Updated statement on transgender people in prison

In March 2019, the Ministry of Justice started to develop specialist accommodation (known as E-wing) for some trans women in HMP Downview, a women’s prison. This statement is an update on that made in March 2019 and updated in July 2020, responding to further developments to the broader issue of transgender women and men in the prison system, particularly women’s prisons, and community-based women’s spaces.

The statement covers 6 key areas:

1) Why Women in Prison exists: Harms of imprisonment & replacing a broken system

2) Supporting individuals, safety and wellbeing

3) Prisons duties to support gender identity, privacy and dignity

4) Managing and balancing risk

5) Nothing about us without us: Consulting trans individuals and women in prison

6) Specialist support services for women and transgender prisoners

Women in Prison does not comment on individual cases.