Tag Archives: women offenders

Julian Huppert MP writes…A credible alternative to prison has always been a Liberal Democrat priority

By Julian Huppert | Mon 25th March 2013 - 8:43 am

For decades British Governments have been locking up criminals for 12 months or less, to watch them reoffend straight after they leave prison. Worse than that, the policy is costly, and holds little public confidence.

But when you look at how we treat women offenders, the situation is even worse.

Almost half of women serving 12 months or less will reoffend within the next year. And of all women in prison, 6 in 10 are there for six months or less; the vast majority of whom have committed non-violent offences. The last Government’s response was to increase the female prison …