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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Don't release violent male offenders, repurpose women's prisons for them instead

114 replies

CohensDiamondTeeth · 26/07/2026 12:03

Article in the Telegraph.

Instead lets release women from prison instead, and repurpose their prisons to house the men.

It sounds like an excellent idea to me!

Repurpose women’s prisons for men, campaigners tell Andy Burnham

OP posts:
Jane379 · 12/08/2026 00:54

nutmeg7 · 27/07/2026 14:21

TheignT seems to be very strongly invested in there being no differences at all between the typical behaviour of males and females.
To the point of trying quite hard to misread and misinterpret every comment. Why so touchy about this?

I don't think so. I think she's been very clear that she doesn't think male and female crime is the same, and I agree with her points.

If I remember correctly, elsewhere she's said she 's an ex police officer, so she has some experience directly

Jane379 · 12/08/2026 00:57

AnonyMumAuDHD · 28/07/2026 12:02

Actually NOONE (male or female) is imprisoned for non payment of council tax. It’s a civil debt, not a criminal one and therefore cannot be addressed for this reason. In theory a magistrate CAN sentence someone to 3m for wilful non-payment, but clearly they never do.

Apparently only 0-2 people per year end up in prison as a result of nonpayment of TV licence fines (Ministry of Justice data).

So all of this is a bit of a distraction to the core discussion.

70% of women have sentences of less than 12m; over 50% for less than 6m indicating that these are relatively minor offences (shop lifting, petty theft) and better addressed with ankle tags and community service. Men should not be in the estate for those same level of crimes, either, imho opinion and could equally be ankle tagged, given community service, or supported in returning to work/job training.

Prison should be about a) the containment and rehabilitation of serious offenders and b) about removing from society those who presents a longer-term and continued danger to it. Life sentences for murder/multiple murder/gang rape and organised crime… should mean life.

'Apparently only 0-2 people per year end up in prison as a result of nonpayment of TV licence fines (Ministry of Justice data).

So all of this is a bit of a distraction to the core discussion.'

  • This.
BlueWallsareCool · 12/08/2026 00:58

You need to staff prisons appropriately. I am not sure that using a prison designed for women and staffed by women, for housing violent men would work.
You would have to put the women elsewhere, I doubt they would all be suitable for early release.
It isn't just building more prisons, it is staffing them that is likely to be a bigger problem.

Hypatiasdisciple · 31/08/2026 09:58

TheignT · 26/07/2026 12:11

Why shouldn't women be in prison? We fought for equality so if a woman commits the same crime as a man she should do the same time.

If prisons are so crowded that the government is seeking early release for rapists and murderers, the priority should be to give early release to all nonviolent criminals first. Most women in prison are there for nonviolent crime.

missmollygreen · 31/08/2026 20:58

AStonedRose · 26/07/2026 12:08

Makes perfect sense to me

vert, very few women belong in prison. Literally the tiny handful who commit murder. Absolutely no others

Well that is a hot take.
So why cant we release all the men who have not committed murder then?

TheignT · 31/08/2026 21:19

Hypatiasdisciple · 31/08/2026 09:58

If prisons are so crowded that the government is seeking early release for rapists and murderers, the priority should be to give early release to all nonviolent criminals first. Most women in prison are there for nonviolent crime.

Exactly my point why not all non violent prisoners? Doesn't matter if it's a higher percentage of women, I can't see why non violent women are some how more entitled than nonviolent men.

Manyanamanyana · 01/09/2026 02:13

TheignT · 26/07/2026 12:33

Do you also think dangerous women should be in prison?

What kind of question is that?

TheignT · 01/09/2026 17:21

Manyanamanyana · 01/09/2026 02:13

What kind of question is that?

It's a question about should men and women be treated equally. If we have to let people out early I'm all for the nonviolent ones getting out regardless of sex and at the same time I'm all for violent ones staying in again regardless if sex. So for me it isn't should we let women out it's which prisoners can safely be released.

ElizaMulvil · 01/09/2026 19:50

TheignT · 27/07/2026 19:40

No you haven't answered my question. Forget sex for a minute, prisoner A failed to pay court fines, in prison for six months. Due to overcrowding released after two months. Prisoner B failed to pay court fines and in prison for six months. Overcrowding but not released early as they are a B. That doesn't seem fair does it

Now think A is male and B is female and now is it fair that A gets released early because he's male. That doesnt seem fair.

Now reverse the sexes and A gets released early because she's female but B isn't. You say that's fair. Why?

.

Neither should be in prison. We should be able to come up with a system that doesn't mean US paying more ( by keeping them in prison) than the amount owned in the first place. Community work etc?

Tearannosaurus · 01/09/2026 22:10

Female or male you should only be in prison if you're a danger to the public or you've committed the most heinous crimes with no thinkable alternative. The number of females fitting either category must be tiny to non existent. Crimes have to be punished of course and there are many alternative and sometimes more productive sentences.

SadiraOfTyr · 01/09/2026 22:37

My understanding is that this has been considered but is not workable. The three category A women’s prisons would need to be retained for violent and dangerous female offenders, which leaves you with a choice of just 9 low security/open prisons, none of which would be suitable for housing male offenders without effectively having to rebuild them from the ground up as they simply don’t have the security features needed to keep staff and the public safe from the much greater threat posed by male inmates.

Heggettypeg · 01/09/2026 23:13

I wonder how the long-term economics would work out?:
The cost of repurposing a number of women's prisons, versus the cost - to the police, the NHS, the courts etc and the general public - of having the relevant number of violent and predatory criminals on the loose instead.
I don't know. Does anyone?

SadiraOfTyr · 01/09/2026 23:43

Heggettypeg · 01/09/2026 23:13

I wonder how the long-term economics would work out?:
The cost of repurposing a number of women's prisons, versus the cost - to the police, the NHS, the courts etc and the general public - of having the relevant number of violent and predatory criminals on the loose instead.
I don't know. Does anyone?

Those aren’t the only two alternatives. Building new men’s prisons and expanding existing ones is ongoing.

WarriorN · 02/09/2026 04:58

Oliwiaa · 26/07/2026 12:30

I don't think any non-violent offenders should be in prison, it causes more problems than it solves.

Fines, community service, mental health treatment, house arrest etc

The professional man I know round here who was convicted of CSA material
didn’t go to prison so yes it’s galling that women who do much lesser crimes appear to do so.

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