Closure of HMP Holloway—Europe’s largest women’s prison

Commenting on today’s (25 November 2015) announcement, Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust said:

“Selling off Holloway for social housing is the clearest message to the courts that prison is not the place to dump vulnerable women who have committed petty, non-violent offences and who have so often been victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse themselves. The money raised must be invested in effective community sentences and women’s centres and not just funnelled down the prison building drain.

“Justice Ministers across the UK are saying that they will act to reduce the needless imprisonment of women. This means that women who have offended will have their first real opportunity to beat drugs, drink, mental illness and crime, and take responsibility for their lives, and those of their children. Most will take it.”