Women's prison attacked by human rights body

A damning report into the detention of women and girls in a Northern Ireland prison was issued by the Human Rights Commission there today.

It attacked “endemic failures” in the regime under which girls as young as 14 were held at Mourne House inside top security Maghaberry Prison in Co Antrim.

And it said the transfer in June this year of female inmates to accommodation at a male young offenders centre was “entirely inappropriate”.

The Commission report called for an independent public inquiry into the regime at Mourne House, the deaths of two inmates in 2002 and 2004, and the circumstances in which prison officers were suspended and dismissed following allegations of “inappropriate conduct” with female inmates.

The report “The Hurt Inside – the imprisonment of women and girls in Northern Ireland” was commissioned by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission following the death in custody of a 19-year-old female prisoner in Mourne House in 2002 and publication of a highly critical Prisons Inspectorate report on the regime in 2003.

The authors, Professor Phil Scraton and Dr Linda Moore, said that when they inspected the prison, far from responding to the criticisms of the inspectors’ report, the regime in Mourne House had “deteriorated significantly”.

They said their research found “a regime in operation that neglected the identified needs of women and girl prisoners, lacked creative or constructive programmes to assist their personal social development, compromised their physical and mental health and that failed to meet minimum standards of a “duty of care”.

They said there was no Prison Service policy statement, or strategy documentation addressing the particular needs of women and girls in prison, no dedicated governor responsible solely for the management of women in prison and no gender specific training for prison management or officers.

Approximately 80% of prison officers allocated to Mourne House were men and it was not uncommon for the night guard duty to be all male, they reported.

The report accepted the Northern Ireland Prison Service, and Maghaberry in particular, was emerging from a prolonged period of poor industrial relations.

But it said “the stagnation of the regime, and the systemic complacency within its operation, has caused considerable and persistent suffering for the women and girls held in Mourne House”.

The research found a regime in which women were “regularly locked in cells for 17 hours a day, workshops were permanently closed and education classes rarely held".

The report revealed: “For many women the regime consisted of being locked alone in their cells with a television for extended periods of time.”

It said it found healthcare for women was “dire” and the punishment and segregation block was an inappropriate environment for the location of distressed and self-harming women and girls.

“The strip conditions comprised of a plinth with no mattress and no pillow, an indestructible gown and blanket and a potty for a toilet without access to a sink ....were degrading and inhumane and possibly in breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights,” it said.

It added: “For those under 18 these conditions constitute a serious breach of international standards on the rights of the child.”

The right of women in prison and their children to a meaningful family life was not respected – women were restricted to brief periods of unlock during which they could make telephone calls to their children.

Fore nine consecutive days over Christmas, woman had no evening unlock or association and there was an absence of appropriate arrangements for special or enhanced family visits.

“The restrictive regime caused unnecessary suffering for women, their children and their families,” said the report.

It found the transfer of women to the Hydebank Wood young offenders centre in the summer did not meet the recommendations of the 2002 Inspectorate report.

A facility designed for young male prisoners “is an unsuitable environment for women and girl prisoners,” the report said.

It recommended the Prison Service declare the transfer to Hydebank to be a temporary measure and that it initiates full consultation with all interested parties to develop an informed long term strategy, appropriate operational policies and established “best practice” for women’s imprisonment in Northern Ireland.

It further recommended that a discreet woman’s custody unit should be developed, either on the site of Mourne House or at another appropriate location.

It should be managed separately and be self-contained. It should offer a regime based on an inclusive assessment of women prisoners’ needs met by gender-specific programmes and administered by trained managers and staff.

The report recommended that those under the age of 18 should not be held in Prison Service custody.

It said that given the seriousness of the research findings regarding “the endemic failures of Mourne House and the need for accountability” it was essential a further independent public inquiry was held.

Its broad focus should be the deterioration in the regime and the conditions women and children were held in following the 2002 inspection by the Chief Inspector of Prisons and her subsequent criticisms.

Its terms of reference should include:

:: the failure of the Director General and the Governor of Maghaberry to implement the inspectors recommendations and the consequences for women and girl children prisoners held in Mourne House from 2002 to 2004.

:: the circumstances surrounding the deaths in custody of two prisoners in 2002 and 2004.

:: the use of the punishment and segregation unit as a location for the confinement of self-harming and suicidal women, including girl children.

:: the circumstances in which prison officers were suspended and dismissed following allegations of inappropriate conduct.

NIHC chief commissioner Brice Dickson said the findings of the report were “alarming” and there needed to be accountability for the breaches of the rights of women prisoners which occurred between the time of the 2002 inspection and the closure of Mourne House in June this year.

He said the point of producing such a report was to prevent breaches of human rights in the future and to promote a human rights culture.

“We hope that those in authority will listen,” he said.

Peter Russell, director general of prisons in Northern Ireland, said he would be studying the recommendations.

He admitted “all was not well in Mourne House”, that was why he had established an inquiry into allegations of inappropriate behaviour there by staff earlier this year. He was expecting the report shortly.

However, he defended the move to Hydebank Wood and insisted the Prison Service was able to offer a “more stimulating regime for women in custody in a less oppressive environment.”

He pointed out that when the Prison Service put its plans out for the transfer out for consultation, anyone and everyone, could have submitted their views before a final decision was made. The NIHRC did not offer a response.

Mr Russell said the service was confident of its ability to deliver a suitable regime for female inmates and prepared to be judged on its results.

Preliminary indications following the transfer of the prisoners in June was that what was on offer was a substantial improvement.

The Criminal Justice Inspector for Northern Ireland would be making an unannounced inspection before the end of the year, he revealed, saying he was “confident he will be impressed by the amount of excellent work being carried out on behalf of our female prison population”.