How do women fare in prison?
Not well at all. Labour peer Baroness Corston’s review of the way women offenders are handled by the criminal justice system, published today, was triggered by the deaths of six women at Styal prison, Cheshire, between August 2002 and 2003. Last year, three women took their own lives in prisons, following four in 2005 and 13 in 2004. To date in 2007 there have been two apparent self-inflicted deaths of women prisoners. In addition, the Prison Reform Trust said 40% of women prisoners have attempted suicide at some time. Campaigners say many would be better off receiving treatment and support to stop them reoffending. Why so many problems? Katherine Rake, director of the Fawcett Society, said many women in prison are highly vulnerable and prison does them little good. The Prison Service says most have experienced domestic violence or have been victims of childhood abuse, 80% have diagnosable mental health problems. Drugs are also a big problem: Mandy Ogunmokun, a drugs worker at HMP Holl
