Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System 1998

Chapter 7
Prisons
Introduction
7.1 Information on the ethnic composition of the
prison population has been regularly
published for many years by the Home Office.
Included here for the first time is the ethnic
breakdown for sentenced receptions by the
police force area in which the first court
appearance took place.
Results
7.2 In June 1997, there were 11,200 people from
ethnic minorities in Prison Service
establishments. Ethnic minorities accounted
for 18% of the male population (12% black,
3% Asian and 3% other) and 25% of the
female population (20% black, 1% Asian and
4% other). These numbers have remained
relatively constant in recent years although the
proportion of male prisoners who are black
has been increasing slowly from 10.9% in
1993 to 12.0 % in 1997 (Table 7.1).
7.3 In June 1997, 7% of the male prison
population and 14% of the female population
were foreign nationals. It was similar in 1993
for the male population but higher (18%) for
the female population. Amongst women who
were foreign nationals the proportion serving
sentences for drugs offences was 69%. The
proportion of black foreign nationals serving
sentences for drugs offences was 80%.
Section 95
7.4 A comparison for the 10 police force areas
was made based upon the number of
sentenced receptions (Table 7.5). Compared
with the population, black offenders were 5 to
6 times more likely than white offenders to be
received into prison. In Leicestershire, rates
were similar between black and white people
but in Hertfordshire, Lancashire and Thames
Valley the differences were much higher (7
times). For Asians, the rates were close to
those for white people (except in
Bedfordshire).
7.5 Comparisons between the number of prison
receptions and arrests do not suggest any
consistent differences between police force
areas. However, as with commencements for
criminal supervision orders, further more
detailed work would be required to consider
all the possible factors involved at the
sentencing stage.
7.6 The prison population relates not just to the
numbers sentenced to custody but also to the
sentence length. 61% of adult black sentenced
prisoners were serving over 4 years, 59% of
Asians and 61% of other ethnic groups,
compared with 47% of white prisoners (Prison
statistics, England and Wales, 1997). For adult
female sentenced prisoners, 58% of black
prisoners were serving over 4 years compared
with 31% of white prisoners.
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