The Northern Ireland Prison Service has been severely criticised for how it deals with women prisoners, some of whom are acknowledged as disturbed and vulnerable and liable to self-harm or even suicide.
A new report, which followed on the suicides of two women prisoners and allegations of inappropriate relations between women prisoners and male prison officers, complains the women's prison in Belfast does not meet inmates' requirements.
This latest report, produced jointly by the British chief inspector of prisons, Anne Owers, and the chief inspector of criminal justice, Kit Chivers, proposes a separate prison for women in the North.
The report follows on a critical report by the Prisons Inspectorate in 2002 into conditions and treatment of women prisoners held at Mourne House at Maghaberry Prison near Lisburn.
Annie Kelly (19) and Roseanne Irvine (34) took their own lives at Mourne House in 2002 and in March last year. Around this period there were also allegations of improper relations between women prisoners and male prison officers there.
Thereafter women prisoners were transferred to Ash House, on the grounds of Hydebank young offender centre in Belfast, which in separate buildings houses 250 young males.
Notwithstanding the closure of Mourne House as a women's prison, the new report, which was triggered by an unannounced inspection of Ash House in November 2004, found the inspectorate's 2002 report was not acted upon.
Ms Owers and Mr Chivers complained Ash House lacked integral sanitation and said staff were insufficiently trained to receive women prisoners. There was too little for women prisoners to do and they had lost open access to fresh air and to the grounds of Hydebank, causing depression among prisoners.
"In particular staff lacked the support and knowledge to manage some extremely damaged young women at risk of suicide or self-harm," the inspectors added.
Among their many other complaints were:
finding two young women, one a juvenile, being held in "anti-suicide suits" in cold and unfurnished cells;
documents revealing an imperfect understanding of the motives and management of self-harming women in the prison;
and disciplinary measures used to punish self-harming behaviour.
The inspectors said the Prison Service responded positively to their findings, accepting almost all their recommendations. This included the proposal to create a separate women's prison and to appoint more women prison officers to work in Ash House.
However, Ash House, which will be renovated, will remain as the women's prison pending a long-term project to find more suitable alternative accommodation for women prisoners.
