Gender, Crime and Justice

1. Gender, Crime and Justice

3. Key differences and similarities in relation to statistics: • More men in actual numbers • But the rate change is higher in female prisons

4. Allison Morris (1987) - traditional criminology ignores half of the population. • Anne Worrall - ‘Offending Women’ Key differences and similarities • Both sexes are supposed to be equal under the law but – academic and media attention tends to be focused on men

5. Gendered Media Reports • Female ex-wrestler held over killings 28 January 2006 • The princess who became a spy 20 February 2006 • It's not a crime for women to get drunk. It's just not very clever 26 November 2005 • Women do make the worst drunks. Maybe it's the sick'n'sequin mix... 20 November 2005

6. The nature and extent of female offending % imprisoned women % women in general population under 25 years old 30% 13% over 60 years old 1% 29% minority ethnic background 18% 4% under 20 years when first child born 55% 20% single mothers 27% 8% (taken from HORS 162)

7. Make-up of the Scottish prison population, 2002 MALES FEMALES Main crime number % number % Non-sexual crimes 2,024 40 61 29 of violence Crimes of indecency 362 7 2 1 Crimes of dishonesty 856 17 59 28 Fire-raising, vandalism etc 63 1 6 3 Other crimes Including drugs 894 18 66 31 Miscellaneous offences 324 6 15 7 Motor vehicle offences 293 6 3 1 Other 271 5 1 - Total 5,087 100 213 100

8. Looking for Chivalry • Naffine - Law and the Sexes - ‘male monopoly’ • Home Office report (HORS 170 - Understanding the sentencing of women) 200 magistrates were interviewed

9. Worrall argues there are three factors: • The extent of her domestic responsibilities • The extent to which her problems can be treated • The extent to which her lifestyle, appearance, behaviour and offence accord with feminine ‘normality’ and morality

10. Fines – the backdoor to prison • Under payment of a £1.20 bus fare • Having under inflated tyres • Non-payment of TV licence (Probation Journal, June 1997, vol. 44 no.2).

11. Key Differences • Offences: Women tend to commit less crime and their offences are generally less serious. In 2004, 36% of sentenced women had committed drugs offences while just 17% were convicted of violence against the person. • Ethnic Minorities: 30% of female prisoners are from ethnic minorities in comparison to around 24% of the male prisoners.

12. Prison There are 17 women's prisons in England. Female young offenders are held in dedicated young offender units, and there are currently 5 purpose built female juvenile units. There are 7 mother and baby units. Around 55% of women in prison have a child 20% are lone parents

13. Few prisons means women are geographically distanced from their homes This can exacerbate mental health problems Up to 80% of women in prison experience mental health problems. 16% of women self-injure in prison, compared with 6% of young offenders, and 3% of men. Women consist only 5% of the total prison population yet account for almost half of all self-injury.

14. Community Sentences Similar percentage of female and male offenders are sentenced to community sentences

15. Women’s Prisons • Askham GrangeBrockhill • BronzefieldBuckley HallBullwood HallCookham WoodDownviewDrake HallEast Sutton ParkEastwood ParkFoston HallHollowayMorton HallLow NewtonNew HallPeterborough • SendStyal Styal Prison Operational Capacity: 455 as of 27th February 2004 Styal accepts adult female prisoners and, in some cases, young offenders. There are facilities for mothers with babies up to age 18 months.