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Women Issued Tents Instead Of Accommodation When Released From Prison

Women were given tents and sleeping bags when they were released from a British prison with nowhere to go due to a shortage of accommodation The disclosure was made following an inspection into HMP Bronzefield in West London. The watchdog report said two women were given tents while sleeping bags had also been handed out amid a shortage in available housing. In the six months prior to the inspection, 103 had left with no fixed address, according to the report from HM Inspectorate of Prisons. The Independent reports: Shadow Prisons Minister Jo Stevens said in response to the report: “It is absolutely staggering that women seem to have been released from prison with nothing more than a tent or a sleeping bag. ”This is astonishing and a far cry from the safe and secure accommodation needed to assist them in the rehabilitation process.“ Housing charity Women in Prison said the report, which was undertaken following an unannounced inspection, was “concerning” but “sadly not surprising” in the current housing climate. A spokesperson from Women in Prison said: “The fact that Bronzefield is resorting to issuing tents to women leaving prison with nowhere to live does not highlight a problem evident within [...]