Policy Consultation for Women in Prison: Potential Future Policies and Solutions

This project discusses potential future policies and solutions to overcome the different issues women in prison face, including sexual abuse, trauma, mental illness, familial relationship, and reproductive capacity. The steps and strategies identified include strengthening legal rights, legislative actions, prisoner classification, appointing volunteers, staff training, reviewing case studies, and more.

POLICY CONSULTATION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Women in prison..........................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Policy consultation is a process to design and develop the policy. This is like a primary
analysis to be done to frame the policy and practices suitable for the respective individuals. This
project will discuss the potential future policies that will become a part of system to overcome
the different issues women in prison face. The possible actions that will undertake with the
support of policy making will take into consideration in this project.
MAIN BODY
Women in prison
The total number of cases belong to the women in prison has increased significantly in
the previous few years. The studios show that the total number of cases of the women in prison
has gone double the numbers as compare to the earlier positions. The majority of the cases of the
women in prison are belonged to the non-violent offences that cover the prison sentence of less
than 12 months of time. The senior cases like murder are subject to prison are approximate 12.5
years in numbers. Specially the women face long sentences of prison face plenty of issues that
create a very life threatening impacts over the women (Worrall, 2019). There are multiple
impacts which such women who are suffering from the long prison tenure that include trauma,
mental illness, familial relationship and reproductive capacity and progression support related
issues. These are the most common issues women suffer when it comes to long term prison of
women. Studios are further reported the fact that 60% of the women reported sexual abuse, 80%
could go through physical abuse and 54% are such that could cause the victim from both sexual
and physical abuse. The reports are further disclosing the fact that 60% women have been
belonging to a category where such women could face domestic abuse as adults, coercion from
partner and such kind of issues.
The women who suffer from long term prison face numerous issues that need to be
addressed by the local authority or legislative structure. In recent time sexual abuse, trauma,
reproductive capacity, progression support and many more. There are multiple steps and
strategies that is identified and designed to provide the support to the women suffering in prison.
The primary step is to strengthening the right of the women in prison in against to any kind of
illegal actions associated with the women in prison. Strengthening the legal rights would allow
the women to claim better rights and own more powerful actions against the criminal act occur
with the respective women (MacDonald, 2018). All location of more powerful rights would

improve and boost the level of confidence of such women suffering from such issues. With the
support of legislative inclusion government can raise the sentence of the person involve in
threatening women with sexual offences, abuse and any activity that result into the trauma,
reproductive capacity or progression support (Jewkes and et.al., 2019). The government must
imposed legislative action of lifetime imprisonment against any of such act that is conducted
against the women in prison. Extending the sentence of the prisoner involve in any of the illegal
activity related to women. Legislative actions are always necessary to control any illegal action
or incident occur in the prison. As the prisoners also hold the human rights and any act against
the legal rights of the prisoners should be punished with some legal implications. This will
demotivate the people hold such intentions in the prison.
The another step that can be taken to overcome the issue of women in prison is to classify
the prisoners. This is important to classify ever prisoner in the prison on the basis of the level of
criminal activity conducted by the person. On the basis of the seriousness of the criminal offence
done by the person proper classification must establish. This will allow the court and legislation
to segregate the prisoners. This is an important step that can be taken in future to eliminate the
issues of sexual abuse and mental abuse with women in the prison (Beresford and et.al., 2020).
Only the people being involved in similar criminal activities will be kept in one classification of
prison. Segregation of the prisoners on the basis of the illegal act done by the person which could
result into the prison. As in case of serious act the total term of sentence is expected to be more
than 12 years which is a long time. This step will allow the government to address the issue
precisely. Classification of prisoners will allow the government to keep the people hold the
history of similar kind of offence and also it will allow the government to keep all such criminals
at one place. This strategy will also help in managing all the prisoners.
Government can also take a step of appointing volunteers in prison. This will create a
massive difference. The volunteers will get to directly address the prisoners in jail. This strategy
will allow the management of jail to directly coordinate with the women prisoners. This practice
is very supportive for the women as in case of any offence women face will allow the respective
prisoners to communicate directly about the issue with the staff and senior officials in the prison
(Favril and et.al., 2018). Many times the issue is on;y generate as the staff do not coordinate with
the staff and officers appointed in jail. This approach will allow the prisoners to take a proper
guidance from the volunteers addressing the person. Many time women facing such issues do not

hold the proper guidance to deal with the situation. This approach will allow the women to
coordinate personally with the volunteers that will further allow such women to face the issue
effectively. Further the volunteer will be able to establish the proper relationship with the
prisoners which will allow the person to share all the issues and challenges such prisoners are
facing in jail. Proper and timely basis of communication is an easy and convenient way to
address the respective issue. Further the volunteer will be able to guide and direct the women
suffering from the criminal activity in such manner that such women will get to know all the
legal rights they hold and how to face the situation (Favril and et.al., 2020). The emerging
criminal offences significantly inspire the role of volunteers in jail. This is also recommended
that the volunteers must be women and also must understand the laws and legislations. Students
who are currently studying laws and legislation can appoint as a volunteer as this approach will
allow such students as well to learn how the entire system work. This approach will benefit to
both volunteers as well women prisoners to address the real life issues and practical situation or
issues prisoners are facing at this point in time.
The government can also implement the training of the staff to overcome the issue of
women prisoners. Providing training to the staff and employee appointed at the imprison will
allow the employee to deal with the issue effectively. This approach and step will empower the
staff to deal with the issue directly. This approach is very effective practice that can be followed
to eliminate the issue completely (Bullock, Bunce and McCarthy, 2019). Every time criminal
offences like sexual abuse or verbal abuse or any such issue occur physical actions are also
involved to control the situation. Training of staff will allow the staff of the imprison to control
efficiently and deal the entire situation effectively. This approach involve providing advanced
training to the staff so that they can deal with any kind of situation possible occur at the jail.
Training will involve both physical training and other such orientation training so that staff can
practice both physical actions as well the verbal approaches like communicating with the
prisoners to control the entire situation. Proper actions at the time of illegal offence will include
both the aspects physical as well verbal talks that require using by the staff.
The cases of the women offences in prisoners can be reviewed in order to identify the
potential solutions that can be taken to overcome the issue. This is a very effective approach that
can be used to overcome the situation. Study cases will help the designates appointed in
legislative system to identify the potential areas that need development and improvement based

on the study conducted and results identified potential solutions can proposed. This is one of the
major approach that always used anytime any kind of modification or inclusion is done in
legislation or laws.
Prisoner should be treated with proper rights that it can be protected with illegal activities that
happen in prison. Along with the women suffer from various kind of various abuse throughout
their life. Likewise, they go through sexual, emotional and mental abuse that affects women
mentally and physically (Balfour, 2018). Along with prisoner should open a rehabilitation camp
within prison as it will help in identifying their emotional and mental level. In addition to this,
the head of the prisoner can appoint a female doctor as most of the women are comfortable in
sharing their health issues with them.
However, medical report will help in knowing the condition of the prisoner. If the person
is going through mental issue proper medication a therapy need to be provided so that it can get
out form the past trauma. As most of the women prisoner that commits crime are victim of abuse
as well as going through issues of financial abuse. Thus, proper medication and therapy session
will help them to deal with emotional issue as well as to come out from stressful condition.
However, if the reason of criminal is not intentionally then it imprisonment can be reduce. As
the laws says for committing crime intention also need to be proved (Van Hout and Mhlanga-
Gunda, 2018). Along with this, women that are in imprisonment for almost 12-year gob through
physical issue that also need to be considered and if provided with doctor facilities it can keep
them fit. Moreover, during rehabilitation it should be treated with respect as they already guilty.
Proper education regarding of law will reduce criminal case in the country in addition to this, if
women are aware about the right and proper education are given to them it will adopt for legal
rights and not criminality.
Along with this, proper identification of female need to be kept in record such
information related to identity, reason for committing the crime the day and hour of admission.
Thus, it will help in identifying the criminal quickly and if it is dangerous for the society then it
should not be released from jail (Garcia-Hallett,2019). In addition to this, the prisoner that has
been in imprisonment for more than 1 year it should be provided with small job or education
according to their interest as it will allow them to develop new skill that will help them in
workplace environment. Furthermore, the women that are going through financial issue can work
and earn for themselves. However, it helps in developing their personality and reduce the

chance of criminality. Moreover, NGO’s should provide accommodation facilities to such people
as it will not allow them to choose the rights paths. It should be treated with respect and dignity
at workplace and in society.
CONCLUSION
The total number of cases with women prisoners that involve sexual abuse, verbal abuse,
threatening and such other issues are increasing every year. In order to overcome these issues
there are various solutions or steps that can be used which include training to staff, appointing
female volunteers, strengthening legislation, reviewing case studios and many such approaches
that will allow the management and staff to take necessary steps to control the situation. All
these approach will support the jail staff and government to control the entire situation. These
steps will support to reduce the total number of violence and all respective cases with women
prisoners.

REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Balfour, G., 2018. Searching prison cells and prisoner bodies: Redacting carceral power and
glimpsing gendered resistance in women’s prisons. Criminology & Criminal Justice. 18(2).
pp.139-155.
Beresford, S. and et.al., 2020. ‘What About Me?’The Impact on Children when Mothers Are
Involved in the Criminal Justice System. Mothering from the Inside.
Bullock, K., Bunce, A. and McCarthy, D., 2019. Making good in unpromising places: the
development and cultivation of redemption scripts among long-term
prisoners. International journal of offender therapy and comparative
criminology. 63(3). pp.406-423.
Favril, L. and et.al., 2018. A 17-year national study of prison suicides in Belgium. Crisis.
Favril, L. and et.al., 2020. Risk factors for self-harm in prison: a systematic review and meta-
analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry. 7(8). pp.682-691.
Garcia-Hallett, J., 2019. “We’re being released to a jungle”: The state of prisoner reentry and the
resilience of women of color. The Prison Journal. 99(4). pp.459-483.
Jewkes, Y. and et.al., 2019. Designing ‘healthy’prisons for Women: Incorporating trauma-
informed care and practice (TICP) into prison planning and design. International
journal of environmental research and public health. 16(20). p.3818.
MacDonald, M., 2018. Overcrowding and its impact on prison conditions and
health. International journal of prisoner health.
Van Hout, M. C. and Mhlanga-Gunda, R., 2018. Contemporary women prisoners health
experiences, unique prison health care needs and health care outcomes in sub Saharan Africa: a
scoping review of extant literature. BMC international health and human rights. 18(1). pp.1-12.
Worrall, A., 2019. Troubled or Troublesome? Justice for Girls and Young Women 1. In Youth
justice: Contemporary policy and practice (pp. 28-50). Routledge.