Women In Prison

Question 1

What percentage of the prison population (England and Wales) are female?

Answer 1

<5% - Around 3,500 and 4000 offenders

Question 2

What happened during 1995-2010?

Answer 2

The female prison population more than doubled

Question 3

What are the main offences of female offenders?

Answer 3

Theft (Shoplifting) and/or drug, and drug related offences

Question 4

How many female offenders are those in remand?

Answer 4

Around 2/3 of female population are in remand, with only 1/2 being convicted.

Question 5

Prisons are … and for …..

Answer 5

Prisons are built by and for men

Question 6

How far on average is the female offender sent to prison?

Answer 6

They are on average 64 miles away from home (in comparison to 50miles for men), however the majority are held further.

Question 7

What percentage of female offenders are primary care givers?

Answer 7

55%

Question 8

Are mental health concerns prevalent ?

Answer 8

Yes, around 25% of inmates who self-harm are women.

Question 9

What happened in 2002/03?

Answer 9

6 female inmates died in prison, sparking investigation (corston report)

Question 10

What occured at morton hall?

Answer 10

A pilot of intermittent custody for offenders who were mothers

Question 11

What did the Corston report do?

Answer 11

Studied 500 female prisoners who were considered to be vulnerable

Question 12

What was the main recommendation from the Corston report?

Answer 12

That female institutions be abolished and replaced with smaller local self-contained custodial centres in the community

Question 13

How many recommendations did the Corston report make?

Answer 13

42

Question 14

List a few other recommendations from the Corston Report.

Answer 14

• Needs a ‘radically different, visibly-led, holistic… women-centred approach’
• More use of community sentences
• Conditions to be improved
• Facilities are inappropriate or absent

Question 15

What did the Gov do in response to Corston report?

Answer 15

They said they would take all the recommendations (except abolishment) on board. 
In fact, only:
- 30 had some progress
- 2 had been implemented 
- 13 had no progress

Question 16

What was published in 2009?

Answer 16

All Party Parliamentary Group on Women in the Penal System (Chaired by Baroness Corston) published a 2nd report on women in the penal system.

Question 17

What did the Home Office report suggest?

Answer 17

That women are, generally, a low-risk to public safety and that prison is largely ineffective

Question 18

List reasons why there should be alternatives to prison?

Answer 18

• Women are primary caregivers, so best to avoid maternal separation
• Low-risk, non-violent offenders
• Most inmates on remand are not sentenced
• Economic benefits of community sentencing

Question 19

What are the benefits of community sentencing?

Answer 19

• Women are more likely to complete their sentence than men (95% to 76%)
• Costs the taxpayer a lot less (£2,800 compared to £42,000)
• Analysis has shown that the outcomes for women on community orders are better than men (reoffending rates are lower)

Question 20

Community sentencing has seen…

Answer 20

a decline year on year (in terms of issuance), yet there are more BAME men on community orders than women.

Question 21

What are the benefits of mixed prisons?

Answer 21

• More likely to be closer to home
• Reduce costs
• Wider range of facilities
• Men and women live together anyway

Question 22

What are the cons of mixed prisons??

Answer 22

• Women would be forced to adhere to harsher security and surveillance
• Women have different needs to men (Skewed running and facilities)
• Lack of appropriate facilities
• Problem of developing relationships

Question 23

What did the Equality Act 2010 do?

Answer 23

Allows for women-only or women-specific services/provisions

Question 24

UK is signed up to …

Answer 24

The United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial measures for Women Offenders

Question 25

What did the Select Committee conclude?

Answer 25

They said that prison is expensive and largely ineffective; called for more residential alternatives.

Question 26

What has feminist criminology done ?

Answer 26

They have been rather value-laden, respecting the fact that the entire CJS needs reform, and not just womens.