The Government recognises that there is an impact on families and children when a woman is involved in the criminal justice system and that children of imprisoned mothers may be particularly affected by a custodial sentence. We have commissioned Lord Farmer to continue his work to enable us to understand what specific measures we can take to help women strengthen family ties, especially with their children, whilst serving sentences in the community, in custody and after they are released.

The number of women in each establishment serving sentences for non-violent offences and the average length of those sentences is set out in table one below.

The percentage of women in each establishment recorded as having children is set out in the table two below. The Ministry of Justice does not have this information broken down by type of offence.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the age or the arrangements made for the care of dependent children of women serving custodial sentences. The percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are also re-offenders can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Table 1: Female prison population at selected establishments by non-violent offences and average sentence length as at 31 March 2018.

Note

1. Total population figures include women serving custodial sentences, those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.
2. Sentence length figures do not include those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.

Table 2: Percentage of women recorded as having children by establishment, 26 June 2018

Notes:

1. The number of children field is not a mandatory field within the NOMIS application and about 400 women across these establishments have no entry on the system.
2. There is no functionality to record the age of children on NOMIS.
3. There are likely to be cases where, when entered onto the system, a child was under the age of 18 but has since passed this milestone and is now classed as an adult.

4. The figures relate to all women, not just those in prison for non-violent offences.

The Government recognises that there is an impact on families and children when a woman is involved in the criminal justice system and that children of imprisoned mothers may be particularly affected by a custodial sentence. We have commissioned Lord Farmer to continue his work to enable us to understand what specific measures we can take to help women strengthen family ties, especially with their children, whilst serving sentences in the community, in custody and after they are released.

The number of women in each establishment serving sentences for non-violent offences and the average length of those sentences is set out in table one below.

The percentage of women in each establishment recorded as having children is set out in the table two below. The Ministry of Justice does not have this information broken down by type of offence.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the age or the arrangements made for the care of dependent children of women serving custodial sentences. The percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are also re-offenders can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Table 1: Female prison population at selected establishments by non-violent offences and average sentence length as at 31 March 2018.

Note

1. Total population figures include women serving custodial sentences, those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.
2. Sentence length figures do not include those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.

Table 2: Percentage of women recorded as having children by establishment, 26 June 2018

Notes:

1. The number of children field is not a mandatory field within the NOMIS application and about 400 women across these establishments have no entry on the system.
2. There is no functionality to record the age of children on NOMIS.
3. There are likely to be cases where, when entered onto the system, a child was under the age of 18 but has since passed this milestone and is now classed as an adult.

4. The figures relate to all women, not just those in prison for non-violent offences.

The Government recognises that there is an impact on families and children when a woman is involved in the criminal justice system and that children of imprisoned mothers may be particularly affected by a custodial sentence. We have commissioned Lord Farmer to continue his work to enable us to understand what specific measures we can take to help women strengthen family ties, especially with their children, whilst serving sentences in the community, in custody and after they are released.

The number of women in each establishment serving sentences for non-violent offences and the average length of those sentences is set out in table one below.

The percentage of women in each establishment recorded as having children is set out in the table two below. The Ministry of Justice does not have this information broken down by type of offence.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the age or the arrangements made for the care of dependent children of women serving custodial sentences. The percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are also re-offenders can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Table 1: Female prison population at selected establishments by non-violent offences and average sentence length as at 31 March 2018.

Note

1. Total population figures include women serving custodial sentences, those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.
2. Sentence length figures do not include those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.

Table 2: Percentage of women recorded as having children by establishment, 26 June 2018

Notes:

1. The number of children field is not a mandatory field within the NOMIS application and about 400 women across these establishments have no entry on the system.
2. There is no functionality to record the age of children on NOMIS.
3. There are likely to be cases where, when entered onto the system, a child was under the age of 18 but has since passed this milestone and is now classed as an adult.

4. The figures relate to all women, not just those in prison for non-violent offences.

This information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

However, the total first receptions for female offenders in each of the years in the last two decades can be found in the attached tables. Please refer to ‘female first receptions’ in Tables A2.1i (2015 to 2017) and A2.1ii (1993 to 2014).

The definition for first reception is a unique individual first received into prison custody from court for a particular set of offences committed. This gives the best indication of the number of new prisoners in the reporting period.

As of 30 June 2016, 78% of adult women in prison under immediate custodial sentence had a previous conviction or caution.

This data is published and can be found in table A1.19 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/633160/population-2017.xlsx

The information in the table refers to prisoners in both England and Wales, however please note there are no women’s prisons in Wales.

Regarding what percentage of women with a previous conviction are incarcerated for non-violent crimes, the information requested could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

As of 30 September 2017, 73% of all female prisoners (including those held on remand) were held for a non-violent offence (i.e. assuming that a non-violent offence refers to all offence groups besides the ‘Violence Against The Person’ offence group). There are only women’s prisons in England, therefore the data cannot be broken down to show female prisoners in Wales.

Regarding the percentage of female prisoners held for a non-violent offence who are mothers of children under the age of 18 and what percentage of those children were taken into care following their mother's imprisonment, the information requested is not held centrally.

The information requested is not held centrally.

The information requested is not held centrally.

As of 30 September 2017, 73% of all female prisoners (including those held on remand) were held for a non-violent offence (i.e. assuming that a non-violent offence refers to all offence groups besides the ‘Violent Against The Person’ offence group).

Information on the percentage of female prisoners held for a non-violent offence who are mothers of children under the age of 18 is not held centrally.

The average prison sentence length for all sentenced female offenders with a determinate sentence (i.e. including recalls, civil offenders and fine defaulters, but excluding those serving indeterminate sentences) for a non-violent offence was 38.3 months.

The information requested on the percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are re-offenders could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

As of 30 September 2017, 73% of all female prisoners (including those held on remand) were held for a non-violent offence (i.e. assuming that a non-violent offence refers to all offence groups besides the ‘Violent Against The Person’ offence group).

Information on the percentage of female prisoners held for a non-violent offence who are mothers of children under the age of 18 is not held centrally.

The average prison sentence length for all sentenced female offenders with a determinate sentence (i.e. including recalls, civil offenders and fine defaulters, but excluding those serving indeterminate sentences) for a non-violent offence was 38.3 months.

The information requested on the percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are re-offenders could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.