Poverty and discriminatory laws drive increase in number of female prisoners

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Description

‘Morality’ laws, discrimination and the criminalisation of life-sustaining activities are behind a significant increase in the number of women in prison, says a first-of-its-kind report co-published by Penal Reform International and Women Beyond Walls. 

Period7 Jul 2025

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitlePoverty and discriminatory laws drive increase in number of female prisoners
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletInternational Bar Association
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    Date7/07/25
    DescriptionApril Smith, a senior lecturer in criminology and penology at the University of Portsmouth, adds that the backgrounds of female prisoners are frequently marked by trauma, domestic abuse and mental illness. ‘Their offending is often shaped by these experiences – whether through coercion, survival strategies or the impact of trauma’, she says.
    Producer/AuthorIsabelle Walker
    URLhttps://www.ibanet.org/Poverty-and-discriminatory-laws-drive-increase-in-number-of-female-prisoners
    PersonsApril Smith
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