Prison Report Highlights Shocking Rates of Self-Harm Across Women's Prisons

A women’s prison has been assessed by HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) as ‘poor’ for safety in what has been described as a “rare and unexpected finding” in a recent inspection.

Very high rates of violence and self-harm, and inadequate care for vulnerable women, was identified at HMP & YOI Foston Hall, following an unannounced inspection between October and November 2021. It reports that outcomes for women had declined across two of the four ‘healthy prison tests’ at the prison. Inspectors found the highest rates of self-harm in the women’s estate, a doubling in the rates of use of force and the use of segregation for women where there were concerns about their self-harming.

Alongside this report HMIP have published a briefing paper on women’s prisons setting out key findings in the inspection of five women’s prisons over the last six months – Low Newton, Styal, Send, Downview and Foston Hall. This paper also raises serious concerns about high rates of self-harm and vulnerability across the women’s prison estate. Key findings include:

• A far higher proportion of women than men reported mental health problems on arrival at the prison and almost double the proportion of women than men felt suicidal.
• More women than men entering prison declare a problem with drugs and alcohol.
• Self-harm is much more common for women in prison than men and has increased during the pandemic to record levels.

The report further outlines practice required to better support women in custody, including individualised and proactive care for the most vulnerable, comprehensive resettlement help and support to promote positive relationships with children and families.

Commenting on the findings, Agenda’s Chief Executive, Indy Cross said:

“Today’s inspection report of HMP & YOI Foston Hall and briefing paper on women’s prisons clearly demonstrates the shocking extent of vulnerability amongst women in custody, and the failure of prisons to keep them safe. The inspection highlights serious problems – 30% of women there said they felt unsafe, and tragically there have been two self-inflicted deaths since the previous inspection. 

“Despite having the highest rates of self-harm in the entire women’s estate, the prison had no strategy to respond to self-harm or improve the care for those in crisis. These abject failures in policy and practice (re-)traumatises women and causes serious long-term harm. 

“The majority of women in prison have extensive experiences of disadvantage, abuse and trauma. Black, Asian, minoritised and migrant women face additional discrimination of the basis of their race, gender and faith, and young women in prison are a particularly vulnerable group. Prison is simply not a suitable or safe place for women.

“The Government must sustainably invest in women’s community centres to divert women away from the criminal justice system and to appropriate trauma- and age-responsive support, including that delivered through specialist ‘by and for’ services. Only in this way can these shocking and unacceptable problems be brought to an end.”

For more on women in prison, please see Agenda’s response to the recent Ministry of Justice Prisons White Paper.