In the last decade the women's population has more than doubled and a fifth of this is made up of women on remand.  The rise of the female prison population can be explained by the significant increase in the severity of sentences.  Women in prison suffer from numerous mental health problems - two thirds of women show symptons of at least one neurotic disorder and more than half are suffering from a personality disorder.  Press releases regarding women in prison and the special needs that they have can be found here.

Key facts

• On 25 July 2008 the number of women in prison stood at 4,438, 93 more than a year before.  In the last decade the women’s population has more than doubled. In 1995 the average female prison population was 1,998. In 1999 it stood at 3,355. In 2005, 12,275 women were received into prison.
• Over the ten year period, 1997/98 – 2006/07, the average daily female prison population in Scotland has increased by 90%. The 2006/07 female prison population was 353.
• Over a third of all adult women in prison had no previous convictions – more than double the figure for men. 
• At the end of October 2007 there were 957 women on remand, a fifth of the female prison population. 
• There was a 105% increase in the number of women remanded into custody between 1995 and 2005, from 3,727 to 7,660.
• 64.3% of women released from prison in 2004 were reconvicted within two years of release.  This compares to fewer than four out of ten (38%) ten years ago.
• At the end of September 2007 there were 988 foreign national women in prison, 22% of the female population.
• Of the sentenced female prison population, the majority are held for non-violent offences. At the end of October 2007 the largest group 30%, were held for drug offences.
• More women were sent to prison in 2005 for theft and handling stolen goods than any other crime. Just over 2,500 women were received into custody for this offence. They accounted for almost a third (31%) of all women sentenced to immediate custody in 2005.
• The majority of women serve very short sentences. In 2005 nearly two-thirds (63%) were sentenced to custody for six months or less. 
• Most of the rise in the female prison population can be explained by a significant increase in the severity of sentences. In 1995, 8.9% of women convicted of an indictable offence were sent to prison, in 2005 it 15.2% were.
• At the end of September 2006 the average distance female prisoners were held from their home was 58 miles.   60% of female prisoners are held in prisons outside their home region.
• A forthcoming University of Oxford report on the health of 500 women prisoners, saying that: ‘women in custody are five times from likely to have a mental health concern than women in the general population, with 78% exhibiting some level of psychological disturbance when measured on reception to prison, compared with a figure of 15% for the general adult female population’. 58% of women had used drugs daily in the six months before prison and 75% of women prisoners had taken an illicit drug in those six months. Crack cocaine, heroine, cannabis and benziodiazepines were the most widely used drugs... The Oxford researchers also found that women coming into prison had very poor physical, psychological and social health, worse than that of women in social class V, the group within the general population who have the poorest health.
• Of all the women who are sent to prison, 37% say they have attempted suicide at some time in their life.
• One in four women in prison has spent time in local authority care as a child. Nearly 40% of women in prison left school before the age of 16 years, almost one in ten were aged 13 or younger.
• Over half the women in prison say they have suffered domestic violence and one in three has experienced sexual abuse.
• Around one-third of women prisoners lose their homes, and often their possessions, whilst in prison.
• Women prisoners are often inadequately prepared for release. According to the Social Exclusion Unit report only 24% of women with a prior skill had the chance to put their skills into practice through prison work. Just 11% of women received help with housing matters whilst in prison. Home Office research has found that 41% of women in prison did not have accommodation arranged on release. Only a third of women prisoners who wanted help and advice about benefits and debt received it.
• In March 2007, the Corston review of vulnerable women in the criminal justice system, commissioned by the Home Secretary following the deaths of six women at Styal prison, stated: “The government should announce within six months a clear strategy to replace existing women’s prisons with suitable, geographically dispersed, small, multi-functional custodial centres within 10 years.” 
• The Corston review made several further recommendations, including: “Community solutions for non-violent women offenders should be the norm”, and; “There must be a strong consistent message right from the top of government, with full reasons given, in support of its stated policy that prison is not the right place for women offenders who pose no risk to the public”.
• An ICM public opinion poll commissioned by SmartJustice in March 2007 found that, of 1,006 respondents, 86% supported the development of local centres for women to address the causes of their offending.  Over two thirds (67%) said that prison was not likely to reduce offending.

For full references, please see the Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile