NCJ Number
76090
Date Published
1980
Length
15 pages
Annotation
The status of women inmates in British prisons is reviewed, including population characteristics, prison staffing, program alternatives, and facilities for accommodating women with babies.
Abstract
A total of 1,593 women were being held in custody in the system at the end of September, 1980. The majority of the inmates were incarcerated for committing violent crimes. Women offenders experienced greater difficulties in dealing with family-related problems than men offenders, and were more likely to be perceived as emotionally disturbed, although no consensus existed in the latter area. Many women had been remanded to prison either before trial or sentence, and subsequently received no custodial punishment, indicating that they had been deemed unsuited for prison punishment, but had been required to serve a sentence. Other offenses represented in the female prison population included property crimes, failures to pay fines, drunken offenses, and prostitution. Facilities are provided for very young and children whose mothers are incarcerated; single rooms and small dormitories are provided, and day care is offered. Priority is given to women delivering babies during their sentences. Present arangements are considered unsatisfactory by inmates, staff, and evaluators. The women's component of the prison system is understaffed, and staff members must often transfer for promotional purposes, and are required to work long hours. Programming alternatives include probation, community service orders, fines, attendance, centers for young offenders, hostels, drug treatment programs, education and work programs, and community-based programming.