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HM INSPECTORATE OF PRISONS FOR SCOTLAND
REPORT ON HMP AND YOI : CORNTON VALE 2001

ANNEX 8 : A SUMMARY OF THE USE OF CUSTODY FOR FEMALE OFFENDERS IN SCOTLAND [ Prepared by the Scottish Executive Statistics Unit.]

• Chart 1: Penalties imposed by Scottish Courts in 1999

• In 1999, fines were the main penalty imposed for both male and female offenders. A slightly smaller proportion of women received fines (60 per cent) than men (66 per cent).
  
• Women were more likely than men to get community sentences (Probation or CSO). The proportions receiving such sentences were 12 per cent and 9 per cent respectively.
  
• Women were less likely to get custody (6 per cent) than men (14 per cent).
  
• Women were twice as likely than men to get some other sentence, 22 per cent compared with 11 per cent.

• Chart 2: Index of penalties imposed on female offenders, 1990-1999 (1990=100)

• Between 1990 and 1999, the use of fines fell both absolutely and as a proportion of all penalties imposed. Fines comprised 74 per cent of penalties imposed on women offenders in 1990 but only 60 per cent in 1999.
  
• Increased use of community sentences over the decade clearly shown. Increase most pronounced for Community Service Orders (CSO's) which formed 1.3 per cent of penalties in 1990 but 3.3 per cent in 1999. Use of Probation also increased: from 3.8 per cent of penalties in 1990 to 8.5 per cent of penalties in 1999.
  
• However, in spite of increasing use of community penalties, custodial sentences also increased over the decade, most noticeably since 1997. Custodial sentences comprised 3.0 per cent of penalties in 1990 but 6.2 per cent in 1999.

• Chart 3: Average daily female prison population

• Average daily female prison population reached its highest annual level in 1999, at 212. The provisional average population in 2000 was slightly lower, at 203.

• The 1999 population comprised the following components:

 

• Chart 4: Average daily sentenced female prison population, by age, 1991-2000 (prov.)

• The proportionate growth in the sentenced female prison population between 1991 and 2000 was most pronounced for Young Offenders, where the numbers more than doubled over the decade, from 13 to 30 .

• The number of adult sentenced prisoners grew by 30%, from 98 to 128.

• Chart 5: Average daily female prison population by sentence category, 1991-2000(prov.) 

• The growth in the female prison population between 1991 and 2000 occurred in all categories. The proportionate growth was greatest for long-term sentenced female prisoners, where the numbers more than doubled over the decade, from 20 to 46 . 

• The number of short-term sentenced prisoners grew by 24%, from 91 to 113.

• The number of remand prisoners grew by 39% over the decade, from 32 to 45 (having fallen back from 56 in 1999). The small decrease in average population between 1999 and 2000 was entirely due to the decrease in the remand population.

• Chart 6: Sentenced female prisoners in custody on 30 June 1999 by sentence length

• The most common sentence band of women prisoners in custody on 30 June 1999 was "6 months - Less than 2 years". 62 female prisoners had sentences in this category.
  
• There were more receptions in 1999 for fine default or for shorter sentence lengths than in the "6 months - Less than 2 years" category. However, because such prisoners spend relatively short times in custody, they do not contribute as much to the population in prison on any one day.
  
• There are few receptions of female long-term prisoners - less than 20 each year - but, because such prisoners spend a long time in custody, they form a large proportion of those in prison on any one day. On 30 June 1999, there were 40 female long-term prisoners (18 per cent of the total in custody).

• Chart 7: Female remand prisoners on 30 June 1999 by crime/offence

• A very high proportion of female remand prisoners are remanded for crimes of violence - 36 per cent.

• The next most common crime category for female remand prisoners was "Other theft". This category excludes Shoplifting, Housebreaking, Theft by Opening Lockfast Places (OLP), and Theft of a Motor Vehicle. 19 per cent of female remand prisoners were remanded for "Other theft".

• Another common crime category for female remand prisoners is "Drugs" (supply or possession). 14 per cent of female remand prisoners were remanded for crimes involving the possession or supply of drugs.

• Chart 8(a): Female prisoners on 30 June 1999 sentenced for under 6 months by crime/offence

• In comparison with the distribution for female remand prisoners, hardly any women in prison for a very short sentence were imprisoned for violence - 3 per cent compared with 36 per cent.

• In contrast, a considerably higher proportion of women were serving short sentences for shoplifting - 22 per cent compared with only 5 per cent of remand prisoners.

• Similarly, a higher proportion of women were serving short sentences for "Other theft" - 31 per cent compared with 19 per cent of remand prisoners.

• Compared with female remand prisoners, a slightly higher proportion of women serving short sentences were sentenced for crimes involving the possession or supply of drugs - 16 per cent compared with 14 per cent.

• Chart 8(b): Female prisoners on 30 June 1999 sentenced for under 2 years by crime/offence

• In comparison with the distribution for female remand prisoners, a much smaller proportion of women in prison for short sentences were imprisoned for violence - 12 per cent compared with 36 per cent.

• In contrast, a considerably higher proportion of women were serving short sentences for shoplifting - 18 per cent compared with only 5 per cent of remand prisoners.

• Similarly, a higher proportion of women were serving short sentences for "Other theft" - 29 per cent compared with 19 per cent of remand prisoners.

• Compared with female remand prisoners, a slightly higher proportion of women serving short sentences were sentenced for crimes involving the possession or supply of drugs - 19 per cent compared with 14 per cent.

• Chart 9:Receptions of females to penal establishments by type of custody, 1990-1999

• Remand receptions increased almost steadily throughout the decade and now stand at over 1,200.
  
• Throughout much of the decade, more women were received into custody for fine default than on direct sentence. In 1999 the numbers were very similar, at 626 and 650 respectively.
  
• 1999 receptions by type of custody broken down as follows:

- Remand prisoners	1,201
- Young offenders: direct sentence	152
: fine defaulters	69
- Adult prisoners: direct sentence	498
: fine defaulters	557

• In 1999 more adult women received into custody for fine default than on direct sentence - this has been the case since 1993.

• Chart 10: Female remand receptions in 1999 by court

• Glasgow Sheriff Court was the single court responsible for the largest number of female remand receptions. In 1999 203 female remand receptions were from this court - 17 per cent of all female remand receptions.

• Glasgow DC and Stipendiary Magistrates Court and Edinburgh Sheriff Courts were the courts accounting for the second and third most female remand receptions, at 180 (15 per cent) and 87 (7 per cent) receptions respectively.

• No other single court had more than 65 female remand receptions in 1999.

• There were 37 (3 per cent) female remand receptions from the High Court.

• Note: The "Other Courts" category comprises the other District Courts, 2 remand receptions from a Children's Panel and 1 from an Immigration Office

• Chart 11: Female fine default receptions in 1999 by court

• Glasgow DC and Stipendiary Magistrates Court was the single court responsible for the largest number of female fine default receptions. In 1999 216 female fine default receptions were from this court - 35 per cent of all female fine default receptions.

• Edinburgh and Glasgow Sheriff Courts were the courts accounting for the second and third most female fine defaulters, at 34 (5 per cent) and 33 (5 per cent) receptions respectively.

• No other single court had more than 30 female fine defaulters in 1999.

• Note: The "Other Courts" category comprises the other District Courts and 1 fine default reception from a Children's Panel

• Chart 12(a): Female direct sentence receptions for less than 6 months by court, 1999

• Glasgow DC and Stipendiary Magistrates Court was the single court responsible for the largest number of female direct sentence receptions for sentences of under 6 months. In 1999 76 such receptions were from this court - 18 per cent of all female receptions for such short sentences.

• Kilmarnock, Glasgow and Edinburgh Sheriff Courts were the courts accounting for the second, third and fourth most receptions of females sentenced for less than 6 months, at 56 (13 per cent), 42 (10 per cent) and 30 (7 per cent) receptions respectively.

• The four courts listed above accounted for nearly half of all receptions of females sentenced for less than 6 months.

• No other single court had more than 20 female receptions for less than 6 months in 1999.

• Note: The "Other Courts" category comprises the other District Courts and 3 receptions from the High Court

• Chart 12(b): Female direct sentence receptions for less than 2 years by court, 1999

• Glasgow DC and Stipendiary Magistrates Court was the single court responsible for the largest number of female direct sentence receptions for sentences of under 2 years. In 1999 100 such receptions were from this court - 16 per cent of all female receptions for such short sentences.

• Glasgow, Kilmarnock and Edinburgh Sheriff Courts were the courts accounting for the second, third and fourth most receptions of females sentenced for less than 2 years, at 73 (12 per cent), 69 (11 per cent) and 38 (6 per cent) receptions respectively.

• The four courts listed above accounted for 45 per cent of all receptions of females sentenced for less than 2 years.

• No other single court had more than 35 female receptions for less than 2 years in 1999.

• Note: The "Other Courts" category comprises the other District Courts, 8 receptions from the High Court and 1 reception from the English Crown Court

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