ALBA CALLS FOR “FULL CLARITY” IN POLCY ON WOMEN’S PRISONS
ALBA CALLS FOR “FULL CLARITY” IN POLCY ON WOMEN’S PRISONS
The ALBA Party have called for “full clarity that no male bodied prisoner should be housed in a women’s prison in Scotland”
This call comes after a series of retreats from Scottish Ministers after the passage of the Gender Recognition Bill highlighted the housing of violent and dangerous males within the Women’s Prison Estate.
In a motion proposed at the ALBA National Council in Ayr today (Saturday) TASMINA AHMED-SHEIKH said;
“Government Ministers have been in headlong retreat over the last few days and have now produced a prisons policy which would be in direct conflict with their own legislation if it had become law. There should be no further confusion.
“ALBA want clarity that no male bodied prisoner should be housed in a women'sk prison. The priority should be the safety and welfare of women prisoners.
“ALBA also wish to see a multi-disciplinary regulator appointed to safeguard the rights of women in the prison system and further emphasis on a progressive community model to dramatically reduce the need for the incarceration of women in the prison system.
“The reality is that most women prisoners should not be behind bars in the first place and should have far more relevant, suitable and effective disposals applied.”
Motion Text:
Protecting Scottish Women within the Scottish Prison Estate
Proposed by: Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh
Seconded by: Neale Hanvey MP
Council notes and condemns recent cases which have highlighted the housing of violent and dangerous males within the Women’s Prison estate.
Council asserts there should be no exceptions to the principle that no male bodied prisoners should ever be housed in a women’s prison.
However, Council notes that many women end up in prison for low-level crime as a result of repeat offending and a failure to respond to non-custodial alternatives.
A better provision of women-focused community disposals could result in more successful completion of community payback orders, lower rates of reoffending and fewer women requiring a custodial sentence.
Council notes that housing of violent and dangerous males in the Scottish Women’s prison estate episode underscores the urgent need to strengthen safeguarding across all public bodies and that an independent expert multi-disciplinary regulator must be established to ensure no government or minister can play fast and loose with the rights and protections of anyone as has regrettably been done in recent cases.
Therefore Council calls on the Scottish Government to carry out the following actions:
Make clear in a policy statement that no male bodied prisoners will be housed in the Scottish Women’s Prison Estate
The establishment of an independent expert multi-disciplinary regulator to ensure to safeguard the rights of women in the Scottish Prison system
In closing Cornton Vale Women’s Prison and replacing with smaller units, the scoping of a more progressive community model to include; local hubs; improved resourcing in mental health services; residential substance misuse facilities and women-only secure hospital facilities.