1. Gender, Crime and Justice

3. Key differences and similarities in relation to statistics:
More men in actual numbers
But the rate change is higher in female prisons

4. Allison Morris (1987) - traditional criminology ignores half of the population.
Anne Worrall - ‘Offending Women’
Key differences and similarities
Both sexes are supposed to be equal under the law but – academic and media attention tends to be focused on men

5. Gendered Media Reports
Female ex-wrestler held over killings 28 January 2006
The princess who became a spy 20 February 2006
It's not a crime for women to get drunk. It's just not very clever 26 November 2005
Women do make the worst drunks. Maybe it's the sick'n'sequin mix November 2005

6. The nature and extent of female offending
% imprisoned women % women in general population
under 25 years old 30% 13%
over 60 years old 1% 29%
minority ethnic
background 18% 4%
under 20 years
when first child born % 20%
single mothers % 8% (taken from HORS 162)

7. Make-up of the Scottish prison population, 2002
MALES FEMALES
Main crime number % number %
Non-sexual crimes 2,
of violence
Crimes of indecency
Crimes of dishonesty
Fire-raising,
vandalism etc
Other crimes
Including drugs
Miscellaneous
offences
Motor vehicle
offences
Other
Total ,

8. Looking for Chivalry Naffine - Law and the Sexes - ‘male monopoly’
Home Office report (HORS Understanding the sentencing of women) 200 magistrates were interviewed

9. Worrall argues there are three factors:
The extent of her domestic responsibilities
The extent to which her problems can be treated
The extent to which her lifestyle, appearance, behaviour and offence accord with feminine ‘normality’ and morality

10. Fines – the backdoor to prison
Under payment of a £1.20 bus fare
Having under inflated tyres
Non-payment of TV licence
(Probation Journal, June 1997, vol. 44 no.2).

11. Key Differences
Offences: Women tend to commit less crime and their offences are generally less serious. In 2004, 36% of sentenced women had committed drugs offences while just 17% were convicted of violence against the person.
Ethnic Minorities: 30% of female prisoners are from ethnic minorities in comparison to around 24% of the male prisoners.

12. Prison There are 17 women's prisons in England.
Female young offenders are held in dedicated young offender units, and there are currently 5 purpose built female juvenile units.
There are 7 mother and baby units. Around 55% of women in prison have a child
20% are lone parents

13. Few prisons means women are geographically distanced from their homes
This can exacerbate mental health problems
Up to 80% of women in prison experience mental health problems.
16% of women self-injure in prison, compared with 6% of young offenders, and 3% of men.
Women consist only 5% of the total prison population yet account for almost half of all self-injury.

14. Community Sentences
Similar percentage of female and male offenders are sentenced to community sentences

15. Women’s Prisons Askham Grange Brockhill
Bronzefield Buckley Hall Bullwood Hall Cookham Wood Downview Drake Hall East Sutton Park Eastwood Park Foston Hall Holloway Morton Hall Low Newton New Hall Peterborough
Send Styal
Styal Prison
Operational Capacity: 455 as of 27th February 2004
Styal accepts adult female prisoners and, in some cases, young offenders. There are facilities for mothers with babies up to age 18 months.