in mind" and treated women as "an afterthought". |
| But Lord McNally the justice minister is expected to say later that he wants to end female reoffending for good. | But Lord McNally the justice minister is expected to say later that he wants to end female reoffending for good. |
| "When a female offender walks out of the prison gates, I want to make sure she never returns," he will say. | "When a female offender walks out of the prison gates, I want to make sure she never returns," he will say. |
| "Keeping female prisoners as close as possible to their homes, and importantly their children, is vital if we are to help them break the pernicious cycle of re-offending. | "Keeping female prisoners as close as possible to their homes, and importantly their children, is vital if we are to help them break the pernicious cycle of re-offending. |
| "And providing at least a year of support in the community - alongside the means to find employment on release - will give them the best possible chance to live productive, law abiding lives." | "And providing at least a year of support in the community - alongside the means to find employment on release - will give them the best possible chance to live productive, law abiding lives." |
| There are 13 female prisons in England and Wales but at the moment, the 4,000 women in custody have no guarantee of being sent to jails near to their homes. | There are 13 female prisons in England and Wales but at the moment, the 4,000 women in custody have no guarantee of being sent to jails near to their homes. |
| This means that mothers are separated from their children, and are unable to receive family visits. | This means that mothers are separated from their children, and are unable to receive family visits. |
| An MoJ spokesman said all the women's jails in England and Wales would become so-called "resettlement prisons" - meaning that offenders serve their sentences as close to home as possible. | An MoJ spokesman said all the women's jails in England and Wales would become so-called "resettlement prisons" - meaning that offenders serve their sentences as close to home as possible. |
| Parent-child bond | Parent-child bond |
| Lord McNally is also due to announce plans to pilot an "open unit" next year at HMP Styal, a jail in Cheshire for women and young offenders. | Lord McNally is also due to announce plans to pilot an "open unit" next year at HMP Styal, a jail in Cheshire for women and young offenders. |
| The Ministry of Justice says the prison was chosen because of the good work it already does "helping women into jobs". | The Ministry of Justice says the prison was chosen because of the good work it already does "helping women into jobs". |
| One inmate, Stella, says serving her sentence at the jail allowed her to gain qualifications and be nearer to her family. | One inmate, Stella, says serving her sentence at the jail allowed her to gain qualifications and be nearer to her family. |
| "It's really important to keep the bond with the child. That's the hardest thing about being in jail - being separated from your child." | "It's really important to keep the bond with the child. That's the hardest thing about being in jail - being separated from your child." |
| The MoJ said it was considering opening a "commercial-run business" at Styal to provide training and employment opportunities for the women. | The MoJ said it was considering opening a "commercial-run business" at Styal to provide training and employment opportunities for the women. |
| It said similar ventures in Cardiff and Surrey's High Down men's prisons, which have restaurants open to the public but are run by prisoners, had been a success. | It said similar ventures in Cardiff and Surrey's High Down men's prisons, which have restaurants open to the public but are run by prisoners, had been a success. |
| But Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: "Trying to improve women's imprisonment would be a waste when the best way to reduce women's offending is to invest in treatment for addictions, mental healthcare, training for work and safe housing away from domestic violence and abuse." | But Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: "Trying to improve women's imprisonment would be a waste when the best way to reduce women's offending is to invest in treatment for addictions, mental healthcare, training for work and safe housing away from domestic violence and abuse." |
| The government says it acknowledges many women who go on to commit crime were themselves victims of domestic and sexual violence. | The government says it acknowledges many women who go on to commit crime were themselves victims of domestic and sexual violence. |
| It points to statistics suggesting 53% reported being abused as children, while 49% suffer from anxiety and depression. | It points to statistics suggesting 53% reported being abused as children, while 49% suffer from anxiety and depression. |
| The MoJ says it wants to create new "personality disorder treatment services" for female prisoners by working with the NHS. | The MoJ says it wants to create new "personality disorder treatment services" for female prisoners by working with the NHS. |
| Labour called on the government to avoid custodial sentences for "low-level offences". | |
| "The public want confidence that the criminal justice system is effectively punishing and reforming all those found guilty of committing crimes," said shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan. | "The public want confidence that the criminal justice system is effectively punishing and reforming all those found guilty of committing crimes," said shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan. |
| "But this government must do much more to stop women offending in the first place." | "But this government must do much more to stop women offending in the first place." |
| He added: "With only a small number of scattered women's prisons, the concept of local resettlement is almost meaningless." | He added: "With only a small number of scattered women's prisons, the concept of local resettlement is almost meaningless." |