Women in Prison

| Parenthood | The need of female prisoners | The new prison | Resettlement | Anna's story |

Women commit less crime than men. According to the Garda figures for 1997, the great majority of those found guilty by the courts were male. The difference was most marked for offences of violence against the person.

The low level of serious criminal activity among women is reflected in the make-up of the prison population. Only about two per cent of all Irish prisoners are female. This is a lower proportion than any Council of Europe country except Cyprus.

In June 1999 there were 61 women in Mountjoy prison and 14 in Limerick. Most were on remand or had been jailed for theft or drug related crimes. An additional 60 were serving out their sentences on temporary release.

When women end up in prison it is often for a succession of minor offences. They rarely present a serious threat to society and there is no need for them to be held in secure institutions. However there are few alternatives. Community service is very rarely imposed on women and when fines are imposed they sometimes go unpaid and imprisonment results in default. It is important to devise non-custodial punishments suitable for women. These might include drug treatment orders or intensive probation supervision. They must be co-ordinated with other schemes that provide opportunities for education and training.

— Parenthood

Many female offenders are also mothers. As they are often the primary carers it is important to ensure that their relationships with children are not unduly disrupted. This requires a change to prison visiting procedures so that all mothers are allowed to have physical contact with their children. Crèche facilities should also be provided so that visits with other family members can take place without interruption.

"The visits are crowded. You are on top of each other. If you want to tell your mother or father something personal you can't because every one will hear it. If you want to tell your partner you love them you can't. It's not private. You can't sort out personal business."

"When you send a man to jail you send him to play with his mates. When you send a woman to prison you send a whole family".

It is impossible during a period of confinement to make good the distress and disadvantage suffered by so many prisoners. However, it should be possible to make sure that community and family ties are maintained and perhaps even strengthened. We know from research carried out in other countries that when these ties are broken a return to crime is likely. Maintaining these important bonds should be a key priority for every prison system.

— Welcome - About Calypso - Calypso Productions - Theatre and Social Change -
— Racism in Ireland - Refugees and Asylum Seekers - Irish Prisons -