NCJ Number
187961
Date Published
2000
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Using the limited statistical data to which the authors were granted access by the New South Wales Department of Corrective Services (Australia), this study examined the nature of the offenses for which women had been imprisoned in New South Wales.
Abstract
Information was obtained for 103 women remand detainees and 338 women inmates who were included in a prison census on June 30, 1999. The 296 possible offense types were placed in one of three categories of severity: "serious," "middling serious," and "relatively less serious." For the detainees, 53 were charged with "serious" offenses, 49 with "middling serious" offenses, and 1 with a "relatively less serious" offense. For the women sentenced to prison, 126 were convicted of "serious" offenses, 210 of "middling serious" offenses, and 2 of "relatively less serious offenses." This paper focuses on the 212 women whose offenses were rated below the "serious" level. Approximately one in seven of the "relatively less serious" offenses involved crimes against the person, and a further one in four were for "breaches of orders." These groups of offenders may be the ones that pose the greatest difficulty when determining whether the substitution of noncustodial penalties would be appropriate. On the other hand, approximately half of the women who committed "relatively less serious" offenses had committed "break and enter," "drug possession," or "theft" offenses. Alternative sentencing options for such women include bail hostels, intensive probation and parole, and intensive supervision drug units. The groups the study identified as having the highest potential for noncustodial punishments represent 38 percent of the combined remand/sentenced total. 5 tables and 16 references