More Calls For Application Of The 'Pussy Pass'

Eric Allison (the ‘Guardian’ prison correspondent, and career criminal) on women in prison. He thinks it’s a bad thing.

Well, he would, wouldn't he?

Those familiar with the issue of women behind bars know the female prison estate contains many damaged and vulnerable women, most of whom have been victims themselves, one way or another.

Ah, yes. Of course. The age-old excuse…

So, what horrors have been visited on these fragile flowers of femininity?

Inspectors found responses to women whose behaviour caused concern were "excessively punitive", with too little attempt to tackle the underlying causes of their behaviour. They found women being forcibly strip-searched and having their clothing cut off.

One woman arrived in clothes that were not allowed at New Hall. She refused to hand them over and was held down while the offending garments were sliced off her.

The report says there was "no attempt to resolve the issue in other ways".

Such as..? Should they have asked ‘Pretty please, with sprinkles on top’?

It’s a prison, Eric. You do as you are told, or else. You, of all people, ought to know that…

Women arriving at New Hall travelled in "sweat boxes" (cellular vehicles) shared with male prisoners. As a serving prisoner, I travelled in sweat boxes containing women and heard the obscenities hurled at them by the men. Hardly the ideal way to prepare women for incarceration.

And avoidable, except to give them separate transport would trim the profits of the private companies that ferry women prisoners around.

Prison separatism? I'm sure it’d please the Muslims, at least.

Another depressing feature, not confined to New Hall, was that inspectors said "as we have found elsewhere, at night, one male member of staff was in sole charge of the mother and baby unit". The watchdogs found that "unacceptable".

I find it gross, uncaring mismanagement.

Why? Are you implying that males should have no role in this? That’s a bit sexist for a ‘Guardian’ contributor…

Visits are especially important in a women's prison, where many inmates are held long distances from their homes and have been the primary carers of their children prior to custody. Inspectors found visits often started late and finished early.

Shockingly and inexcusably, they found "separation visits" – where women say farewell to their children before they are taken for adoption – sometimes took place in the main visiting hall.

Are they not entitled to respect and dignity at such a traumatic time?

Given the reasons they are behind bars….no. They aren't  It’s a consequence of them being considered so bad that they cannot be allowed to mingle with the rest of the public.

That this affects their children is sad, but really, they only have themselves to blame, don’t they?

Last month, a study found that many coroners' recommendations, following deaths in custody, have negligible impact because there is no authority charged with ensuring compliance. Clearly, the Ministry of Justice is not dedicated to learning lessons.

In the case of New Hall, it should act now to prevent further tragedies. The criticisms in this report tick all the boxes that, history tells us, led towards almost every death of a disturbed woman in the MoJ's care.

They are disturbed women, by your own definition. Preventing them from harming themselves is going to require herculean methods, and will require – of necessity – restrictions on their liberty. And it still may not be enough.

As ever, the perfect is the enemy of the good.