Women's Day: 'We need to tackle the root issues' of why women end up in prison - Vera Baird

VERA Baird was awarded a damehood last year for her services to women and equality. She is one of millions of women worldwide campaigning to address gender imbalances in society, was particularly delighted to be honoured for her work in this field.

Just as satisfying, is that the representation of women in various sectors is becoming more equal – when she was elected as MP for Redcar, the North-East had only two other women MPs.

But she says: “There’s still more to do. There’s no doubt that things have moved forward, and culture is changing, but the balance between men and women is not yet equal.”

Ms Baird, who became Northumbria’s first Police and Crime Commissioner in 2012, was born and raised in Oldham, studied law at Newcastle, became a barrister in 1975, successfully acted in the early 1980s for the Billingham residents campaigning against nuclear dumping, championed the miners, remains the only woman to be an honorary member of the Durham Miners’ Association, became Redcar’s Labour MP in 2001, was named Backbencher of the Year by Spectator magazine three years later and became solicitor general upon losing the seat in 2010.

Ms Baird, who was re-elected as police and crime commissioner in 2016 with a majority of more than 120,000, has an impressive CV. Throughout her career she has seen a certain amount of imbalance – in the High Court there are 76 men as judges and 21 women, but that is an improved figure since her early days.

“I was one of three women on a law undergraduate course in Newcastle with 80 men and when I first tried to get a contract as a solicitor I was turned down and told, ‘We don’t employ women – we’re looking for partnership material’. That’s when I realised I had been very lucky. I had been treated the same as my brother. My father expected me to get a job, just like he did my brother, although his ambition for me was not the same as my ambition. I grew up understanding that everything was available to me and I was not at that point aware of the world being harder for women.

“Now, women are living ordinary lives, running families and households, and then are in court holding incredibly important roles, bringing a fresh angle and better balance to the justice system. It’s not really a place for either men or women to dominate. To have a good justice system it’s about the sisterhood and brotherhood combined. Both sides have valid viewpoints of equal importance.

“Next year will be 100 years since the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act paved the way for women to become admitted into the legal profession, and that is to be celebrated – 100 years ago there was definitely a major imbalance, but things have certainly moved on in that time.”

Her current role is wide-ranging, a bridge between the police and public, with responsibility for the force budget and its estate.

She has made countering domestic and sexual violence and abuse not just her priority in her role, but her life’s work.

“At least 46 per cent of women in custody have been victims of domestic abuse – serious crime and sustained sexual abuse. Many women have multiple and therefore more complex problems related to their offending, high rates of drug and alcohol misuse and poor mental health. Domestic abuse has a habit of continuing through families.

“Prison is an expensive and ineffective way of dealing with many women offenders who do not pose a significant risk of harm to public safety. We need to be thinking about tackling the root issues and get more support networks in place, such as residential alternatives to custody as well as the maintenance of the network of women’s centres.”

Women who find themselves behind bars are generally there because they have committed low-level crime, such as failing to pay a TV licence, says Ms Baird. TV licence evasion accounted for 36 per cent of all prosecutions for women, but only six per cent for men. In 2015, 70 per cent of all the 189,349 defendants prosecuted for this offence were women.

“There are women jailed every year for failing to pay the TV licence – the courts seem to run out of things to do with them. If a woman is jailed she will no doubt be losing her family, home and support from partners or family. A high proportion of women in custody are sole or primary carers – inter-generational risk of repeat offending and estranged communities.

“The impact of women in prison can have a far greater impact and disrupt lives at short notice. There needs to be more work with community rehabilitation and diverting women away from custody and into community support network.”

Ms Baird is positive about the future and is confident that culture is changing. She adds: "Let’s hope it won’t be another 100 years before men and women are finally equal."

*TV Licensing said: "The maximum penalty for watching TV illegally is a fine of up to £1,000 (plus court costs and a victim surcharge). A custodial sentence may only be imposed by the courts for non-payment of fines as a last resort, where there is a refusal to pay and where all other enforcement methods have been tried or considered.

"We do everything we can to help people stay licensed and provide a wide range of ways to pay. Last year, TV Licensing worked with more than 480 organisations to offer advice and support to people who, for financial reasons, might find it hard to stay licensed."