Pubdate: Sat, 16 May 1998 Source: Scotsman (UK) Contact: Website: http://www.scotsman.com/ WOMEN IN PRISON REPORT WELCOMED Sir, - I write in response to your articles, "Far fewer Scots women must be jailed, says report" and "Behind the Vale of tears" (11 May). SACRO (Safeguarding Communities Reducing Offending) welcomes the fact that the minister for home affairs, Henry McLeish, directed that the prisons and social work inspectorates for Scotland should review and make recommendations about community disposals and the use of custody for women offenders in Scotland. We hope the report will be acted upon, and particularly the statements that "almost all women offenders could be safely punished in the community without any major risk of harm to the general population", that "less than 1 per cent of women sent to prison are violent offenders", and also that "up to 52 per cent of female prison sentence admissions are fine defaulters". SACRO agrees with the conclusion and recommendation that, "The only sure way to reduce the number of suicide attempts in custody is to reduce the number of women being imprisoned". We endorse the suggestion that there should be more options in the community, with the provision of bail information and supported accommodation. The governor of Cornton Vale is on record as saying that only about 30 of the inmates would be a danger to society. SACRO, therefore, would have preferred to see the report go further, and recommend limiting the female population at Cornton Vale to about 30 (those seen as a risk to society). We are pleased, however, that it does recommend that the numbers are reduced from over 170 to 100. We particularly welcome the recommendation that, wherever possible, those with major drug problems, and mentally disordered offenders, should not be sent to prison. It is also useful that the report points out that some of its conclusions might equally apply to men. Susan Matheson Chief Executive, SACRO Palmerston Place, Edinburgh - --- Checked-by: Melodi Cornett