One in four women in the UK prison system are held on remand
source: russellwebster.com
first published: 23 April 2025
Image Credit: Unsplash at www.FreeRangeStock.com
Too many women are being remanded to custody, including those who are severely mentally unwell who should be receiving treatment in the community, according to a new briefing published today (23 April) by the Prison Reform Trust.
As of 30 December 2024, over a quarter (26%) of all women in prison were being held there on remand. This is despite the fact that almost nine in 10 women on remand are assessed as posing only low to medium risk of serious harm to the public, and the majority of women committing low level, non-violent offences.
The high level of multiple and often unmet need experienced by many women in the justice system is well documented and highlighted by the PRT briefing. Many women in prison are victims of more serious crimes than those they are accused of committing.
The past two decades have seen several key policy developments relating to women’s imprisonment which recognise the distinct and specific needs of women in the criminal justice system and call for a reduction in women’s imprisonment. However, the number of women in prison, especially on remand and on short sentences, has remained stubbornly high.
The PRT argues that moving beyond this status quo requires bold and creative thinking alongside sustained development and implementation of pre-existing strategies. The briefing sets out key facts and figures relating to women in the criminal justice system and highlights progress to date in implementing an approach which recognises women’s distinct needs.
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