FOLLOWING the inquest into the tragic death of Vicky Robinson, 26, who died in the care of New Hall Prison, I write to express the utmost concern that the jury returned a verdict stating that "staff involved did not provide adequate care" ('Suicide at Wakefield's New Hall prison: Staff lacked right training', YEP, April 25).
There are chilling similarities between the death of Ms Robinson, who died in February 2005, and the death of my daughter Sarah, who died in the care of Styal Prison in January 2003. History has repeated itself, and with tragic consequences. Both Ms
Robinson and my daughter had a history of self-harming, and were on 'suicide watch' when they died.
And despite a Prison Service order stating "prisoners at risk of suicide or self-harm must not be routinely held in segregation units", Ms Robinson and my daughter were both held in segregation units at the time of their deaths.
Following a review of women with particular vulnerabilities in the criminal justice system, Baroness Jean Corston's report was handed to ministers in March 2007. The Government's woefully inadequate response, in December 2007, was to announce that no funding was available to implement the recommendations of the report.
The Corston Report recommends that existing women's prisons should be closed down, and replaced with a local network of small custodial units reserved only for those who are a danger to the public, and that community solutions for non-violent women offenders should be the norm.
As the person who organised and led the demonstration outside New Hall Prison to protest against Vicky Robinson's death in 2005, I must express utter dismay that women continue to be detained in prisons that cannot meet their human needs.
Pauline Campbell, Malpas, Cheshire
The full article contains 299 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
