"The new facts the BBC's own FOIs revealed in the fact check are the extent and serious nature of the sex crimes the prisoners have committed."
Yes inded. At least half of the sex offenders are rapists.
One thing they do note,
"Nor does it count prisoners who have already been given a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).
About 250-350 GRCs are issued each year across the UK - 4,910 since 2005."
According to the stats, around 74% of GRCs are issued to biological males.
This suggests 3633 biological males with GRCs, which suggest another 13 males with GRCs in prison - however it may be that the proportion of prisoners with GRCs is much higher, as clearly most transgender people don't have GRCs, but it's much more useful if you are in prison, because it gives you an entitlement to go where you want.
The government refuses to keep track of proper track of dangerous sex offenders and rapists, because obviously the more important thing is to respect their gender identity than to prevent sexual offences being committed.
What we know:
- 125 identified trans inmates of which around half are sex offenders
- unknown numbers, but at least a dozen, and probably rather more, of secret (GRC) trans inmates, for which we have no reason to assume aren't also sex offenders
- several dozen more trans inmates (likely) who are not yet on the figures, because trans identity is clearly exploding among incarcerated males, as evinced by the figures.
Note that the BBC further assert & imply, without providing any evidence that "There are likely to be more trans inmates, on shorter sentences and who are less likely to be sex offenders, who don't show up in this data."
In the interests of doing their job, because they're too biased, here are the data:
- Sexual offences: 60 months (18.6% of the prison population)
- Robbery: 45 months (9.8% of the prison population)
- Drugs: 34 months (15.2% of the prison population)
- Criminal damage/arson: 27 months (1.5% of the prison population)
- Violence against the person: 26 months (25.8% of the prison population)
- Fraud: 18 months (1.8% of the prison population)
- Weapons possession: 15 months (3.4% of the prison population)
- Misc: 10 months (4.6% of the prison population)
- Theft: 9 months (13.1% of the prison population)
- Public order: 7 months (1.7% of the prison population)
The BBC claims "there's little point having a case conference if the inmate won't be in prison long enough to benefit from it."
They don't provide any source on what "long enough" means, such as linking to PSI 17/2016.
Note that PSI 17/2016 says
"Transgender prisoners who provide full evidence of their legally affirmed or acquired gender must be transferred to the part of the prison estate consistent with their legal gender. This includes those who can demonstrate that they have commenced the process of applying for a GRC"
In other words you don't need to actually have a GRC, it's enough to have 'commenced the process of applying', whatever the fuck that means.
Again, the BBC are only interested in whitewashing so they don't discuss this.
PSI 17/2016 states:
"Transgender prisoners must be informed by PECS escort contractor’s staff that a local Transgender Case Board will be convened within three working days of reception into custody to review their care and management (including location) and they will be able to participate in and/or make their views known to this Board"
This implies that in fact the transgender case conference is not a rare thing for the lifer locked up for years, but in fact an automatic process for every transgender prisoner, to be conducted within 3 working days.
Why don't the BBC provide a source on their claims?
Are they really suggesting that the huge disparity between the minority (