Enquiries from women in prison

Our advice and information service receives over 6,000 contacts a year from people with a variety of prison related questions and concerns. However, only a small number of these contacts come from prisoners held in the female estate. In 2015 we received 154 enquiries from women which amounted to less than 2.5% of all enquiries received. With women accounting for about 5% of the total prison population in England and Wales, currently at around 3,800, it is clear that women are underrepresented in our service.

There are a number of reasons why this may be the case. Our service predominantly receives calls from people serving longer sentences as oppose to those on short sentences or remand. Figures show that women are more likely to be serving short sentences compared to men, and so this might fit with the general pattern of use of our service. We also expect, and hope, that women are accessing advice and information elsewhere, perhaps from services which are specifically tailored to their needs. However, there may also be wider reasons for this difference.

A learning lessons paper produced by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) in March 2015 asked the question ‘why do women and young people in custody not make formal complaints?’ As part of this investigation, participants were asked how they usually resolved complaints. Female participants reported less use of the formal complaints system, and a preference for trying to resolve issues informally themselves. A general lack of confidence in the complaints system and the feeling that the process is too slow also contributed to this – views which are often echoed by people who contact us from across the prison system as a whole. More concerning is the fear some women reported of being seen as disruptive and this having a negative impact on decisions such as HDC or Parole.

When reviewing the contacts we have had with women throughout the last year, a few noticeable trends were apparent. Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) has been by far the most common subject of enquiry, which is consistent of our service as a whole for this period. Family contact is unsurprisingly a reoccurring theme, with enquiries including family visits, inter-prison visits, and the sending and receiving of letters and other items.

The most notable aspect in our contact with women is the difference in the use of our service. The majority of our contacts are single enquiries with little follow up from the prisoner. They tend to be straightforward requests for information or advice with few expectations or requests for further involvement on our part. Although we cannot draw firm conclusions, this could be indicative of a greater reluctance to ask for help or been seen to be disruptive, as suggested by the PPO findings, or it could indicate that some women prefer to try to resolve issues themselves.

It certainly seems likely that there is an overlap with the PPO findings and the reasons for underrepresentation in our own service. We would be interested in finding out more and we encourage any women in prison who are need of our information or advice to contact us. We can provide you with information and advice about common concerns such as ROTL procedures and visits including accumulated and inter-prison visits, as well as more women specific areas such as access to Mother and Baby Units (MBUs). Our service is confidential and we only contact prisons on your behalf in exceptional circumstances and with your authorisation.

The issues and concerns raised through our advice and information service also help to inform the Prison Reform Trust’s work with government and make sure we call for changes that matter most to women in the criminal justice system. We have long called for a reduction in women’s imprisonment in the UK and a step change in how the criminal justice system responds to the needs of women, and your input could be a valuable contribution to this.

You can contact the Prison Reform Trust’s advice team at FREEPOST ND6125 London EC1B 1PN. Our free information line is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 3.30-5.30. The number is 0808 802 0060 and does not need to be put on your pin.