1. The Effects of Imprisonment on Female Offenders Annetta Bennett Consultant Safeguarding Specialist

2. Within the Criminal Justice System, imprisoned women are a minority group accounting for 15% of the current probation caseload and under 5% of the prison population. 3,841 in the UK (April 2015.) Across the UK, more than 13,500 women are imprisoned each year. The Effects of Imprisonment reach far beyond these imprisoned women, interrupting family ties and often with a disregard for the needs of the children sentenced by association.

3. The UK is signed up to the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non- Custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) which require that the the distinctive needs of women be recognised. The Rules stress the importance of providing physical and psychological safety for women and mandate the provision of victimisation of many women offenders and their caretaking responsibilities.

4. Nearly one million children in Europe have a parent in prison. (Children of prisoners europe) Women are far more likely to be primary carers of children.  A 2011 report highlighted that up to 6,000 children a year are “being forgotten by the state when the mother is sent to prison.  For some children this is the first time they have been separated from their mothers for more than a day  In some cases children under the age of 16 were looking after themselves.  Some mother’s report that in the absence of the child’s father or other family members, they have no idea who is providing care and meeting the needs of their children. What about the Rights of the Child?

5. There exists “minorities” within the “minority group”, black women and foreign national women.  Greater understanding of BAME communities and the BAME experience is required to achieve cultural competence, race and gender equality and effective targeted support.  Many foreign national women have been trafficked or coerced into offending.  For these women the effects on their children and families causes significant harm with the likelihood of minimal or no family contact.

6.  Gender Inequality and Victimisation  Mental Health problems (self-harm)  Domestic Violence and coercive relationships  Substance Misuse  Insecure Housing  Debt  Education and skills shortage  Unemployment

7.  Imprisonment is rarely a necessity, appropriate or proportionate, in most instances but an expensive and ineffective way of dealing with the majority who do not pose a risk of hark to public safety.  Recognise the physical and psychological needs of women and address the pathways that lead women to imprisonment.  Enable women with children to continue to parent their children by means of community sentences.  Provide gender and race specific support, information and interventions, end to end and beyond sentence completion to reduce the likelihood of recidivism.

8. What should justice look like for women? What examples of effective and best practice exists? How can we continue to develop and sustain alternatives to imprisonment?

9. Annetta Bennett Email: bennettannetta@ymail.com Consultant – Specialist in Safeguarding Women, Children and Young People