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http://www.statewatch.org/news/2007/feb/nihrc-prel-roseanne-irvine.pdf
13 February 2007
COMMISSION CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO
ADDRESS INQUEST VERDICT
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission believes that the
findings of the inquest into the death of Roseanne Irvine, who died by
suicide in Magheraberry Prison in March 2004, confirm the need for
urgent action by government to improve the conditions of women in
prison
The main finding of the inquest was that the prison system ‘failed
Roseanne’ who had a ‘long history of mental health difficulties’. There
was a ‘severe lack of communication and inadequate recording’ of her
case, a ‘failure to act’ on her risk assessment of self harm and suicide
and a general ‘lack of healthcare and resources for women prisoners’.
Lack of awareness of prison staff, the fact that she did not see a doctor
and the inadequacy of hospital care were other factors which
contributed to her death. The jury stated that she could have been
taken to an outside hospital, prison staff should have been fully
briefed, and she could have been ‘paired’ with another prisoner.
Finally the jury stated that prison is not suitable for holding women
with mental health problems and that prison staff should be trained in
suicide awareness.
At the time of Roseanne Irvine’s death, Dr Linda Moore, (Human
Rights Commission) and Professor Phil Scraton (Queen’s University
Belfast) were carrying out research for the Commission in Mourne
House Women’s Unit at Magheraberry Prison. Both gave evidence at
the inquest.
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Professor Scraton stated:
“We witnessed a regime in Mourne House Women’s Unit that had
all but collapsed. The women’s healthcare centre had closed,
there were limited opportunities for work, education or
occupational therapy. Women were regularly locked in their cells
for most of the day. Those, like Roseanne, who self harmed or
were suicidal, were located in strip cells in the punishment block.
Vulnerable women were placed at greater risk and the failures in
the regime were systemic from prison officers through to senior
management. It was, and still is to some extent, a service in
denial.”
Dr Moore added:
“The research followed concerns from Human Rights
Commissioners who visited the Women’s Unit in the aftermath of
the death of another prisoner, Annie Kelly. We found significant
and enduring breaches of international human rights standards.
Custom and practice seriously compromised the Prison Service’s
duty of care, particularly for vulnerable women. Roseanne’s
death was a tragic consequence of a lack of management that
put many women and girls at risk. It amounted to neglect of her
right to life in which her treatment was both inhumane and
degrading.”
Professor Monica McWilliams, Chief Commissioner of the NIHRC,
commented:
“
The Human Rights Commission is currently following the
recommendations of our earlier report - The Hurt Inside – which
highlighted these concerns. This report recommended the
provision of a separate women’s facility, which we believe needs
to be urgently addressed by the Northern Ireland Office. A
therapeutic unit for women suffering from mental ill-health is
also required together with a full inquiry into the deaths of three
women in prison, including Roseanne Irvine.
What the research demonstrates is the importance of
investigative powers for the Human Rights Commission to enter
and report on places of detention. These powers are currently
being debated in Parliament and need to strengthened. This
tragedy demonstrates that prison is not an appropriate place of
detention for women with severe mental illness and women
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being detained in this way is a serious breach of their human
rights.”
Further information
For further information and contact details for the above
spokespersons, please contact Peter O’Neill, Head of Information,
Education and Development on 028 9024 3987 (office), 07786 338290
(mobile).
Notes to editors
1. The Commission’s new research into the imprisonment of women at
Hydebank Wood will be published in spring. Copies of the above
mentioned report
The Hurt Inside: The Imprisonment of Women and
Girls in Northern Ireland
are available from the Northern Ireland
Human Rights Commission or on its website www.nihrc.org.