Engendering Justice - from Policy to Practice - The Fawcett Society

The Five Years of the CommissionComparative Statistics- The First and Final reports of the CommissionWe have endeavoured to collect comparable statistics from the time of the first Commission report (2003/ 2004) and themost currently available data but a direct comparison has not always been possible. These statistics present a picture ofmixed progress over the last five years. There have been marked improvements in some areas, no change in others andsome statistics suggest the situation has worsened. It should also be noted that a five year comparison often does notcapture the whole story. For example, the women’s prison population has increased by 60 percent over the last decade.Female OffendersFirst Report19th March 2004 there were 4,584 women in prison.(In 1993, the female prison population was an average of 1,560)There were 17 prisons that hold women and none in Wales.Final Report20th March 2009 there were 4,309 women and girls in prison.There are 14 women only prisons in the U.K. and none in Wales212,500 women were arrested for notifiable offences. 251,500 women were arrested for notifiable offences (2007).34,100 females were cautioned. 55,700 females were cautioned (2007).11% of all sentences of women were community sentences. 10.6% of all sentences of women were community sentences(2007).12.4% of women in prison were serving sentences of less than orequal to six months.13.9%of women in prison were serving sentences of less than orequal to six months (2007).30% of women in prison self-harmed Around 50% of all self-harm incidents in prison are committed bywomen.376 self-harm incidents by women in HMP Styal 1,324 self-harm incidents by women in HMP StyalAround 17,000 children were affected by their mothers’ imprisonmenteach year.Of all the women in prison two thirds were on remand.More than 17,700 children are separated from their mother byimprisonment.One-fifth of the female prison population is on remand.20% of female prisoners were foreign nationals. 19% of female prisoners are foreign nationals.Crown Court (Sentencing)Immediate Custody:Men, 41,165, Women, 3,109Community Sentences:Men, 19,715, Women 28,545Crown Court (Sentencing)Immediate Custody:Men, 40,911, Women, 3,123Community Sentences:Men, 12,575, Women 30,617Magistrate Court (Sentencing)Immediate Custody:Men, 57,695, Women, 5,701Community Sentences:Men, 143,421, Women, 25,166Magistrate Court (Sentencing)Immediate Custody:Men, 46,500, Women, 4,672Community Sentences:Men, 153,229, Women, 28,37824 women received life imprisonment sentences. 21 women received life imprisonment sentences.Percentage sentenced to immediate custody forindictable offences:Women- 15.2%Percentage sentenced to immediate custody forindictable offences:Women- 14.6%Page 16