Abstract

HMP Bronzefield is a complex, closed women’s local prison located in Surrey holding up to 527 women. 23% of women in HMP Bronzefield identified as gay or bisexual and/or transgender. The author identified through interactions with staff and residents of the prison that confusion and lack of education amongst staff around gender issues has led to various incidents of discrimination and harassment within the prison service. The author utilised the Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 17/2016 ‘The Care and Management of Transgender Offenders’, as well as interviewed an individual who has successfully gone through the entire gender reassignment process while in a custodial setting to identify the cause of the problem and formulate a ‘pathway’ to address these issues. The main issues highlighted are:

1. Availability of support (or lack thereof) for individuals who are gender dysphoric or identify as a separate gender to their birth gender

2. Education of staff (or lack thereof) and residents regarding gender issues and correct usage of pronouns

3. Lack of information about what help is available

4. The long waiting time for the initial appointment with a Gender Identity Clinic

The case to implement a ‘Transgender Pathway’ was presented to local commissioners, staff from the mental health team and prison managers. A document was disseminated to all staff with flow chart posters to be displayed around the prison estate to start to address these issues. Measurement of improvement was difficult to obtain due to the qualitative nature of the project. However, its anticipated benefits are a reduction in discrimination and harassment of transgender individuals by other residents and prison staff. Anecdotally, individual transgender prisoners felt more at ease to discuss their problems with the author and reported that they felt more supported as a result of a greater awareness of transgender issues.