Women's Prison Reforms

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 9 (Supplement)

Women's Prison Reforms

EXPERTS of the British Home Office and Office of Works are preparing plans and providing a site for a new women's prison to take the place of Holloway gaol. In this "camp in the country," the women will live in conditions similar to those ruling at Borstal institutions, says an English newspaper. There will be no cells for normal purposes, and prisoners will spend most of their time in the open air, in association with each other. As far as possible, they will be segregated into house communities according to age and characteristics. Sleeping accommodation will be provided in wards, and not in separate cells as hitherto. Pursuing the arrangement initiated in Holloway, training to enable prisoners to enter suitable employment on release will proceed on a wide scale. The women have shown both interest and capacity in cookery and table service. Four examinations are held in these subjects each year, and in the last reported upon all candidates were successful. The highest percentage of marks was St>, and the lowest 70. Other reforms introduced at Holloway will be extended under more promising conditions at the new prison. e Singing classes, with community singing as a feature, are held regularlv at Holloway and are much appreciated. Music and dancing lessons are given, and in these arts some of the prisoners have shown considerable proficiency. ■ AH but abnormal and recalcitrant prisoners are brought into association as . much as possible and encouraged to

The old form of degrading drudgery, which in other (and recent) days filled the lives of women prisoners, has been abolished. They are given interesting handicraft, and other kinds of congenial work, according to their disposition. The effect of clot Ties on mentality and conduct has been given full weight. Prisoners do not now wear the drab dress formerly issued on reception. Instead, coat-frocks—nothing in the nature of uniform—are worn. Every woman serving a sentence of over six months has a complete outfit of underclothes, aprons and dresses, which remains her property while she is in prison. The clothes are mil made to measure. Every room—they are no longer known as "cells"—has its mirror, and each woman is allowed to have her hair "waved" occasionally. The effects of these changes in prison life, so far as women are concerned, encourage the authorities to believe that conditions may be improved still further. • The Prison Commissioners reported: "One of the most remarkable features of prison statistics in recent years is the reduction in the number of women prisoners." In 1913, the number of women received into prison after conviction was 33,414. Since then there has been a progressive decrease. In 1936 (the last year for . which official figures are available) the number was 3869. There are now only six prisons in Great Britain for women, and the daily • average of inmates is in most cases • small—for example, 15 in Cardiff and 10 1 in Exeter. The authorities are satisfied that, great as has been the decrease in women prisoners in recent years, the new ret forms contemplated will reduce the 5 number—and, in addition, will have a ) far-reaching effect in reclaiming those