Most women offenders end up in court due to non-violent offences, during 2021 eighteen percent of all female prosecutions were for TV licence evasion and 28% of all thefts from shops were committed by females¹.

Women are often the primary carers of children and imprisonment can lead to their children progressing into antisocial and offending behaviour. Sending women to prison can also lead to loss of employment and accommodation, which in turn contributes towards reoffending on release. Women are more likely than men to serve short sentences but are also more likely than men to re-offend following a short sentence. Women in prison are more likely to self-harm and do so more frequently than men. 

Women’s Work provides a multifaceted programme of support to help address the problems which are often at the root of women’s involvement with criminal justice and helps prevent reoffending. 

Find out how our Turn Around project builds self-confidence, life skills and raises aspirations enabling women to lead a more empowered life, as a valued member of society. 

¹ Figures for 2021, see Women and the Criminal Justice System 2021, Ministry of Justice, Office of National Statistics