Imprisonment rates for women have increased dramatically over the past few years. Justice Action believes that subjecting women to the mercy of the correctional system is not the best way to combat female crime. Instead, we need to address the root causes behind why women are committing specific offences.
Most women who are put in prison pose no real threat to society at all. Statistics show:
- 70% of women prisoners have mental health problems.
- 37% have attempted suicide.
- 20% have been in the care system as children compared to 2% of the general population.
- At least 50% report being victims of childhood abuse or domestic violence.
Prison is often a very expensive way of making bad situations worse.
- Nearly 40% of women prisoners lose their homes as a result of imprisonment.
- 65% re-offend on release.
- The most common offences for which women are sent to prison are theft and handling stolen goods.
Source: Women in Prison, http://www.womeninprison.org.uk/
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