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  • Designing healthy prisons for women

Designing healthy prisons for women

One in 10 women in prison have attempted suicide prior to custody; half have experienced domestic violence; one-third report sexual assault/abuse in childhood. Two-thirds are drug dependent or have hazardous levels of drinking; 80 per cent have had diagnosable mental health problems; 15 per cent have previously been admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Furthermore, women commit half of all incidents of self-harm in prisons and, although less than five per cent of the prison population, constitute 10 per cent of those who die by suicide in custody (Howard League, 2016). Most experts believe that the women’s prison estate could and should be abolished, yet in November 2016 the Government announced that five new prisons for women are planned by 2020. This project has been awarded a research development grant by the Foundation for the Sociology of Health and Illness (SHI) and considers designing ‘healthy’ prisons for women: incorporating trauma-informed care and practice into prison planning and design.

Project timeframe

This research project commenced on 1 March 2017 and will end on 31 October 2017.

Project aims

This project brings together expertise in prison planning and design (Professor Yvonne Jewkes, University of Brighton), women’s health, illness and experience of trauma (Professor Gillian Bendelow, University of Brighton), and women’s imprisonment (Dr Serena Wright, Royal Holloway University of London) and Dr Melanie Jordan (University of Nottingham) to look at what should be the guiding principles of ‘gender-responsive’ design for women’s prisons. 

Project images

HBW-Murray-House Murray House, Hydebank Wood prison for women
HBW-gardens Gardens at Hydebank Wood prison for women

Project findings and impact

This research project is ongoing; output, findings and impact will be updated in due course.

Research team

Professor Gillian Bendelow

Professor Yvonne Jewkes

Output

Partners

Dr Serena Wright, Royal Holloway University

Dr Melanie Jordan, University of Nottingham

Funder

Foundation for the Sociology of Health and Illness (SHI), Research development grant £5,955.10.

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