'There Are So Many Women Who Ought Not to Be in Prison'
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28 Keep ’Em Off The Streets And Behind Bars: Tough Prison Sentences Mean A Safer Society. 20-21 Scottish Focus 33 Mother’s Day 24-25 ROTL review & the National Newspaper for Prisoners & Detainees what it means for you 42 The right to reform “Prisoners are simply not “The Supreme Court has a voice for prisoners 1990 - 2015 getting out at all to be held that all ISPs must be tested in the community. That’s the argument of the given a reasonable oppor- A ‘not for profit’ publication / ISSN 1743-7342 / Issue No. 189 / March 2015 / www.insidetime.org With other cutbacks there bang ’em up brigade; but tunity to reform themselves An average of 60,000 copies distributed monthly - Independently verified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations is clearly no resettlement and demonstrate their plus over 450,000 monthly online readership - Independently verified using SMARTER STATS others say that there’s a taking place ... ” better way... safety for release” ‘There are so many women who ought not to be in prison’ Simon Hughes, the Liberal Democrat, Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice, said recently. He was speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast. ‘About half ought not to be there at all’ he added Rachel Billington may well have done his homework by reading the Bromley Briefings report that 53% of Most women entering prison serve very short last autumn’s ‘Bromley Briefings’ published by women in prison have experienced emotional, sentences. In the 12 months to March 2014, the Prison Reform Trust. In its pages can be physical or sexual abuse as a child compared 60% of sentenced women were serving six imon Hughes argued that female found ample ‘evidence’ that women should to 27% of men. Women account for 28% of months or less. More women were received into offenders are a ‘special case’ and be treated differently to men. all incidents of self-harm despite representing prison under an immediate custodial sentence should be treated differently from Taking the points Simon Hughes mentioned, just 5% of the total prison population. for theft and handling than for violence, men. He added ‘I met a woman in robbery, sexual offences, burglary, fraud, forgery, her twenties the other day who drugs and motoring offences combined. clearlyS ought to be sectioned. Her problem is a health problem, not a criminality one. Prisons 9% 46% 61% More than 17,240 children were separated shouldn’t have to cope with that.’ of children whose of women in prison of women interviewed from their mother in 2010 by imprisonment. mothers are in prison have attempted at HMP Styal had Questioned on why female prisoners should are cared for by their suicide at some point partners; a third of There is a counter argument. Some point to be treated differently to men, he extended his fathers in their in their lifetime these partners were the high level of emotional problems suffered argument, ‘Women are a special case for very mothers’ absence currently also in prison good evidential reasons. Firstly, many more by men and argue, understandably, that there women who go to prisons have themselves is a point of principle here: if you do the same been victims. They’ve often been abused or in crime, you should pay the same penalty. violent partnerships. Secondly, many more 17,240+ 48% Justice should be the same for all. women have caring responsibilities than men (estimate) children of women reported do.’ He also pointed out that very few women were separated from committing offences However it seems clear that Simon Hughes is were inside for violent offences. their mother in 2010 to support someone leading a push in the other direction. He said, by imprisonment else’s drug habit ‘There are some women who do terrible things I last heard Simon Hughes speak about and deserve to be locked up for a very long women prisoners at a meeting in Westminster time. My concern is for those who are not a organised by the Howard League for Penal danger to society, who have become caught Reform and English PEN on the subject of by a system which then does not help them ‘Books to Prisoners.’ I reported afterwards in 52% 59% 40% out of it.’ ‘Month by Month’ that he had listened to our of women surveyed of women in prison of women entering presentation and promised to go away and do said that they had who drank in the four custody under sentence ‘It’s amazing what you can achieve with hard his homework. Last month the rules were used heroin, crack, or weeks before custody in 2013 were there for work’ mailbag page 7 relaxed on sending books into prisons, now he cocaine powder in the thought they had a theft and handling has spoken out specifically on the position of 4 weeks prior to custody problem with alcohol stolen goods Rachel Billington adds further notes on women in the prison estate. In this case he Women in Prison pages 18-19 Images © prisonimage.org Source: Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile Autumn 2014 Appeals Crime Prison Law The country’s leading experts in Unhappy with your solicitor? Transfer New Head of Prison Law - Jo Davidson ‹ cm ‹ serious, complex and high your case now. NJGD>D OJMN profile appeals. 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Sentence Calculation closed conditions Robbery POCA Serious assaults, torture HDC Years of experience in Proceeds of Crime Applications Registered with Gang crime including firearms offences, extortion, kidnap Transfers › › Dedicated prisoner hotline: 0161 833 9253 Manchester Office: 13 St John Street, Manchester, M3 4DQ Website: www.cmsolicitors.co.uk where lients atter Freephone: 0800 1 444 111 London Office: 15 Old Bailey, London, EC4M 7EF Video link: Nationwide service If you would like to contribute to Mailbag, please send your letters (including your name, number Insidetime March 2015 2 Mailbag and prison) to ‘Mailbag’, Inside Time, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, Hampshire SO30 2GB. www.insidetime.org Inside Time ‘seriously censored by staff’ Different views, same ...................................................................................................... insidetime NAME WITHHELD - HMP GARTH problems a voice for prisoners 1990 - 2015 ..................................................... the national newspaper for prisoners published by I have been an avid reader of your paper throughout my sentence and now on my recall. But I PETER McDERMOTT - HMP BARLINNIE Inside Time Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of The New Bridge Foundation, founded in 1956 to feel I must write and let you know that here at HMP Garth the paper is seriously censored by create links between the offender and the community. staff. I have read Inside Time in prisons in the Dispersal system and various prisons but never I was reading the letter sent in by W Mont- have I witnessed what happens here, staff blacking items out with a marker pen before we get gomery of HMP Rye Hill (‘Orange Music’ - Inside Time is wholly responsible for its editorial content. Comments or complaints should be directed to the the paper. They black-out any pictures of women and children and sometimes they black-out January issue) and his struggle to find orange Managing Editor and not to New Bridge. whole articles! It is now mid-January and we have only just been issued with the December music. Like him and many other cons here we issue. Our January issue had the front page completely removed and what remained was tucked are faced with a similar problem. Even though a © into the December issue. This place is going back to the 1950s! we obviously have different views on the very not profit Board of Directors important problems faced by both sides of the publication4 Editorial note: What is described here is more like vandalism than censorship. Our January issue divide, this is a struggle we both face. So it featured news images from 2014. The six photos were seen on television and in newspapers would be a great help if you could publish Trevor Grove - Former Editor Sunday Telegraph, throughout the world. It is totally inexplicable why this front page was ‘completely removed’. details, postal addresses etc on any music Journalist, Writer and serving Magistrate. This letter has been sent to NOMS for an explanation. outlets that deal in Irish music - both Catholic John Carter - Former international healthcare (Republican) and Protestant (Loyalist) and company Vice-President. will supply those in prison. Respect to Mr Geoff Hughes - Former Governor, Belmarsh prison. Montgomery in Rye Hill and a big shout to our Eric McGraw - Former Director, New Bridge ‘I am a Muslim and I ‘Bring our innocent (1986-2002) and founder of Inside Time in 1990. brothers down south. Forever peace in Ireland. John D Roberts - Former Company Chairman and am Charlie’ men home!’ Editorial note: See the letter below. Managing Director employing ex-offenders. ..................................................... ..................................................... Louise Shorter - Former producer, BBC Rough ..................................................... Justice programme. JIMMY WEISSMULLER - TONG FUK A McCANN - MIDDLESEX Alistair aH. E. Smith© B.Sc F.C.A.a - Chartered© CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION- COLIN McCURRY - HMP SWALESIDE not not I read with interest in your January issue a Accountant,profit Trustee and Treasurer,profit New Bridge HONG KONG Foundation.4 publication4 letter - ‘Polygraph has proved my innocence’ n In reply to Mr Montgomery of HMP Rye Hill I service - L Philips.