Female prisoners leaving unprepared

Some of the country’s most challenging female offenders are leaving prison without the necessary tools to get a good start.

A report from Reclaim Another Woman (RAW), an organisation that works with female recidivist offenders, found that female inmates were leaving prison without the essentials necessary to function effectively in society.

The report, based on interviews with a focus group of offenders and Corrections Department staff, said women were leaving prison without things like medication – including contraception – income benefits, bank accounts, CVs or driver licences.

The report comes as the female prison population is rising rapidly.

In September last year, 800 women – both remand and sentenced prisoners – were in jail. This compared with 672 in September 2016, a 19 per cent increase in just 12 months.

In September 2012, only 511 women were behind bars, meaning the female prison population has risen more than 56 per cent in just five years.

Meanwhile, the total prison population (female and male), has also been rising at its most rapid rate, sitting above 10,500.

RAW founder Annah Stretton said these things were a barrier to these women trying to live a more positive life outside prison.

Prison often acted as a ‘‘circuit breaker’’ for the repeat offenders, and gave them the chance to change their behaviour and learn useful skills.

However, Corrections was not maximising on that opportunity to properly rehabilitate and reintegrate these women, who frequently had complex issues.

More than 52 per cent of female inmates have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, two-thirds of women in prison have been victims of family violence, rape or sexual assault; 75 per cent have diagnosed mental health problems; and 62 per cent of female prisoners have had co-morbid mental health and substance disorders in their lifetimes.

Ma¯ori women were also disproportionately affected, making up 62 per cent of the female prison population.

Stretton said when the female prison population was rising, it was important to not only prevent crime but also make sure that those who were released from prison had a lower chance of reoffending.

The relatively small female population – in relation to male prisoner numbers – could serve as a pilot for new programmes and services, she said.

Offering adequate rehabilitation and reintegration programmes and services would help achieve that goal.

The RAWreport said everyone leaving prison should have:

Basic literacy and numeracy, at least to primary school level;

Hold at least a learner’s driver licence;

Have completed a culturally appropriate parenting course;

Have a completed a life skills course, including communications skills, anger management, financial literacy, social drinking and cooking etc; A completed current CV; Cleared, remitted fines; Health clearance and a supply of any medication needed (including contraception), until they can register with a doctor; A bank account; If not going into work, a benefit set up to be paid on their week of exit. Some people currently wait up to six weeks for their first benefit payment.

Stretton also supported a policy, or law change, which would see more women become eligible for ‘‘clean slate’’ status sooner. A criminal record was a barrier for people who wanted to live a more positive, crime-free life, she said.

This could even be an incentive for prisoners to not reoffend.

Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis said the Government was focused on rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for both female and male prisoners.

It had promised to cut the prison population by 30 per cent in the next 15 years.

In order to do that, it was considering every possible option, from changing bail and sentencing laws, through to how prisons were built, the services offered inside, and support on release.

‘‘We’re leaving no stone unturned,’’ Davis said.