Study urges 'women's jail closures'

Study urges 'women's jail closures'

Press Association
Monday October 1, 2007 8:33 PM

A major review of prisons in England and Wales is to recommend closing nearly all women's prisons and replacing them with small custodial units, it has been reported.

The recommendations from Government trouble-shooter Lord Carter of Coles would also see high-risk offenders housed in new "federal" style jails, the Times newspaper said.

Lower-risk criminals would be contained in so-called community prisons, with many short-term inmates in open facilities offering treatment for addictions and other resettlement programmes, it added.

It was unclear how the current number of women inmates, at more than 4,400, would be handled in such a scheme.

There are currently only 17 female jails and closing 15 would leave about 1,000 places.

It was also unclear how the Prison Service would pay for such dramatic reforms at a time of massive overcrowding.

The number of inmates reached a new high of 81,133 on Friday - the day of the week when totals are officially released by the Government - although the numbers had peaked at slightly higher on another day of the week in August.

A Prison Service spokeswoman said: "We do not comment on leaked reports.

"We continue to keep the female estate under review.

"The Carter Review is looking at all aspects of the prison system and will be reporting back in due course."

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