Penal Reform and Gender ■ Prisoners should have easy access to the complaints machinery, both orally and in writing. Where the prison population is diverse, the information should be available in the relevant languages. Measures must be taken to ensure that non-literate prisoners understand and can access complaint mechanisms. 4.3 Eliminate discrimination in the way prisons are run Reduce inappropriate levels of security The comparatively small number of prisons for women means that there is often limited accommodation, and types of accommodation, for women prisoners compared to those available to male prisoners. For example, in a region where there might be four men’s prisons of different security classifications, there may be just one women’s prison. Where this is the case, that one prison’s regime will be determined by the maximum security requirement. This means that women prisoners are particularly likely to be held according to a security classification that is stricter than could be justified by any assessment of the risk that they pose. 32 Further, security rules and procedures designed for male prisoners are often applied to women, although women’s offences are less likely to involve violence and women often behave differently in prison. A recent report on women in prison in England and Wales concluded: ‘Levels of security in prison were put in place to stop men either escaping or uniting together to overthrow the authority of the jail. Women do not act in this way. Of course some women abscond but generally they simply go home because they cannot bear the separation from their children.’33 Prison reform includes ensuring that conditions in prison should be only as restrictive as is necessary for safe custody of prisoners and a well-ordered community life in the prison. It is not appropriate to have generic security rules that apply to all prisons, regardless of whether they hold men or women. Different rules should be drafted for men’s and women’s prisons including those that apply to: ■ Security measures in the buildings and around the perimeter, such as bars, barbed wire, high walls and armed guards ■ Treatment of visitors and arrangements for family visits ■ Procedures to be followed when women temporarily leave the prison – e.g. to go to hospital ■ Arrangements for day release, day parole and home leave Provide appropriate activities for women and other excluded groups Many prisons provide no activities for any of the prisoners, men or women. In those that do, women often have access to the most limited opportunities, sewing being the most common activity.34 Prisoners who are especially vulnerable, such as those with HIV/AIDS and those held in units for special protection from other prisoners, often also miss out on education and other activities. Activities in women’s prisons should be designed for the population that they hold. Basic education will be needed for many. However, the main objective should be to offer activities that help women to come to terms with their pasts and become more independent and self-sufficient. Such an approach can be adopted in all countries, whatever their resource level. In poorer countries, literate prisoners can teach others and volunteers from civil society groups can be involved. Training in agriculture and in making commodities that can be sold in the market will help women to be self-sufficient on release. Being self-sufficient after release is especially important for women from countries where imprisonment can bring such shame that no reconciliation with the family is possible. In developed countries, programmes in women’s prisons should be oriented towards building confidence and selfesteem, overcoming past traumatic experiences and current addictions, enabling women to access the services to which they are entitled in the community outside prison and establishing the basis for them to earn a legal living. 4.4 Ensure prison treatment is appropriate to the particular needs of men and women Improving family contact Family contact is very important when designing genderresponsive penal reform. It is important for male prisoners because it helps them maintain a link with the outside world and a relationship with their family and children, if they have them. For female prisoners, it can be even more important, as in most societies women have primary care-giving responsibilities for the family. Female prisoners are more likely than male prisoners to have been the sole or primary carer for young children and other family members, such as older relatives, prior to imprisonment. It is estimated that in the European Union, 700,000 children are separated from an imprisoned parent every year.35 Separation from children greatly increases the anguish of imprisonment for mothers, and child-friendly visiting arrangements are very important. However, because there are far fewer women’s prisons, women tend to be imprisoned further away from their families and therefore generally receive fewer family visits. Family contact is also important to prison management and prisoner rehabilitation. Prisoners who maintain family ties while in prison display fewer disciplinary problems, have better physical and mental health, are more likely to reintegrate successfully into the community upon release and less likely to re-offend.36 In a number of countries, the legal framework requires contact between pre-trial prisoners and their families and friends to be approved by the prosecuting or judicial authorities. Where they are permitted, restrictive conditions can apply, such as direct supervision by staff, very short contact durations and a prohibition on physical contact.37 In many prison systems visiting arrangements for sentenced prisoners are a low priority. Visits can be infrequent and held in conditions that do not permit physical contact. Prisoner and visitor have to shout to each other through a Perspex screen or stand on either 7