Holloway women's prison deemed 'unsafe'

Threats and intimidation from other prisoners at Holloway prison in north London were rife, they revealed, with almost six out of 10 inmates feeling unsafe at some point.

Many of the problems were long-running and stemmed from badly designed residential units that made it hard for staff to see inmates.

But there were also reports of inappropriate behaviour by male prison officers, the inspectors found.

Deputy chief inspector of prisons Nigel Newcomen said: "Holloway remains an extremely difficult prison to run safely."

Managers and staff were hampered by a lack of strategic direction and effective operational management.

"Unless both are dealt with, Holloway will struggle to meet the needs of the women it holds," he warned.

A total of 220 recommendations for improvement were made after an unannounced inspection of the prison in April.

Prison Reform Trust director Juliet Lyon called yesterday for a proper government strategy for women offenders.

It should be focused on alternatives to imprisonment, she urged.

"Vulnerable women are at risk of returning to being a neglected minority in the justice system," she said.

"Developing effective local services coupled with proper supervision and support would allow prisons like Holloway to concentrate on the resettlement needs of the most serious offenders," Ms Lyon argued.

Rachel Halford of campaign group Women in Prison stressed that the majority of women in Holloway should be serving their sentences in the community "and not be put at risk by being sent to a prison that is unable to ensure their safety."

Women prisoners are more likely to suffer from mental health illnesses and often come from a background of sexual abuse and domestic violence, according to a recent report by the Prison Reform Trust.

It found that more than half of women in prison had suffered domestic violence and one in three had experienced sexual abuse.

And 70 per cent of the female inmates had two or more diagnosed mental health issues.

More than 66 per cent of women prisoners are mothers, and each year it is estimated that more than 17,700 children are separated from their mothers by imprisonment.