Women prisoners need life support

There are more than 4,400 women prisoners in England. Four out of five women prisoners have mental health problems, most commonly depression and anxiety. Almost half have been subject to abuse during their lives. One in three has a child under five. For many women, even a short spell in prison can achieve nothing positive but create havoc with their family life and further damage their mental health. With only 17 women's prisons in England, and none at all in Wales, many women are imprisoned long distances from their families. For some, a spell in prison is just long enough for them to lose their children and their home.The Corston report, published in March 2007 following a major inquiry led by Baroness Corston, made far-reaching recommendations about the future of women's prisons. It called for a more "distinctive approach" to women in the criminal justice system, replacing women's prisons with a network of smaller, urban units for women in custody and for far greater use of community alternatives to prison. It was especially critical of the use of prison for women on remand.
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