Women in prison
The Prison Reform Trust has long called for a reduction in women’s imprisonment in the UK and a step change in how the criminal justice system responds to the needs of women.
About the project
Our five year ‘Transforming Lives: reducing women’s imprisonment’ programme, supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, came to an end in 2020. But our work on reducing women’s imprisonment continues. On these pages you will find a range of resources relating to the policy and practice of women in the criminal justice system.
What’s the issue
- Women entered prison on over 4,700 occasions in the first nine months of 2024.
- Women are much more likely than men to self-harm whilst in prison. In 2023, women made up 27% of all self-harm incidents despite making up only 4% of the prison population.
- Many women have dependent children – an estimated 17,000 children are affected by maternal imprisonment every year.
- Many women in prison have been victims of much more serious offences than those they are accused of committing. Over half the women in prison report having suffered domestic violence with 53% of women reporting having experienced emotional, physical or sexual abuse as a child.
- Less than half of women left prison in the year to March 2024 with settled accommodation.
Our latest publications
View all- April 2025 Resetting the approach to women’s imprisonment This briefing sets out the latest facts about women in contact with the criminal justice system in E... Resetting the approach to women’s imprisonment
- April 2024 Invisible Women: Progression The third briefing in our ‘Invisible Women’ series puts a spotlight on progression. Invisible Women: Progression
- November 2021 Invisible Women: Understanding women’s experiences of long-term imprisonment Most women received into prison are serving short prison sentences of less than 12 months. However, ... Invisible Women: Understanding women’s experiences of long-term imprisonment
- July 2018 What about me? The impact on children when mothers are involved in the criminal justice system This report considers the impact on children of maternal imprisonment, finding that this not only da... What about me? The impact on children when mothers are involved in the criminal justice system
