By Lucy Caulkett-
Women whose crimes have been fueled by addiction, mental health issues and domestic violence will benefit from £21m investment to help prevent re-offending.
Many women imprisoned for crimes suffer from serious mental health issues stemming from a range of factors, including sexual abuse, domestic violence, historical rejection in the family, and in some cases a combination of all the aforementioned factors.
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Domestic violence intensified in most societies, including the UK, since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Survivors of domestic violence often experience a number of problems, ranging from psychological distress and depression to injury, HIV and unwanted pregnancy.
Lockdowns and other mobility restrictions left many women trapped with their abusers, isolated from social contact and support networks.
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Organisations such as Working Chance, the UK’s only charity dedicated to getting women with convictions into work, will be supporting offenders who are serving a community sentence or have recently been released from prison and may be at risk of re-offending.
According to Ministry of Justice (MoJ) prison population predictions, overall numbers fell from 3,958 in February 2017 to 3,219 in July 2022, but the adult female prison population is expected to be 4,300 in July 2025, up by a third from 3,170 in July 2021. The rise in the number of female prisoners led Mps in 2018 to contemplate whether the government needs to create 500 extra places in women’s prisons and called for clarity
Since then, almost £55 million has been invested to support female offenders. New specialist staff have been recruited to support pregnant women and mothers in prison, and charities and community organisations have also received funding to keep services running.
The government set out a strategy that year to reduce the number of women in prison and support vulnerable offenders to turn their lives around, but the number of female prisoners have risen in recent years
The justice select committee of MPs said “there is yet to be any clear evidence” that women are being diverted away from prison despite pledges to develop other methods of punishment and rehabilitation.
Over 60 per cent of women in prison having experienced domestic abuse and 50 per cent having drug addictions
This tailored support, which can range from help to find a job or support with drug and alcohol abuse, is aimed at providing stability for female ex-convicts, and getting their lives back on track, ultimately helping to keep the public safe.
Statistics reveal that half of women who have been in prison will go on to re-offend, contributing towards the £18 billion cost of re-offending to the taxpayer.
A further £3.6 million will be allocated to help local services, such as mental health support and drug experts, work more closely together to support female offenders. This will include funding local coordinator roles, who would help to bring government and third sector organisations together to provide a better service.
Prisons Minister Stuart Andrew said:
”Female offenders are often driven into crime by poor mental health, drug addiction or abuse.
This investment will make sure we support women facing these problems away from crime and into the help they need to get their lives back on track.
Tackling the root causes of female offending and providing vulnerable women with early support is a key part of the Female Offender Strategy, with many women who commit low-level crimes being driven by underlying factors such as substance abuse, trauma or difficulty in getting a job.
Katie, 39, who spent 6 months in prison and has been helped back into employment through Working Chance, said:
Mounting debt and mental health issues all contributed towards my offending, but I was determined to take responsibility and start getting my life back on track.
Working Chance gave me the support needed to rewrite my CV, prepare for interviews and the confidence to disclose my convictions to potential employers.
While women who commit the most serious crimes will always be sent to prison, custody should always be a last resort. On top of the £24 m funding, the government is also piloting a £10 million Residential Women’s Centre in Swansea, to reduce the number of women sent to prison.
Female offenders at the centre will receive one-to-one mental health therapy and counselling to address their trauma from previous abuse and support to overcome substance misuse.
This is alongside plans to pilot a new Problem-Solving Court targeted at women with complex needs, including drug and alcohol abuse.
Female offenders sentenced at the court will see the same judge or bench of magistrates for regular reviews, receive intensive support and supervision from the Probation Service and have access to services for drug and alcohol abuse, and support with housing, training and employment.
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