WOMEN PRISONERS AND OFFENDERS Somebody’s mother, daughter, sister, partner

1. WOMEN PRISONERS AND OFFENDERS Somebody’s mother, daughter, sister, partner 12 July 2012www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

2. Presentation by Jackie Russell, Director, Women’s Breakout www.prisonersfamilies.org.uk

3. Victims and collateral damage Jackie Russell Director chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

4. Introduction Women offenders and their children The policy context Why community services What more can be done? chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

5. What is the problem? ‘Fifteen years ago there were some 1,800 women in custody. Today there are over 4,000. During one year more than 11,000 women are imprisoned and almost 18,000 children are separated from their mothers. Most women are held on remand or serve short sentences for non violent crimes. Many have themselves been victims of serious crime and sustained abuse.’ Fiona Cannon, Women’s Justice Taskforce, 2011 chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

6. Sarah has a history of prolific offending. Despite being only 24 she had served approximately 20 prison sentences for shoplifting and similar offences. She was struggling with heroin and crack addictions and was sex working in order to fund this. She was shoplifting for food as her benefits had been stopped and started several times and she was not receiving any money. Missing link, Bristol Tina had been victim of ongoing harassment from an acquaintance for several months and had found it exceptionally difficult to deal with. She was attacked by the acquaintance and had hit back in self defence – she was arrested and charged with assault. She has a long history of anxiety and depression and the incident affected her so badly that she decided she wanted to kill herself. She drank a high volume of alcohol and attempted to drive her car into the river. Missing link, Bristol Millie was referred to the service via the Civilian Enforcement Team, she had accrued high fines through non-payment of television licence and non-attendance at court. In addition, she had been evicted from her local authority property 9 months previously and had been living in her car since. Missing Link, Bristol Maureen was arrested for shop lifting. She has 4 children, 1 in prison, 2 with family and another (the youngest) was placed on the adoption register without her consent while she was in prison. Missing link, Bristol

7. Who are these women? ‘The vulnerability of the women held was very visibly obvious. So many looked physically unwell. A third of the women had a drug problem when they arrived at the prison. Half had children under 18 and about 1 in 7 told us they had a problem ensuring their dependent children were looked after when they were taken into custody. Levels of self harm were very high. I remember being shocked by how many women had scarring on their arms. New arrivals were visibly distressed. chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

8. Who are these women? Just under half had experienced physical or domestic abuse About one in three had experienced emotional abuse And about one in three had experienced sexual abuse or rape One in five had been involved in sex work And about one in three had a history of self-harm or suicide attempts chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

9. Who are these women? Self harm Incidents increased sharply between 2009 (24,184)and 2010 (26,983) In 2010 a total of 6,639 individual prisoners were recorded as having self – harmed. 5,406 males and 1,233 females Female prisoners who self harm do so more frequently than male prisoners (an average of 10.2 incidents for females; 2.7 for males) ‘there is a marked difference between male and female prisoners: around 7 per cent of male prisoners self harm, compared to 30% of female prisoners’. Safety in Custody 2010 England and Wales MoJ Statistics Bulletin, Published 28 July 2011 chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

10. Who are these women? Punished for the failure of Social care services Health services Protective services The social construct of being a woman Equal sentencing does not mean equal punishment chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

11. The Crimes Mostly theft and fraud 80% of women had committed a non violent offence Remand – over half of women entering custody are on remand. They spend an average of six weeks in custody, six out of ten do not go on to receive a custodial sentence Most women serve short sentences - 62% are sentenced for six months or less 21% sentenced for drug offences 28% had no previous convictions 3.1% considered to be a danger – approx 134 chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

12. Mothers in prison At least one third of mothers in prison were lone parents before imprisonment Half of the 4,200 women prisoners have children under 16, and more than a third have children under 5 There are 12 women’s prisons in the UK, but just seven mother and baby units with 69 places Only half of women in prison who had lived with, or were in contact with their children prior to imprisonment had received a visit since going to prison chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

13. Children with mothers in prison Each year around 17,000 children are separated from their mother by imprisonment Only 9% are cared for by their fathers Just 5% of children of women prisoners remain in their own home once their mother has been sentenced (90% for men) Around 40% are cared for by a grandparent or female relative 6,000 cared for by ‘kinship carers’ 12% go into the care system (Corston 2007) chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

14. Children with mothers in prison Seven per cent of children experience the imprisonment of their parent during their school years. 34% of children affected by imprisonment of their mother are under 5 years (almost 6,000 children last year) Further 40% were between five and ten years Imprisoning mothers for non violent offences carries a cost to children and the state chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

15. Collateral Damage - families Imprisonment can be a traumatic experience for families, and its impact is often significant and enduring. This can include: Risk to housing Financial pressures Rejection, stigma, and victimisation byneighbours and the community. Families - grief and readjustment throughout the course of arrest, trial, imprisonment and release. Confusion – poor information and support What do you tell the children? chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

16. Collateral Damage - children Loss of the primary carer Reduced family income (loss of treats) Moving home and school Disrupted relationships Diminished social support Breakdown of family – separation from siblings chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

17. Collateral Damage - children Engagement in crime or antisocial behaviour 65% of boys with a convicted parent will go on to offend Poor educational outcomes Emotional roller coaster Regressive behaviour, stigma, shame, anxiety, distress, low self esteem, guilt, confusion, grief and readjustment On-going Arrest, trial, imprisonment and release Almost 30% of children with parents in prison suffer mental health problems compared to 10% of the general population chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

18. The strategic context- Journey Corston2002/3 6 suicides at Styal 2005 Together Women Programme 2006 Gender Equality Act 2007 The Corston Report 2008 Ministerial progress report 2008/10 Ministry of Justice funding 2010/11 Women’s Diversionary Fund (1) 2011/12 Women’s Diversionary Fund (2) 2012/13 NOMS to Probation Trusts chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

19. The strategic context - Drivers Desistance Theory Probation Trusts Thematic Inspection Report – Equal but Different Effective Probation Services Police and Crime Commissioners Effective Community sentences PBR and Competed Services chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

20. The strategic context - Challenges Local or national Proper discussion re imprisonment Funding models and women Absence of a national strategy Demand for evidence – what evidence? Leadership Due regard to women chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

21. Why Community Solutions How do women flourish best? Women only, easily accessible environments Non authoritarian, co-operative, collaborative settings Empowered to engage, holistic and practical Address complex and multiple needs together Address women-specific factors – child care, health, mental health, relationships, sensitive to trauma On-going access chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

22. Why community solutions? Enabling women to access support for amongst other things housing, training, drug and alcohol addiction, benefits and debt advice, can be a key turning point in the cycle of offending More than half of the women who have accessed Women’s Community Service have consistently engaged with projects for longer than three months In 2010 a higher proportion of women than men completed their community sentence successfully, or had their sentences terminated for good progress on both community orders (69%) and suspended sentence orders (74%) versus 65% on both orders for men. chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

23. Prison doesn’t work ‘.............despite those improvements, and despite so much dedicated work by prison staff and others – prisons – particularly as they are currently run, are simply the wrong place for so many of the distressed, damaged or disturbed women they hold.’   ‘I think - I hope - we will look back on how we treated these women in years to come, aghast and ashamed.’ Nick Hardwick, 2012 chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

24. Women’s Community Solutions Where do we work? Early intervention – causes of crime Diversion from custody Support for women on remand Supporting community sentences Access into on-site services Referral and accompany to other organisations Total number of referrals (2010/11) 3,496 Women with multiple needs 82% chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

25. Women’s Community solutions Women sentenced in 2010/11 50,880 (17% ↑) Immediate custody 7,100 Fines 7,000 Community Sentences 18,001 (6% ↑) Other sentences 13,136 Serious harm 3.1% chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

26. The Rights of the Child No child should be discriminated against because of the situation or status of their parents. (Article 2) Bests interests of the child should be a primary consideration (Article 3.1) The rights to have direct and frequent contact with parents from whom the child is separated (Article 9) chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

27. What more can be done? Police and courts – divert women to community provision Courts – give parents time to sort out childcare Listen, really listen, to the children Support contact A child impact assessment Not seen, not heard, not guilty ‘Due regard’ to women chances to change - new directions for criminal justice

28. How do we best protect families? Keep mothers out of prison! But if that really isn’t possible – understand the impact on the children and support them in grief, maintain their relationship with their mother, help them develop good friendships, attend to their happiness, divert them from custody, protect their childhood. chances to change - new directions for criminal justice