Yesterday someone dragged a sharp implement along the side of my car causing considerable damage. I did not think about motivation, problematic background, I thought retribution. One of the key issues affecting the criminal justice system is how we balance the natural need and desire for retribution and the long tern societal need to address reoffending through rehabilitation.

This is the third of a series of articles based on work by the Prison Reform Trust, statistics and information from Government agencies providing the facts on which this debate can begin.

Wales has no prison for women and only one, youth offender institute (YOI), based at Parc Prison. There are increasing numbers of women and children being imprisoned in England and Wales. This article looks at the statistics and considers the social impact of imprisonment of women and children on crime, families, reoffending and health.

Over the last ten years the number of women in prison has nearly doubled. Does this mean that more women are committing more serious crimes? Home Office Offender Management Statistics show that a third of all adult women in prison had no previous conviction. Caseload statistics from the Ministry of Justice reveal that just under two thirds of women imprisoned were on remand with a 78% increase in the number of women remanded into custody between 1996 and 2006, rising from 4,221 to 7, 498.

Despite the rise, the majority of women are held for non-violent offences, the largest group being held for drug offences. Almost one third, 31%, are sent to prison for theft and handling of stolen goods. Because of the nature of their offences most women serve very short sentences of six months or less.

In brief more women are serving short sentences for non violent offences mainly involving drugs, theft and the handling of stolen goods. Who are the women committing these offences?

An Oxford University study shows that women in custody are likely to have mental health concerns with 78% exhibiting psychological disturbance on entering prison compared to a figure of 15% for the general population. The report by Baroness Corsten into women in prison found that 75% had used illicit drugs such as crack cocaine, heroine and cannabis in the six months before entering prison.

Corsten reveals that 37% of women prisoners have attempted suicide some time in their life. One on four had been in care during their childhood while more than half had experiences domestic violence and one third had been sexually abused. Nearly 40% had left school before the age of 16 with one in ten having no schooling from age 13 or younger.

This picture of abuse and failure continues when imprisoned as one third of women loose their homes and often their possessions when in prison. They also often loose their children.

Just 5% of women prisoner’s children remain in their own homes and only 9% are cared for by their fathers. Home office research shows that 66% of women imprisoned have dependant children and at least a third are lone parents.

If you asked most people what the major threat was to family life they would mention divorce. In 2006 more children were affected by imprisonment than by divorce. It will be no surprise to learn that 65% of boys with a convicted parent go on to offend. In March 2008 there were 2,350 15-17 year olds in prison of which 35 were under 14 years old. I

As with women, the number of girls aged 10-17 sentenced to custody by magistrates has increased by 181% from 1996 to 2006. The profile for juvenile offenders has many similarities to those of women in prisons. Seventy five percent of children in custody have lived with someone other than a parent (compared with 1.5% of children in the general population), while 71% had been in care. Homelessness had affected 40% of the children while 2 in 5 girls and 1 in 4 boys suffered violence at home, with I in 6 girls and 1 in 20 boys reporting sexual abuse according to the Youth Justice Board.

Drug and alcohol and mental health problems are common within the youth justice system. Behavioural and mental health problems are found with 85% of children in prison showing signs of a personality disorder and one in ten showing signs of a psychotic illness. Children in prison are 18 times more prone to commit suicide than children in the community. Girls are twice as likely to injure themselves. In 2007, 89% 0f girls had self harmed according to the Chief Inspector of Prisons. Many have special educational needs, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder and learning disabilities are common.

Age of criminal responsibly in Britain is aged 10 while the average around Europe is between 14 and16. The UK has a high rate of custody of young offenders compared to the vast majority of other countries.

Tackling the educational, mental heath, housing, and relationship problems of all prisoners can make a great difference to reoffending. Here in Bridgend we can be part of making that difference. While Parc YOI and HMP Parc do not house women prisoners they along with the local probation service, youth offending team, and mental health services can and do make a huge difference in the lives of many of this who come through the doors to serve a sentence.