The case of Karen White, the transgender prisoner who sexually assaulted female inmates at HMP New Hall has elicited an apology from the UK Prison Service. In reality transgender politics has played a huge part in the decision that allowed this serial offender to be transferred from a male to female prison. Perhaps it is time to implement transgender Scientific Content Analysis (SCAN) before making such decisions in the future.
Current Prison Service guidelines (Instruction 17 -2016) dictate that transgender individuals must be asked how they identify in terms of gender and where they feel they should be placed within the prison system.
Who is Karen White?
Born Stephen Terence Wood, in July 1966 at age 35 he was imprisoned in 2001. He received an 18 month sentence having committed gross indecency and indecently assaulted a young child. On conviction he became estranged from his family.
Whilst serving time in prison he changed his name to David Thompson. No stranger to the authorities his record spans at least 20 years and all offences were committed as a male.
The Daily Mail obtained an exclusive interview with ex partners and a relative which paints White as someone entirely different to the person he presented to the Prison Service. You can read the full article by clicking on gender change scam.
Worrying aspects
Karen White before allegedly ‘transitioning’ had committed various violent and sexual offences including rape prior to the most recent sexual assaults.
A flaw has been identified in the way the Prison Service handles transgender issues. White is physically a male complete with penis and testicles. According to one ex-partner he has never sought hormone treatment or attended a transgender clinic. Originally placed in a male prison, it appears that all he had to do was dress up as a woman and state that he identified as a woman to achieve a transfer. It’s not rocket science to work out how the system could be abused.
He has been described by ex-partners, family and neighbours as manipulative with a violent temper. That violence manifested when he stabbed an elderly neighbour in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire. This offence together with burglary led to his most recent imprisonment.
Residents in the block of flats where he lived were afraid of White. He fully embraced the transgender political climate, threatening those who challenged his behaviour with being reported for hate crime.
Transgender issues within the prison system
When White was arrested in 2017, transgender issues were highly sensitive due to 2 transgender prisoners dying when incarcerated in male prisons. This led to policy change whereby prisoners had a right to ‘self-identify’. Treatment of them had to be conducive to their chosen gender identity.
Prior to this change, prisoners who purported to be a different gender had to be in possession of a GRC (Gender Recognition Certificate) . Alternatively, prisoners were required to be diagnosed medically with gender dysphoria.
However, Article 8 of the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights) negates the necessity for a GRC subject to risk, operational and security assessment factors.
Transgender scientific content analysis (SCAN)
Decisions as to where transgender prisoners are placed are made by local transgender case boards. These comprise psychologists and prison managers. From the point a transgender individual is incarcerated the Board has just 3 days in which to convene.
Written or personal statements can be presented to the board from transgenders who consider themselves a gender they weren’t born into. It is these statements that could benefit from transgender scientific content analysis (SCAN). Highly trained analysts are able to identify deceit from the written word.
If a decision is made by a local transgender case board to place a prisoner in for example, a female prison it can be challenged. Any challenge is then reviewed by a separate board. It appears that the decision on Karen White was not challenged. It seems apparent, given White’s record of offending that a mistake was made.
Since White’s case emerged further investigation by the police has resulted in multiple allegations of rape being made against him.
He has now been transferred back to a male prison with an apology being made by the Prison Service for their error.
On October 11 2018 White was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was charged and convicted of 1 historical (2003) rape, 2 charges of rape against a woman that took place in 2016. Also included in the sentencing were 2 of the sexual assaults carried out at HMP New Hall as well as the stabbing of his neighbour.
If White is ever released he, like other sex offenders, would be required to take periodic polygraph tests to ascertain if he was breaking any of the conditions set for such a release.
At Lie Detector Test Ireland we believe that transgender scientific content analysis would significantly assist decision makers within transgender case boards. Whilst it is important to protect the rights of genuine transgender individuals, it is also necessary to protect female prisoners from people like Karen White.