25 Things to Change for Women in Prison
To mark our 25th Anniversary we asked women in prison and in the community what they most wanted to change about prison, this list of priority issues underpins our campaigns.
1. Leaving prison
More support for women leaving prison. Many women are thrown out of prison without anywhere to live, with no job, only £46 in their pocket and no real means of survival. If they put you in a hostel and you are an addict, it is usually full of drugs and alcohol, so you have no chance of going straight. There is little or no support for you outside, so the government has just thrown all the money it cost to put you in prison down a hole, as those who are repeat offenders have little chance of surviving outside.
2. Work
There should be more work-related courses such as work experience, where you can try a trade out while in prison, which will make it easier for you to find a job when you get out. Men have this option and we should too.
3. Self-harm
Prisoners should get evening association on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. For self-harmers, this is a very stressful time and can become a nightmare. It gives prisoners too much time to think, which can lead to depression, self-harming and suicide.
4. Visits
We should be allowed more visits.
5. Parole Board
Paperwork for parole boards to be done on time, especially for lifers.
6. Tags
More women to get tags and suspended sentences.
7. Housing
Better housing advice for women coming out of prison
8. Lockdown
Women are locked up for too long. As well as allocated “lock-up hours” women are locked up instead of having association or going to education, due to staff shortages.
9. Grandparents’ day
We need a grandparents’ day for women with long sentences.
10. New prisoners
More information for new prisoners. You are expected to understand the rules when you arrive for the first time!
11. Deaths
More help for suicidal women inside, so that women do not kill themselves in prison.
12. Regimes
Every prison should have the same regime, instead of different prisons having different rules.
13. Modern
This prison is stuck in the dark ages compared to most of the other female prisons. It should be more modernised. More help and advice should be given to try and help women not re-offend.
14. Parole Board (again)
Why do we have to justify to the Parole Board why we should be released? Isn't the torture of actually completing the sentence enough?
15. First-timers
I would like to help first-timers in prison. I know what it feels like when you come out. It is not easy to adjust to life on the outside.
16. Clothes
I do not like being limited on the amount of clothes we are allowed.
17. Attitude
Officers (not all but some) should improve their attitude and the way they speak to prisoners. Fair enough we're all here for breaking the law but we don't deserve to be spoken to like dogs.
18. Family
Put us in prisons nearer to our homes and family.
19. Fresh air
If a prisoner is sick, why is her door locked all day? It is wrong because a sick person needs fresh air. Please can you change this rule?
20. Progress
Women should be able to progress through the prison system as quickly as men. There are only two open women's prisons, not enough.
21. Education
There should be more education courses for the girls to do, especially on remand.
22. Food
Better food.
23. Wages
Put prison wages up.
24. Success
We need talks from successful ex-offenders, to let us know there are ways of doing well on the out.
25. Christmas
I would like to have a Christmas party.
.jpg)