Reducing reoffending

We accommodate a highly complex and varied population that consists of mothers and babies, young offenders, life and long term sentenced women, short to mid-term sentenced women, foreign nationals and women on remand. The women range in age from 18 to 79.

This diverse group of residents each have a unique set of needs and rehabilitative requirements in order to become contributing members of society upon their release.

HMP & YOI Bronzefield service user's journey

When a woman arrives at HMP & YOI Bronzefield she will embark upon a “Through the Gate” journey. This is the work our Integrated Offender Management Unit (IOMU) undertakes together with our partners from the Community Rehabilitation Centres (CRCs).

Diagram of service user's journey

To achieve rehabilitative success we focus on creating a safe and decent prison environment where the woman can focus on planning for the future focus on nine pathways:

Safety and Decency

It is essential that women feel safe whilst in our care. Enabling women to respect themselves and respect others is fundamental to reducing reoffending. We are fully dedicated to delivering safety, decency and respect to ensure that all women experience equality of opportunity and are treated according to their needs. The staff reinforce this byproviding positive role models to support the women within our care.

Accommodation

Accommodation is crucial for gaining and maintaining employment and family ties. It is also a key factor to reduce reoffending.

Finance, Benefit and Debt

Equipping women with the skills to manage their finances is essential to reducing their risk of reoffending. Women are usually primary carers, it is therefore important that they are able to budget their household bills to reduce the number of children living in poverty and enable them to support themselves.

Mental and Physical Health

Mental and physical health is essential to the well-being of women. We are committed to provide holistic care, that has the individual at the centre, in a professional and caring environment.

Children, Families and Relationships

Women receive less visits than men and receive less support from partners. However, maintaining relationships assist women to resettle and provide support upon release. Women are usually the primary carer for their children and it is important for them to maintain that bond whilst they are in custody.

Education, Training and Employment

Education and employment are key to improving the employability of the women in our care. Government statistics show that there are poor levels of reading, writing and numeracy skills excluding up to 80% of offenders from 96% of jobs. We are committed to providing education and training to all women that fits their individual academic and training needs.

Drugs and Alcohol

More than 55% of women have a substance misuse need. We have a wide range of services to provide support, intervention and programmes to enable women to fight their addiction needs.

Attitudes, Thinking and Behaviour

We are committed to transforming the lives of women by giving them the opportunity to build their self-confidence and esteem. This is done through positive pro-social modelling and effective interventions to reduce their risk to themselves and the public upon release.

Domestic Abuse and Sex Work

One in four women experience domestic abuse annually in the UK. In a recent needs analysis of the women at HMP/YOI Bronzefield 56% of women reported that they had been a victim of domestic abuse in the past. 57% of women surveyed also reported that they had worked in the sex industry and wanted to leave. We offer the support these women require to address their specific needs.

Learning & Skills

Our Learning and Skills department is at the heart of the prison.We employ 12 tutors and specialist staff to ensure our women are fully assessed on arrival to understand their education level and their skill requirements.All residents are encouraged to study or work while at Bronzefield in order to achieve qualifications prior to release, which will enable them to gain employment and reduce the likelihood of them returning to prison.