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Bullying is 'part of life' for inmates at Holloway
Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor16.09.08
Theft and bullying are rife inside London's Holloway jail with more than half of its female inmates feeling unsafe, an official report warned today.
The report, by the Government's chief inspector of prisons Anne Owers, said intimidation and pilfering are so common that it has become a "part of life" within the jail.
She also warned that an average of 88 women per month - equivalent to more than two every day - attempt to injure or kill themselves. The report will raise concerns about standards within the country's largest women's jail, despite what Ms Owers described as a "lot of progress" in improving conditions over recent years.
These include improved cleanliness, better healthcare provision and generally effective provision for the inmates of ethnic minority backgrounds.
She said that although most bullying and theft are "low level", more than half of the 500 inmates say they feel in danger and that the levels of victimisation have got worse since her previous inspection visit four years ago. Ms Owers said: "Over half the women we surveyed said they felt unsafe, significantly more than at the time of the last inspection, and this was strongly associated with victimisation by other prisoners.
"Holloway's layout and its dormitory accommodation makes safe supervision extremely difficult. But the prison's own violence-reduction strategy was not sufficiently effective in preventing and dealing with victimisation and bullying."
Ms Owers said that despite the level of self-harm, suicide-prevention measures were "sound". She warned, however, that too many women with mental health problems continue to be kept in the prison rather than on secure NHS wards.
"Holloway, like all other women's prisons, is holding women who should not be held there," Ms Owers said.
Phil Wheatley, the director general of the Prison Service, welcomed Ms Owers's report. "I am pleased that the chief inspector has recognised the progress made at Holloway. The need to improve women's feelings of safety is recognised and is being acted on."
Reader views (10)
well done sarah. All prisoners are not the same and they are still human beings and desreve a chance. Re offenders should be seperated from first timers. We need a new start to the whole process
- John, leicester
Women have to commit considerably more serious offences than men before incarceration is even considered by the courts. With that in mind, I sincerely hope that conditions in Holloway are particuarly unpleasant.
Crime is not compulsory, it is a lifestyle choice.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
All reports into jails agree that a large percentage of inmates should really be in psychiatric care. The government's response? Build lots more jails!
The catch is ,the pychiatric units I've seen are places I wouldn't wish to inflict on my worst enemy.
- Mdj, Leyton, e10 london
Shows just how much you guys understand doesn't it - Prison is for steering these 'lost' individuals the right way in life...as well as serving time for what you have done wrong! Having your 'life' taken away from you is punishment enough, and imagine being in there from a miscarrage of justice, do they deserve horrid conditions too!??
It's called human rights guys, not everyone in there is evil, ever thought about why these people are in there in the beginning, apart from the obvious. Lets hope none of you ever get yourselves into a sticky situation, you maye have to eat your spiteful words.
- Sarah, London
Who cares about any of these worthless pieces of trash, these people have made the choice to go to prison, by ruining other peoples lives.
If they are scared it's what is known as poetic justice.
- N Greenhill, london
I think some of your readers are missing the point. It is for society and the state to punish criminals - not for other criminals to be allowed to do this. If we're not careful, we'll end up with gangs running our jails (if they haven't already taken over).
- C. Nichol, London
Breaking News!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It has come to light that there are bad people in prison! I’m just glad I was sat down when I read this article. I had no idea, I thought prisons were full of lovely charming people who were the human equivalent of kittens
As for prison holding people who don’t belong there, what a load of tosh.
- Garry, London
Majority of the women in there have comitted violent crimes, maybe now they might understand what their victims went through. There are there to serve their time