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<p>It is important that there are robust community options available to sentencers
so that vulnerable women with complex needs, including those with children, are only
sent to prison when it is absolutely necessary.</p><p>We are developing a strategy
for female offenders to improve outcomes for women in custody and in the community.
As part of this work we are already investing £1 million seed funding between 2016
and 2020 to help local areas develop improved, multi-agency approaches to support
female offenders in their area.</p><p>Sentences in individual cases are decided by
the courts, who take into account guidelines issued by the independent Sentencing
Council.</p><p>In February 2017, the Council issued its guideline “Imposition of Community
and Custodial and Sentences”, which makes it clear that prison should be reserved
for the most serious offences, and that custody should not be imposed where a community
order could provide sufficient restriction on an offender’s liberty (by way of punishment)
while addressing the rehabilitation of the offender to prevent future crime. The guideline
also notes that for offenders on the cusp of custody, imprisonment should not be imposed
where there would be an impact on dependants which would make a custodial sentence
disproportionate to achieving the aims of sentencing.</p>
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