Asked by: Baroness Fall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government of the women in (1) HMP Askham Grange, (2) HMP Bronzefield, (3) HMP Downview, (4) HMP Drake Hall, (5) HMP East Sutton Park, (6) HMP Eastwood Park, (7) HMP Foston Hall, (8) HMP Low Newton, (9) HMP New Hall, (10) HMP Send, and (11) HMP Styal, for non-violent offences, (a) how many are mothers to children under the age of 18, (b) what is the average length of their prison sentences, and (c) what percentage of those women are re-offenders.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
The Government recognises that there is an impact on families and children when a woman is involved in the criminal justice system and that children of imprisoned mothers may be particularly affected by a custodial sentence. We have commissioned Lord Farmer to continue his work to enable us to understand what specific measures we can take to help women strengthen family ties, especially with their children, whilst serving sentences in the community, in custody and after they are released.
The number of women in each establishment serving sentences for non-violent offences and the average length of those sentences is set out in table one below.
The percentage of women in each establishment recorded as having children is set out in the table two below. The Ministry of Justice does not have this information broken down by type of offence.
The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the age or the arrangements made for the care of dependent children of women serving custodial sentences. The percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are also re-offenders can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Table 1: Female prison population at selected establishments by non-violent offences and average sentence length as at 31 March 2018.
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Establishment |
| Non-violent offences | Average (mean) sentence length (days) for non-violent offences | |
Total population | Number | % | ||
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Askham Grange | 118 | 81 | 69% | 1411 |
Bronzefield | 517 | 407 | 79% | 879 |
Downview | 325 | 248 | 76% | 1596 |
Drake Hall | 319 | 236 | 74% | 1658 |
East Sutton Park | 87 | 66 | 76% | 1407 |
Eastwood Park | 361 | 283 | 78% | 821 |
Foston Hall | 317 | 222 | 70% | 1006 |
Low Newton | 322 | 221 | 69% | 1397 |
New Hall | 373 | 258 | 69% | 1111 |
Send | 270 | 150 | 56% | 1896 |
Styal | 449 | 315 | 70% | 1026 |
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Note
Table 2: Percentage of women recorded as having children by establishment, 26 June 2018
Establishment | Percentage have children |
Askham Grange | 77% |
Bronzefield | 52% |
Downview | 52% |
Drake Hall | 68% |
East Sutton Park | 62% |
Eastwood Park | 71% |
Foston Hall | 63% |
Low Newton | 66% |
New Hall | 68% |
Peterborough (female) | 60% |
Send | 55% |
Styal | 67% |
Notes:
Asked by: Baroness Fall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of women in (1) HMP Askham Grange, (2) HMP Bronzefield, (3) HMP Downview, (4) HMP Drake Hall, (5) HMP East Sutton Park, (6) HMP Eastwood Park, (7) HMP Foston Hall, (8) HMP Low Newton, (9) HMP New Hall, (10) HMP Send, and (11) HMP Styal, are there for non-violent offences; and in each prison what percentage of those women are mothers of children under the age of 18.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
The Government recognises that there is an impact on families and children when a woman is involved in the criminal justice system and that children of imprisoned mothers may be particularly affected by a custodial sentence. We have commissioned Lord Farmer to continue his work to enable us to understand what specific measures we can take to help women strengthen family ties, especially with their children, whilst serving sentences in the community, in custody and after they are released.
The number of women in each establishment serving sentences for non-violent offences and the average length of those sentences is set out in table one below.
The percentage of women in each establishment recorded as having children is set out in the table two below. The Ministry of Justice does not have this information broken down by type of offence.
The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the age or the arrangements made for the care of dependent children of women serving custodial sentences. The percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are also re-offenders can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Table 1: Female prison population at selected establishments by non-violent offences and average sentence length as at 31 March 2018.
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| |
Establishment |
| Non-violent offences | Average (mean) sentence length (days) for non-violent offences | |
Total population | Number | % | ||
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Askham Grange | 118 | 81 | 69% | 1411 |
Bronzefield | 517 | 407 | 79% | 879 |
Downview | 325 | 248 | 76% | 1596 |
Drake Hall | 319 | 236 | 74% | 1658 |
East Sutton Park | 87 | 66 | 76% | 1407 |
Eastwood Park | 361 | 283 | 78% | 821 |
Foston Hall | 317 | 222 | 70% | 1006 |
Low Newton | 322 | 221 | 69% | 1397 |
New Hall | 373 | 258 | 69% | 1111 |
Send | 270 | 150 | 56% | 1896 |
Styal | 449 | 315 | 70% | 1026 |
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Note
Table 2: Percentage of women recorded as having children by establishment, 26 June 2018
Establishment | Percentage have children |
Askham Grange | 77% |
Bronzefield | 52% |
Downview | 52% |
Drake Hall | 68% |
East Sutton Park | 62% |
Eastwood Park | 71% |
Foston Hall | 63% |
Low Newton | 66% |
New Hall | 68% |
Peterborough (female) | 60% |
Send | 55% |
Styal | 67% |
Notes:
Asked by: Baroness Fall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total number of women who have been in prison over the last two decades.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
This information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
However, the total first receptions for female offenders in each of the years in the last two decades can be found in the attached tables. Please refer to ‘female first receptions’ in Tables A2.1i (2015 to 2017) and A2.1ii (1993 to 2014).
The definition for first reception is a unique individual first received into prison custody from court for a particular set of offences committed. This gives the best indication of the number of new prisoners in the reporting period.
Asked by: Baroness Fall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of women in prison are re-offenders in (1) England, and (2) Wales; and of those, what percentage are in prison for non-violent crimes.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
As of 30 June 2016, 78% of adult women in prison under immediate custodial sentence had a previous conviction or caution.
This data is published and can be found in table A1.19 here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/633160/population-2017.xlsx
The information in the table refers to prisoners in both England and Wales, however please note there are no women’s prisons in Wales.
Regarding what percentage of women with a previous conviction are incarcerated for non-violent crimes, the information requested could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Baroness Fall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of female prisoners held for non-violent crimes are mothers with children under the age of 18 in (1) England, and (2) Wales; and what percentage of those children were taken into care following their mother's imprisonment in (a) England, and (b) Wales.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
As of 30 September 2017, 73% of all female prisoners (including those held on remand) were held for a non-violent offence (i.e. assuming that a non-violent offence refers to all offence groups besides the ‘Violence Against The Person’ offence group). There are only women’s prisons in England, therefore the data cannot be broken down to show female prisoners in Wales.
Regarding the percentage of female prisoners held for a non-violent offence who are mothers of children under the age of 18 and what percentage of those children were taken into care following their mother's imprisonment, the information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Baroness Fall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many imprisoned mothers of children aged under 18 have been visited by those children in each of the last five years, broken down by the number of (1) prisoners, and (2) visits.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Baroness Fall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what provision is made for children aged under 18 whose mothers have been imprisoned to visit their mothers.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
Family engagement workers are in place in all public sector female prisons and meet all prisoners on induction to identify any support required to maintain or establish family contact. A new contract for family services was awarded across the female estate, excluding HMP Styal who elected to undertake a separate regional procurement exercise for family services, in October 2017. The new contract allows women’s prisons to work closely with a single professional family services provider to develop innovative services including those to support children visiting imprisoned mothers. There are statutory minimum prison visit entitlements and standards that prisons must meet for visiting families, including children. Prison Rules also require Governors to encourage and promote family ties. Women’s prisons are working to provide other support, beyond the statutory minimum, for improved family links. This includes family days, child-centred visits, homework clubs and specific relationship and parenting skills programmes. Family days can involve contributions from education providers, voluntary and third-sector agencies to support organised activities with the prisoners and their children. If they require it, families of female offenders can seek financial support for visits. The assisted prison visits scheme promotes family ties by contributing to the costs of prison visits by providing help with travel expenses to prisoners’ close relatives, a partner or a friend (if classed as a sole visitor) who meet the qualifying rules on income. Children (under 18 years old) are included, providing that their responsible guardian is in receipt of a qualifying low income benefit on behalf of the child and is able to escort the child to the prison. |
Asked by: Baroness Fall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of children aged under 18 whose mothers are imprisoned are (1) taken into care, and (2) looked after by close relatives.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Baroness Fall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government in relation to women in prison for non-violent offences, (1) how many are mothers to children under the age of 18, (2) what is the average length of their prison sentences, and (3) what percentage of those women are re-offenders.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
As of 30 September 2017, 73% of all female prisoners (including those held on remand) were held for a non-violent offence (i.e. assuming that a non-violent offence refers to all offence groups besides the ‘Violent Against The Person’ offence group).
Information on the percentage of female prisoners held for a non-violent offence who are mothers of children under the age of 18 is not held centrally.
The average prison sentence length for all sentenced female offenders with a determinate sentence (i.e. including recalls, civil offenders and fine defaulters, but excluding those serving indeterminate sentences) for a non-violent offence was 38.3 months.
The information requested on the percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are re-offenders could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Baroness Fall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of women in prison are there for non-violent offences; and what percentage of those women are mothers of children under the age of 18.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie
As of 30 September 2017, 73% of all female prisoners (including those held on remand) were held for a non-violent offence (i.e. assuming that a non-violent offence refers to all offence groups besides the ‘Violent Against The Person’ offence group).
Information on the percentage of female prisoners held for a non-violent offence who are mothers of children under the age of 18 is not held centrally.
The average prison sentence length for all sentenced female offenders with a determinate sentence (i.e. including recalls, civil offenders and fine defaulters, but excluding those serving indeterminate sentences) for a non-violent offence was 38.3 months.
The information requested on the percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences who are re-offenders could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.