Ramsbotham talking to women at Winchester Prison

Chief Inspector Attacks Treatment of Women Prisoners

Sir David Ramsbotham listed 160 recommendations for improvements - from banning handcuffs on women visiting hospital to give birth to tighter controls on strip searches.

He stressed it was essential that a director of women's prisons was appointed if the needs of the 2,700 women currently in jail in England and Wales were to be properly addressed. "Central to this report is our strongly held view that the women's prison system ought to be managed as an entity, by one director, with responsibility and accountability for all that happens within the women's estate," Sir David said in the report's preface.

"As is pointed out over and over again, there is an urgent need for a thorough analysis of the needs of women prisoners and a national strategy for implementing and managing policies appropriate to satisfying them," he stated.

The report said that the nature of the female prison population imposed special requirements. While 40% of women prisoners were first-time offenders, there was a significant number of "highly recidivist" repeat offenders - invariably involved in drug abuse - and a small but growing number serving long sentences for offences of violence, including murder.

Alongside them serving sentences, there were pregnant women and mothers with babies. The majority of women in jail had severe emotional or mental problems and between 30% and 70% had suffered sexual abuse.

The report said that staff, particularly male officers, needed far more training and support in working with women offenders with appropriate health care, food and exercise.

Ramsbotham: highly critical

Sir David tells the BBC's World At One why women's prisons must change

Women inmates needed opportunities for frequent contacts with their families with the prime consideration the interests of any children involved. "These are no different from the essential elements for adult males and young offenders," the report said. "But the approach towards providing them for female prisoners should be significantly different, acknowledging that their needs are different."

Sir David said his decision to mount a review of the provision for women prisoners had been prompted by conditions at Holloway jail in London which prompted a walk-out by inspectors in 1995.

He acknowledged that while at least 30% of women inmates needed to be behind bars because they posed a security risk, many more did not. "They don't pose a security risk which says they must be in prison. There may well be some for whom another form of sentencing may well be more appropriate," he told a press briefing.

He expressed particular concern over the number of women prisoners held on remand awaiting trial, when only 34% went on to receive custodial sentences.

Prisons Minister Joyce Quin accepted there was a need to "speed up" the remand process for women. "My impression is that there are certainly too many on remand, and for quite long periods on remand, and that is the most pressing problem that I see," she said.

Richard Tilt, the Prison Service Director General, welcomed the report and said steps were already under way to implement some of the recommendations including the provision of more specialised training for staff.