Behind bars in Britain’s failing prisons

I was given Prisonomics, Vicky Pryce’s account of her short prison sentence served in Holloway and East Sutton Park prisons last year, as a Christmas present from my ever-loving. I’m only half way through, so will reserve my comments on her cost benefit analysis of women’s imprisonment until I’ve finished the book.

In the meantime, here’s 10 things that have struck me so far:

1. Only one in 20 children are able to stay in their own home while their mother is in prison
2. 37% women in prison report having attempted suicide at some point in their lives
3. 54% female remand prisoners were addicted to drugs in the year prior to being in prison
4. 24% women in prison have no previous convictions
5. Approximately 2,200 children of imprisoned mothers are taken into care every year
6. Tampons are available inside for free – and are a useful way of blocking windows drafts at Holloway
7. Women have to work 1 1/2 hours at East Sutton Park to earn enough to buy one stamp
8. All 228 women’s open prison places are scheduled for closure
9. Probation at East Sutton Park is in “really sweet offices” up a spiral staircase with lovely views of the Kent countryside
10. East Sutton Park is haunted by the ghost of a little girl called Arabella