3 August 2009

Press Release

Cree welcomes gender-specific consultation for Women Prisoners

Ulster Unionist MLA for North Down and Policing Board member Leslie Cree has welcomed the launch of a consultation on draft-specific standards for working with women prisoners in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Cree said, "I am pleased to see the launch of this consultation and that the Northern Ireland Prison Service now appears to be taking its management responsibilities more seriously. In recent years many reports have provided a damning indictment of the regime for female prisoners. A bad prison system breeds further re-offending and is not an effective way to challenge criminal behaviour.

"Moreover, many women prisoners are mothers and the prison system must effectively address their needs and the needs of their children. Data from across the water has shown that women are normally the primary carers for elderly relatives and children. Around 55% of women in prison have a child under 16 and one third a child under 5. As 20% of women prisoners are lone parents this can have a detrimental impact on their children who may have to go into care.

"I welcome the opportunity for an informed discussion to take place and that those within the third sector and other agencies will be able to share their expertise. Such informed debate will no doubt facilitate an environment where we can see tangible improvements. I would hope that we would see a series of gender-specific standards coming out of this consultation which are practical and bespoke to the needs of women offenders and their families."