Justice Committee inquiry on women in prison

Commenting on the findings of the House of Commons Justice Committee inquiry on women in prison published today (26 July), Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust said:

“For a government supposedly focused on ‘delivery’ above all else, this accurate and hard-hitting report makes for a disappointing read. The only substantial investment the government has promised since its female offender strategy was published in 2018 is £150m to build 500 additional prison places for women. But the strategy’s declared aim was to reduce the number of women in custody, not increase it. If it wants to be taken seriously, the government must now invest in supporting women in the community, not building more prison cells for them.”