Women in UK prisons are killing and harming themselves at an alarming rate. But most of these women don’t belong in prison in the first place.
According to Prison Reform Trust and Soroptimist, female inmates are far more likely than male inmates to suffer from depression and anxiety and much more likely to inflict self-harm. What's more, 80% of all women in UK prisons are incarcerated for non-violent crimes. Many of these have children, and many are victims of crimes - often sexual abuse - themselves.
But the UK has so far not taken proper steps to reduce incarcerations of non-violent and victimized women. It has, instead, increased the numbers dramatically in the last 10 years.
Activists have gathered evidence showing that community-based programs for non-violent women offenders address causes of offending behavior and therefore reduce repeat offenses, as well costs to society.
Join them in calling on Members of Parliament to support women’s justice reform in the UK immediately.
We, the undersigned, join advocates for women’s justice reform in calling on Members of Parliament to take immediate action to stop the alarming deaths rates among women inmates.
Along with Soroptimist’s report of high rates of illness and self-harm among woman prisoners, The Guardian noted last year that “the average literacy and numeracy level” among women inmates “is comparable to a young child at secondary school. For many, prostitution is one of the few guaranteed means of survival.”
Clearly there are serious issues of female abuse in UK society that should also be addressed to prevent crimes that lead to the country’s excessive incarceration of non-violent women.
Activists are working for “more constructive responses…to women who come into contact with the criminal justice system, many of whom are involved in non-violent, petty offending and have been victims themselves.” And they say reform is long overdue.
The evidence they present shows community-based programs are a far better solution to non-violent crimes, and this evidence should be taken very seriously.
We ask Members of Parliament to take these and other steps to reduce imprisonment and prison deaths of British women.
