The cost of fighting protractedlegal battles and maintainingseparatefacilitiesfor those condemned to deathlooksincreasinglyunaffordable when schoolsandlibraries are beingclosed.
Rick Buehler, head of staff training at the Topeka prison where Esmie is likely to serve her time, says there are no separatefacilities for minors there.
Mr Ford also confirmed that Northern Ireland's high security prison at Maghaberry, near Lisburn, will be reconfigured to become three separatefacilities dealing with different categories of offenders.