A leading prison reformer has criticised decisions that have harmed women in the case of Karen White, a transgender inmate who sexually assaulted fellow prisoners after transferring to a women's prison. White, who was on remand for multiple rapes and other sexual offences against women, moved to New Hall prison near Wakefield before the assaults occurred.
Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said vulnerable women were being put at risk by a small number of violent men whose primary interest was harming women. She argued that prisoners who have committed violent offences against women should not be able to transfer to women's prisons unless they have legally changed their gender.
The Ministry of Justice has apologised in White's case, acknowledging that previous offending history was not taken into account. Requests for transfer are normally assessed by a transgender case board, which should consider all previous offending history, but this was not carried out in this instance.
Crook noted that decision-making is patchy, with some requests being refused while mistakes are still made in others. She suggested that separate provision for transgender prisoners might be necessary to ensure the safety of women in prison.
According to Ministry of Justice figures, 60 of the 125 transgender prisoners in England and Wales have been convicted of one or more sexual offences. A Prison Service spokesperson apologised for the mistakes made in White's case and stated that the safety of all prisoners must be the absolute priority.
