FEMALE PRISONERS

That this House notes that there are 14 women's prisons, four purpose-built female juvenile units and seven mother and baby units in England; further notes that over the last 10 years there has been a significant increase in the numbers of women in prison from an average of 1,560 in 1993 to around 4,463 in June 2006; is concerned at the large number of women in prison, given that women tend to commit less crime and their offences are generally less serious; is alarmed at reports from the Prison Officers' Association of the high occurrence of mental illness within the female estate, with approximately 30 per cent. of female prisoners self-injuring each year; and therefore calls on the Government to urgently reassess all the factors, including sentencing policies as recommended by the Corston Report, which have led to the large increase in female prisoners and to ensure that female offenders receive the appropriate emotional, psychological and medical support whilst in prison and following release.