According to the laughably named SMARTJUSTICE [linked to The Prison Reform Trust] one third of imprisoned women have no previous convictions. THIS IS ONE OF THEIR MANY SKEWED FACTS.
They go on to suggest that these women should not have been jailed.
Well. Having been in the system, this is very easily explained.
It is all due to rampant sexism.
Courts will find many reasons NOT to jail women who certainly get away with far more than any man could possibly hope to - particularly when they argue that they have children. [This cuts considerably less ice for a man.]
This being the case, it naturally means that women only tend to be jailed for considerably more serious offences. Of the present prison population only about 6% are female!
The one third mentioned misleadingly by SJ will almost all represent VERY grave offences indeed - that is the bit they forget to tell you.
This group is committed to EVEN more community penalties which is like trying to empty an ocean with a teaspoon.
Moreover, for somebody to be jailed for a first offence, whether male or female, the offence is always going to be especially serious.
A second amazing fact from this group is that most prisoners will be released and will reoffend.
They conveniently forget to mention that reoffending rates on Community Penalties are astronomical; that breaches exceed 50%; that prison life is at worst, comfortable and therefore less a punishment than a minor inconvenience and that absolutely no incarcerated offender CAN offend in the community whilst locked up!
What was it said about "Lies,damned lies and statistics?"
