To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of
the number of women who do not disclose that they have a dependant child before they
receive a custodial sentence.
<p>Our Female Offender Strategy is committed to improving outcomes for women at all
stages of the justice system, and this includes supporting those who have children.
We know that female prisoners are more likely than male prisoners to be a primary
carer and imprisoned mothers are more likely to be living with their children prior
to custody – around 60% of women compared with about 45% of men in prison who have
children. Figures from a 2015 data matching exercise with the Ministry of Justice
and the Department for Work and Pensions showed that between 24% and 31% of all female
offenders were estimated to have one or more child dependents.</p><p><br>We know that
when coming into contact with the criminal justice system, some women choose not to
disclose that they have dependent children for a number of reasons. As such, iIt is
difficult to create an accurate estimate of the number of women who choose not to
disclose and to provide appropriate targeted support. However, we want all women to
feel safe enough to disclose and are taking steps to encourage this, as outlined below.
This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring that the National Probation Service’s
pre-sentence reports, which assist the court in making sentencing decisions, highlight
the fact an offender has dependent children and supporting the roll out of the ‘Safeguarding
Children When Sentencing Mothers’ training material developed by Dr Shona Minson.</p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the implications
for his Department’s policies of the findings of a report by Inquest entitled Still
Dying on the inside: examining deaths in women's prisons, published in May 2018, that
93 women have died in custody in England and Wales since March 2007; and if he will
make a statement.
<table><tbody><tr><td><p>We are very aware of the number of women who have tragically
died in our custody, and we welcome the Inquest report that rightly draws attention
to the figures and to the risks this population presents. I look forward to meeting
Inquest soon to discuss the recommendations in their report. Our published statistics
show that the 93 deaths from 2007 to 2017 to which the report refers include 41 from
natural causes, 39 that were apparently self-inflicted and 13 other deaths, including
6 that have yet to be classified. The Government takes very seriously its responsibility
to keep staff and prisoners safe, and we are committed to reducing the number of self-inflicted
deaths in our prisons. This is why we have established a prison safety programme through
which we are taking forward a comprehensive set of actions to improve safety in custody.
This includes a workstream on women offenders, which has drawn on helpful reports
from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths
in Custody to identify and take forward focused work in women’s prisons. These are
in addition to the measures that we are taking across the estate, which include rolling
out revised and improved training for staff in assessing and managing the risk of
suicide and self-harm amongst prisoners (which has already reached more than 17,000
staff); improving support for prisoners in their early days in custody; revising the
ACCT case management process for those identified as being at risk; and renewing our
partnership with the Samaritans by confirming a further three years' grant funding
for their valuable Listeners Scheme. On 27 June we published our strategy for female
offenders, which sets out our vision and plan to improve outcomes for women both in
the community and in custody. We want to see:<ul><li>fewer women coming into the criminal
justice system;</li><li>fewer women in custody, especially on short-term sentences,
and a greater proportion of women successfully managed in the community; and</li><li>better
conditions for those in custody.</li></ul>A key theme in the strategy is the need
for a joined-up approach to addressing female offenders’ often complex needs. We know
that we will make progress in meeting these needs only by adopting a partnership approach
at both national and local level. We hope to publish our National Concordat on Female
Offenders by the end of the year. This will be a cross-governmental statement of intent
and commitment to improve the outcomes for female offenders in a holistic, whole-systems
approach.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>The Ministry of Justice does not hold data on the details of every offence committed
by each of the female prisoners currently held in prison. This information can only
be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p>
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of women in (1) HMP Askham Grange,
(2) HMP Bronzefield, (3) HMP Downview, (4) HMP Drake Hall, (5) HMP East Sutton Park,
(6) HMP Eastwood Park, (7) HMP Foston Hall, (8) HMP Low Newton, (9) HMP New Hall,
(10) HMP Send, and (11) HMP Styal, are there for non-violent offences; and in each
prison what percentage of those women are mothers of children under the age of 18.
<p>The Government recognises that there is an impact on families and children when
a woman is involved in the criminal justice system and that children of imprisoned
mothers may be particularly affected by a custodial sentence. We have commissioned
Lord Farmer to continue his work to enable us to understand what specific measures
we can take to help women strengthen family ties, especially with their children,
whilst serving sentences in the community, in custody and after they are released.</p><p>
</p><p>The number of women in each establishment serving sentences for non-violent
offences and the average length of those sentences is set out in table one below.</p><p>
</p><p>The percentage of women in each establishment recorded as having children is
set out in the table two below. The Ministry of Justice does not have this information
broken down by type of offence.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice does not hold
data on the age or the arrangements made for the care of dependent children of women
serving custodial sentences. The percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences
who are also re-offenders can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table
1:</strong> Female prison population at selected establishments by non-violent offences
and average sentence length as at 31 March 2018.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Establishment</strong></p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Non-violent offences</p></td><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Average
(mean) sentence length (days) for non-violent offences</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong>
<strong>population</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number</strong></p></td><td><p><em>%</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Askham
Grange</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>118</strong></p></td><td><p>81</p></td><td><p><em>69%</em></p></td><td><p>1411</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Bronzefield</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>517</strong></p></td><td><p>407</p></td><td><p><em>79%</em></p></td><td><p>879</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Downview</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>325</strong></p></td><td><p>248</p></td><td><p><em>76%</em></p></td><td><p>1596</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Drake
Hall</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>319</strong></p></td><td><p>236</p></td><td><p><em>74%</em></p></td><td><p>1658</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>East
Sutton Park</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>87</strong></p></td><td><p>66</p></td><td><p><em>76%</em></p></td><td><p>1407</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Eastwood
Park</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>361</strong></p></td><td><p>283</p></td><td><p><em>78%</em></p></td><td><p>821</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Foston
Hall</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>317</strong></p></td><td><p>222</p></td><td><p><em>70%</em></p></td><td><p>1006</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Low
Newton</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>322</strong></p></td><td><p>221</p></td><td><p><em>69%</em></p></td><td><p>1397</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>New
Hall</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>373</strong></p></td><td><p>258</p></td><td><p><em>69%</em></p></td><td><p>1111</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Send</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>270</strong></p></td><td><p>150</p></td><td><p><em>56%</em></p></td><td><p>1896</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Styal</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>449</strong></p></td><td><p>315</p></td><td><p><em>70%</em></p></td><td><p>1026</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong>Note</strong></p><ol><li>Total
population figures include women serving custodial sentences, those held on remand,
non-criminals and fine defaulters.</li><li>Sentence length figures do not include
those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.</li></ol><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 2: Percentage of women recorded as having
children by establishment, 26 June 2018</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Establishment</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Percentage
have children</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Askham Grange</p></td><td><p>77%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bronzefield</p></td><td><p>52%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Downview</p></td><td><p>52%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Drake
Hall</p></td><td><p>68%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East Sutton Park</p></td><td><p>62%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eastwood
Park</p></td><td><p>71%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Foston Hall</p></td><td><p>63%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Low
Newton</p></td><td><p>66%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>New Hall</p></td><td><p>68%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peterborough
(female)</p></td><td><p>60%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Send</p></td><td><p>55%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Styal</p></td><td><p>67%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p><strong>Notes</strong>:</p><ol><li>The number of children field is not a mandatory
field within the NOMIS application and about 400 women across these establishments
have no entry on the system.</li><li>There is no functionality to record the age of
children on NOMIS.</li><li>There are likely to be cases where, when entered onto the
system, a child was under the age of 18 but has since passed this milestone and is
now classed as an adult.</li></ol><p> </p><ol start="4"><li>The figures relate to
all women, not just those in prison for non-violent offences.</li></ol>
To ask Her Majesty's Government of the women in (1) HMP Askham Grange, (2) HMP Bronzefield,
(3) HMP Downview, (4) HMP Drake Hall, (5) HMP East Sutton Park, (6) HMP Eastwood Park,
(7) HMP Foston Hall, (8) HMP Low Newton, (9) HMP New Hall, (10) HMP Send, and (11)
HMP Styal, for non-violent offences, (a) how many are mothers to children under the
age of 18, (b) what is the average length of their prison sentences, and (c) what
percentage of those women are re-offenders.
<p>The Government recognises that there is an impact on families and children when
a woman is involved in the criminal justice system and that children of imprisoned
mothers may be particularly affected by a custodial sentence. We have commissioned
Lord Farmer to continue his work to enable us to understand what specific measures
we can take to help women strengthen family ties, especially with their children,
whilst serving sentences in the community, in custody and after they are released.</p><p>
</p><p>The number of women in each establishment serving sentences for non-violent
offences and the average length of those sentences is set out in table one below.</p><p>
</p><p>The percentage of women in each establishment recorded as having children is
set out in the table two below. The Ministry of Justice does not have this information
broken down by type of offence.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Justice does not hold
data on the age or the arrangements made for the care of dependent children of women
serving custodial sentences. The percentage of women in prison for non-violent offences
who are also re-offenders can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Table
1:</strong> Female prison population at selected establishments by non-violent offences
and average sentence length as at 31 March 2018.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td colspan="2"><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Establishment</strong></p></td><td><p>
</p></td><td colspan="2"><p>Non-violent offences</p></td><td rowspan="2"><p><strong>Average
(mean) sentence length (days) for non-violent offences</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Total</strong>
<strong>population</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Number</strong></p></td><td><p><em>%</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Askham
Grange</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>118</strong></p></td><td><p>81</p></td><td><p><em>69%</em></p></td><td><p>1411</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Bronzefield</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>517</strong></p></td><td><p>407</p></td><td><p><em>79%</em></p></td><td><p>879</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Downview</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>325</strong></p></td><td><p>248</p></td><td><p><em>76%</em></p></td><td><p>1596</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Drake
Hall</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>319</strong></p></td><td><p>236</p></td><td><p><em>74%</em></p></td><td><p>1658</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>East
Sutton Park</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>87</strong></p></td><td><p>66</p></td><td><p><em>76%</em></p></td><td><p>1407</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Eastwood
Park</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>361</strong></p></td><td><p>283</p></td><td><p><em>78%</em></p></td><td><p>821</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Foston
Hall</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>317</strong></p></td><td><p>222</p></td><td><p><em>70%</em></p></td><td><p>1006</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Low
Newton</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>322</strong></p></td><td><p>221</p></td><td><p><em>69%</em></p></td><td><p>1397</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>New
Hall</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>373</strong></p></td><td><p>258</p></td><td><p><em>69%</em></p></td><td><p>1111</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Send</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>270</strong></p></td><td><p>150</p></td><td><p><em>56%</em></p></td><td><p>1896</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Styal</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>449</strong></p></td><td><p>315</p></td><td><p><em>70%</em></p></td><td><p>1026</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong>Note</strong></p><ol><li>Total
population figures include women serving custodial sentences, those held on remand,
non-criminals and fine defaulters.</li><li>Sentence length figures do not include
those held on remand, non-criminals and fine defaulters.</li></ol><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Table 2: Percentage of women recorded as having
children by establishment, 26 June 2018</strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Establishment</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Percentage
have children</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Askham Grange</p></td><td><p>77%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Bronzefield</p></td><td><p>52%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Downview</p></td><td><p>52%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Drake
Hall</p></td><td><p>68%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>East Sutton Park</p></td><td><p>62%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Eastwood
Park</p></td><td><p>71%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Foston Hall</p></td><td><p>63%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Low
Newton</p></td><td><p>66%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>New Hall</p></td><td><p>68%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Peterborough
(female)</p></td><td><p>60%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Send</p></td><td><p>55%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Styal</p></td><td><p>67%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p><strong>Notes</strong>:</p><ol><li>The number of children field is not a mandatory
field within the NOMIS application and about 400 women across these establishments
have no entry on the system.</li><li>There is no functionality to record the age of
children on NOMIS.</li><li>There are likely to be cases where, when entered onto the
system, a child was under the age of 18 but has since passed this milestone and is
now classed as an adult.</li></ol><p> </p><ol start="4"><li>The figures relate to
all women, not just those in prison for non-violent offences.</li></ol>
<p>This information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate
cost.</p><p> </p><p>However, the total first receptions for female offenders in each
of the years in the last two decades can be found in the attached tables. Please refer
to ‘female first receptions’ in Tables A2.1i (2015 to 2017) and A2.1ii (1993 to 2014).</p><p>
</p><p>The definition for first reception is a unique individual first received into
prison custody from court for a particular set of offences committed. This gives the
best indication of the number of new prisoners in the reporting period.</p>
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many incidents of self-harm occurred in the women's
prison estate in the two most recent years for which information is available.
<p>The Government publishes statistics on safety in custody quarterly, and updated
detailed tables annually. The most recent tables were published on 26 April 2018 and
cover the period to the end of December 2017. In 2017 there were 8,317 incidents of
self-harm in the women’s prison estate. In 2016 there were 7,670 such incidents.</p><p>
</p><p>The total number of times ambulances have been required to take women prisoners
to hospital could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the published
figures reveal that there were 183 self-harm incidents that required hospital attendance
in the women’s prison estate in 2017, and 138 such incidents in 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The
support available to prisoners when they return from hospital depends on the cause
of their injury or illness. Continuing medical treatment or observation is provided
where necessary. The Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) case management
process is used to provide support for prisoners who have self-harmed, and where the
prisoner was subject to the ACCT process prior to the incident, there is a review
by the multi-disciplinary team to identify any changes that need to be made to the
support that is being provided.</p><p> </p><p>The Government takes very seriously
its responsibility to keep prisoners safe, and the recent increase in the number of
self-harm incidents shows that we can and must do more. We have established a prison
safety programme through which we are taking forward a comprehensive set of actions
to improve safety in custody, including: rolling out revised and improved training
for staff in assessing and managing the risk of suicide and self-harm amongst prisoners
(which has already reached more than 15,500 staff); improving support for prisoners
in their early days in custody; revising the ACCT case management process for those
identified as being at risk; and renewing our partnership with the Samaritans by confirming
a further three years' grant funding for their valuable Listeners Scheme.</p>
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times ambulances have been required to take
women prisoners to hospital in the two most recent years for which information is
available; and what support is provided to women prisoners after any return from hospital.
<p>The Government publishes statistics on safety in custody quarterly, and updated
detailed tables annually. The most recent tables were published on 26 April 2018 and
cover the period to the end of December 2017. In 2017 there were 8,317 incidents of
self-harm in the women’s prison estate. In 2016 there were 7,670 such incidents.</p><p>
</p><p>The total number of times ambulances have been required to take women prisoners
to hospital could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the published
figures reveal that there were 183 self-harm incidents that required hospital attendance
in the women’s prison estate in 2017, and 138 such incidents in 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The
support available to prisoners when they return from hospital depends on the cause
of their injury or illness. Continuing medical treatment or observation is provided
where necessary. The Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) case management
process is used to provide support for prisoners who have self-harmed, and where the
prisoner was subject to the ACCT process prior to the incident, there is a review
by the multi-disciplinary team to identify any changes that need to be made to the
support that is being provided.</p><p> </p><p>The Government takes very seriously
its responsibility to keep prisoners safe, and the recent increase in the number of
self-harm incidents shows that we can and must do more. We have established a prison
safety programme through which we are taking forward a comprehensive set of actions
to improve safety in custody, including: rolling out revised and improved training
for staff in assessing and managing the risk of suicide and self-harm amongst prisoners
(which has already reached more than 15,500 staff); improving support for prisoners
in their early days in custody; revising the ACCT case management process for those
identified as being at risk; and renewing our partnership with the Samaritans by confirming
a further three years' grant funding for their valuable Listeners Scheme.</p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer to Question 137612
on Prisoners: Females, how many of the 2,271 sentenced women in prison for non-violent
crimes received sentences of (a) less than 1 month, (b) less than 3 months, (c) less
than 6 months, (d) less than 12 months, and (e) 12 months or more.
<p>Pursuant to the answer to Question 137612, the number of women held in custody
for non-violent crimes as at 31 March 2018, disaggregated according to sentence length
is given below.</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3"><p><strong>Sentenced female prison
population by sentence length, non-violent crimes</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>31/03/2018</p></td><td><p>
</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Less than 1 month</p></td><td><p>12</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1
month to less than 3 months</p></td><td><p>110</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>3
months to less than 6 months</p></td><td><p>177</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>6
months to less than 12 months</p></td><td><p>170</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>12
months or more</p></td><td><p>1536</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Indeterminate
sentence</p></td><td><p>37</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Recalls</p></td><td><p>181</p></td><td><p>
</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Sentence length not recorded</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p>
</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>2271</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3"><p>Source: Justice
Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the cost to the public purse has been
of women serving prison sentences for non-violent crimes since 1 January 2018.
<p>At 31 March 201<ins class="ministerial">8</ins><del class="ministerial">7</del>,
there were 2,271 sentenced females in the prison population for non-violent crimes
(everything but violence against the person) and an additional 445 on remand. This
information is publicly available at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/offender-management-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2017"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/offender-management-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2017</a>.</p><p>
</p><p>Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS), does not calculate separately
the average cost of prisoners by any type of offence. However, HMPPS routinely publishes
average costs per prisoner, costs per prison place and overall prison unit costs for
each private and public sector prison in England and Wales, including all categories
of the women’s estate. This information is produced on an annual basis and is published
after the end of each financial year.</p><p> </p><p>The most recent published figures,
for financial year 2016-17, can be accessed on the www.gov.uk website from the following
link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-performance-statistics-2016-to-2017"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-performance-statistics-2016-to-2017</a>.
Prison unit costs can be found within the Excel document <em>Costs per prison place
and cost per prisoner by individual prison establishment</em> in the ‘Cost by Establishment’
tab.</p><p> </p><p>The courts have a range of sentences at their disposal including
community sentences, suspended sentences, fines and custodial sentences. Custodial
sentences are reserved for the most serious offences. Women diverted from custody
and into community sentences, also have an associated cost to the taxpayer.</p>
