PRISON THREAT TO PROSTITUTES

Under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill, women convicted of loitering and soliciting could be ordered to attend three one-hour counselling sessions with a named supervisor or face up to three days in detention if they fail to comply.

The sessions, which could be imposed instead of a fine or any other penalty, would be aimed at helping women find ways of ending their involvement with prostitution.

But the probation service union, Napo, has said the majority of women involved in prostitution have drug and alcohol addictions, have children to support and little prospect of alternative employment.

It has argued that the named supervisor would "in all probability" be from the probation service - but there are no resources for the sessions and the majority of women will not turn up.

The union has warned that there is a "real risk" that community homes, police stations and prisons will be "overwhelmed" by women who are in default of their orders.

"The Bill reintroduces punishment and custody by the backdoor," Napo said in a briefing note. "Thousands of prostitutes will be criminalised and face three days needlessly in jail at the time when the system is in meltdown."

The union has urged MPs to vote to delete the measures from the Bill when it is debated in the House of Commons next Wednesday.

Harry Fletcher, Napo assistant general secretary said: "The causes of prostitution are complex. The vast majority of women have no obvious alternative source of income or employment and the majority have severe problems with drugs and alcohol.

"Three compulsory counselling sessions are hardly going to help. The threat of a short period of incarceration for failure to turn up turns the clock back 25 years. If the probation service or other organisations are to be involved they must have the resources to offer the women real alternatives. This measure is unnecessarily punitive and should be withdrawn."