1,400 prisoners ‘were born the wrong sex’
NEARLY one prisoner in every 50 identifies as transgender, a survey has suggested.
British jails could have more than 1,400 convicts who believe they were born the wrong sex – 10 times the recognised trans prison population of 139.
But critics claimed the figures showed how many prisoners may be lying.
Victims’ rights campaigner Harry Fletcher said: “It is a real issue that significant numbers of sex offenders are identifying as female.
“The purpose could be to continue abusing vulnerable women.
“It is imperative they are properly risk-assessed before any transfer.”
Last year, a rapist born as Stephen Wood but who identified as a woman called Karen White carried out sex assaults at a female prison. White, 52, was on remand at New Hall, Wakefield, West Yorks, for earlier offences at the time. White is serving nine years at a male prison after being described at Leeds Crown Court as a “predator” who abused transgender status.
From last year, HM Inspectorate of Prisons’ regular surveys asked if a prisoner was transgender or transsexual and offered options of male, female, “non-binary” or another unspecified gender.
Of 6,667 people questioned in 43 prisons, 118 listed themselves as transgender.
The figure is equivalent to 1.77 per cent of the total or about one in 57.
In male prisons, the proportion is higher, at 116 out of 6,263, 1.85 per cent, or one in 54.
The trend suggests that within the entire 82,567 prison population, there could be 1,461 transgender inmates.
The research came as prison bosses said they were grouping “nonbinary” offenders together in “clusters” on wings alongside other inmates.
The Ministry of Justice disputed the analysis, arguing the statistics used were from a small proportion of the prison population in selected jails.
A spokesman said: “We do not recognise these figures which are compiled using a less robust methodology than Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service.”
Officials claim to be trying to strike a balance between protecting transgender inmates and the safety of all prisoners, including “extremely vulnerable women”.