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Abused, Addicted, Mentally ill. Is prison the best place for women offenders?

Women are going to jail in record numbers - a trend that has alarmed some experts and left the prison system struggling to cope.

Between 1998 and 2003, Victoria’s female prison population increased by 84 per cent, almost triple the growth of the male prison population over the same time. The increase was related to growth in: The use of remand, particularly for women with complex mental health and drug treatment needs, breaches of non-custodial orders, violent and drug-related offending , the number of women with no prior imprisonment or community corrections history who were sentenced to prison for a short term.

In a number of areas imprisonment can often be a much worse punishment for women. Women make up a much smaller percentage of the prison population but women prisoners are among the most vulnerable, unwell and disadvantaged group with the corrections system.

Seven per cent of prisoners were women in 2005, up from 4 per cent in 1984.¹ From 1991 to 1999 the number of women in prisons increased from 9.2 per 100,000 to 15.3 per 100,000 – about a 66% increase – while the number of men in prisons over the same period rose only by 24% (194 to 240.5 per 100,000).² Women are being jailed in record numbers and for longer sentences. In June 2000, 40 per cent of women served sentences longer than 12 months. By June 2004, 59 per cent. Women’s health

Women in prison have a greater burden of disease and ill health than their male counterparts. Women are more likely to have chronic illnesses such as hepatitis and asthma and also experience more ill health symptoms.³

Women’s healthcare in prisons is an example of indirect discrimination against women – while women’s’ healthcare needs are greater (for example, the requirement of healthcare that actively address reproductive health) women do not receive an increased level of care.⁴ Moreover, women in prison have less access to specialist services, more barriers to accessing tertiary health care and less availability of intensive mental health care than their male counterparts.⁵

Despite the greater and more complex health needs of women in prison they are not provided with appropriate facilities. This discrimination is often justified because women prisoners are in such small numbers.

Mental health

There is growing alarm about the lack of services for women prisoners in Victoria. Women in prison are 1.7 times more likely than men to have a mental illness – and 84.5% of women in prison had a mental disorder compared with 19.1% of women in the community.⁶ 51% of women surveyed reported having been diagnosed with a mental health illness prior to their incarceration.

Drug dependency

Professor Paul Mullen, clinical director of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health, says much of the growth in the women's prison population stems from drug and public nuisance offences. The inadequacy of drug treatment facilities for women has been identified as a key problem area in the management of female prisoners in all Australian states. In Victoria, it has been estimated that 80% of women enter prison with a drug or alcohol dependency.⁷ 67% reported a connection between their drug and alcohol abuse and the offending behaviour.⁸ Two thirds of first-time offenders reported drug abuse before their imprisonment, compared to 92% serving second or subsequent sentences.⁹

It has been consistently documented that a large majority of women in prison have histories of physical and sexual abuse, including abuse as children and intimate partner violence.

In a study of women prisoners 77% reported a history of past abuse.¹⁰ The Prisoner health survey, shows that in the 12 months prior to imprisonment alone over 30 per cent of all young women and 17 per cent of older women had been physically hurt by their partner; around 10 per cent had been raped by their partner.¹¹

More than half of a sample of women at the Dame Phyliss Frost Centre (DPFC), reported being physically abused in childhood or adolescence, with 68 per cent reporting emotional abuse and 44 per reporting sexual abuse.

Violence and abuse has significant and far-reaching health impacts beyond the immediate physical harm that women experience. It can lead to drug abuse, self-harm, depression suicide attempts and reproductive health problems. Women in prison require services that actively address these issues. Breaking this cycle of abuse, violence, fear and crime through rehabilitation, support and treatment is in the interests of the community as a whole.

Women are generally primary care givers

43% of female prisoners reported that at the time of imprisonment they were the carer of dependants– previous research has indicated that a high percentage of children of women in prison will also end up in prison. In addition, 44% of the women who were previously carers have no contact with those that they previously cared for.¹²

Owing to the importance to women of maintaining contact with their families (especially their children) most female prisoners report being willing to submit to strip searches to maintain contact, despite the practice being state-sanctioned sexual assault.¹³

Education & employment

Educational provision to women’s prisons is of a poorer quantity, quality, variety and relevance than that offered in men’s prisons.¹⁴

67% of women prisoners were, at the time of their imprisonment, in an economic position to require some sort of government benefit. Of the women surveyed, 40% had not received a year 10 education, compulsory for the state.¹⁵

The provision of education and employment training is a key to keeping women out of prison. Programs at women’s prisons are inadequate to address these issues. In most prisons women must participate in either education, employment or other programs in order to be paid a wage, yet very few programs or education or employment options exist.

Smart Justice alternatives

Instead of imprisoning more women, the government needs to invest in more effective alternatives to custody and crime diversion schemes. The best way to reduce women's offending is by tackling the causes - by improving education and employment training, mental health services, tackling drug abuse and through community based punishments.

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