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In the next of her series of blogs, our Women’s Involvement Advisor Lilly Lewis explains why the use of adult custodial remand needs urgent reform.

This month in my role as Women’s Involvement Advisor I have been working on One Small Thing’s response to the Justice Committee Call for Evidence on the role of adult custodial remand in the criminal justice system.

The inquiry seeks to understand whether remand to custody is fit for purpose and being appropriately applied.

From my experience, the impact of remand on women's lives was devastating. When I was in prison I worked in the reception and would often be the first prisoner that women who had been remanded would see, and the person to greet them as they were released from the prison van. Most women remanded had been assured by their solicitor that they would be going home that day. Women would arrive at prison with no belongings and no money. Most were feeling extremely vulnerable and traumatised, wondering about their children and their homes. They would be entitled to one phone call which was usually made in reception, was extremely emotional and not in a private space.

Most women were not remanded after violent or serious crimes, and I would encourage them to apply for a bail hearing via video link. Surprisingly, a lot of them would actually be granted bail, posing the question, why were they remanded at all?

Remand wings are probably the worst wings I have stayed on. The women who were often in and out of prison branded ‘prolific offenders’, would often conceal drugs so there were lots of women taking drugs. I was in a cell with a locked adjoining room. The girl next door was smoking heroin so I would have to place a towel next to the floor to stop the fumes coming through. Women are so distraught and desperate not knowing when they will go to trial and second guessing what will happen to them.

Remanding women into prison puts more pressure on the already struggling prison service. Statistically more Black and minoritised women who are remanded in custody later go on to be sentenced into jail than white women. The number of incidents of self-harm is also incredibly high for women on remand.

I think that when a man goes to prison on remand he loses his freedom, but often when a woman is remanded to prison, she loses everything that she has — a home, possibly children, and her freedom.

There is definitely more stigma when a woman goes to prison, and for those who are mums this has a huge impact on children. A lot of shame is felt by children. My daughter would say, ‘It's meant to be a man that goes to prison mum, it's embarrassing when I have to tell people that my mum is in prison.’ Every aspect of a child's life is disrupted when mum goes to prison.

The anxiety and stress that comes with being charged with an offence was probably the most stressful time of my life. With the uncertainty of awaiting my trial, I could barely get through a day without a panic attack. I was drinking heavily and had suicidal thoughts. If a woman is remanded the sudden separation from her home and children, alongside trying to adjust to being incarcerated causes so many women to self-harm.

Once charged with an offence it would be better if that woman could be signposted to support whilst on bail. This is one of the most distressing periods in my life and I would have liked to have been supported through this time.

There was a woman on remand who really stays in my memory, placed in the hospital wing in one prison I was in. She was on remand for a small financial crime. I was part of the Shannon Trust team who would support women who could not read or spell. I was going over to her wing every other day. When I met her it was so distressing, she was in her sixties and had no idea where she was or why she was there. She couldn't keep herself clean or tidy her cell, so when I was there to support her reading, I would help her clean and teach her to spell at the same time. For example, when we would make her bed I would spell out BED. I always remember her toenails were so long and I asked staff if they could help her cut them and was told ‘that's not our job’, devastating to say. I was advised this woman was remanded for her own safety as there was nowhere else to send her.

The impact of covid for women on remand has had devastating effects. Being separated from their children and locked in cells up to 23 hours a day, almost like the punishment of solitary confinement when they have not even been found guilty. These women would not have been allowed visits by their children and limited phone contact. I call these women the forgotten prisoners, with their trials being pushed further and further back because of Covid. 1 out of 10 are being found not guilty, and lots released at trial, after which point they receive no support. Having been remanded for a long period I know many would need support around mental health.

In response to the inquiry, I do not believe the use of remand to custody for women is either fit for purpose or appropriately applied.