HUT surveys local Holloway residents

HUT spoke to local residents about HMP Holloway and women in the Criminal Justice System

On 15 July, HUT carried out a survey along the Holloway Road, asking people their thoughts about the closure of Holloway and what support women in the Criminal Justice System should have made available to them.  Tellingly, nearly a quarter of people we spoke to didn’t know that HMP Holloway had closed.

Here’s a selection of the responses we received.

What comes to mind when you think about women who are in prison?

I think of [the tv show] ‘Bad Girls’, I feel sorry for them

I think about their emotional well-being and if they’re being looked after

I would think most people who end up in prison have been through abuse.

It’s usually bad behaviour, drink and drugs that sends you to prison, not good behaviour.

I wonder about their sanitary and hygiene needs, I think there’s probably a lot of suffering and many people are in pain.

I haven’t really thought about women in prison, [but] I’ve watched programmes.

Should women caught in our criminal justice system be offered support and rehabilitation? Would you agree to these women receiving therapeutic support in your community?

Everyone we spoke to was in favour of the idea of treating  women in their local community and in support of a Women’s Centre being built on the Holloway site, but opinions were mixed about how, how and when they should receive help.

It’s important to look at the women’s circumstances, early intervention is key. If they end up in prison you need to provide the right facilities, including education and rehabilitation.

110% they should be offered help!

It depends on what they’ve done, no murderers or rapists should be allowed.

They should get the support they need after they’ve paid for their crime.