An argument that women receive harsher prison sentences than men in Britain.
The paper argues that the process of imprisonment for females is biased in England; the paper provides statistics that show the inherent sexism in the sentencing processing. The paper also argues that often women who commit crimes are homeless, jobless, or have mental illness. The paper considers solutions to the problem and contends that more women could be sentenced to community service and many could be treated for their addictions.
“”The number of women in jail has risen by 145% in the last eight years, yet most women are jailed for non-violent crimes and pose little risk to the public” (BBC Jail 1). Statistics from 1993 to 2001 show that the number of women is increasingly yearly (BBC Why 1). In 1993 1,561 women were in jail. In 1995 1,979 women were in jail. The number started increasing even more in 1997 with 2, 675. However, the number of women in prison in 2001 was 4.045. Two reasons for the increase of imprisonment in women according to Prison Service Director General Martin Narey are “an increase in offences involving drugs and violence among women and an increase in the use of custody for women” (BBC Why 1). A change in sentencing practice has brought about this increase in women being incarcerated.
“Another factor in sentencing women to prison is the care of the children. “…the head of a leading prison think-tank that the sentencing to jail of so many women was ‘completely unnecessary’ and led to up to 8,000 children being taken into care” (BBC Prisons 1).”
“Another factor in sentencing women to prison is the care of the children. “…the head of a leading prison think-tank that the sentencing to jail of so many women was ‘completely unnecessary’ and led to up to 8,000 children being taken into care” (BBC Prisons 1).”