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Present Worldwide Female Prison Inmates

Over 733,000 women and girls are detained in penal institutions worldwide, as reported by current research studies. This statistic encompasses both remand prisoners and individuals already convicted and sentenced. Analysts suggest the true count is substantially larger due to unavailable statistics from numerous countries.

Females typically constitute a small minority of overall inmate numbers – typically between 2-9% on average. Currently, women and girls represent approximately 6.8% of the international inmate count. However, their population is growing at a faster rate than male prisoners.

Since the year 2000, the number of women and girls in prison has grown by nearly 60% – nearly thrice the growth observed in the incarcerated male demographic. The worldwide women inmate count rose by over 100,000 individuals during the ten-year period ending in 2020.

Primary Drivers Behind the Rise

Female criminal activities are commonly linked to poverty and usually serve as a way to support themselves to support their children and relatives.

Comprehensive research has established that legislation frequently penalizes essential livelihood measures and that women are disproportionately affected because they are disproportionately represented among the poorest sectors of society. In numerous countries, laws criminalizing abortion, adultery, sexual misconduct and prostitution disproportionately target women. The probability of getting a prison sentence is frequently connected with poverty and the inability to pay fines for small infractions or to obtain release.

States with the Greatest Women Inmate Numbers

The US has the highest count of female prisoners with 174,607. China comes next with 145,000, plus an uncertain quantity of women and girls in awaiting trial custody and "bureaucratic confinement. Further substantial contributors include Brazil (50,441), Russia (39,153), Thailand (33,057), India (23,772), the Philippines (17,121), Turkey (16,581), Vietnam (15,152), Mexico (13,841) and Indonesia (13,044).

In Britain, there are 3,566 women in prison – representing 4% of the total prison population. Forecasts show these numbers are predicted to increase to 4,200 by 2027. Across Europe, 94,472 women are currently detained, while Australia reports 3,473 women in prison, representing approximately 8% of its total prison population.

States with Significant Increases in Female Prison Populations

Even accounting for standard demographic increases over the past 25 years, the surge in the number of female prisoners per 100,000 people still shows a remarkable increase. Cambodia and El Salvador have experienced over six times growth, while Turkey and Indonesia have seen more than fivefold rises.

Incarcerated Women Facing Execution

Current calculations indicate there are between 500 and 1,000 women on death row in at least 42 countries worldwide.

The nations that put to death the most women are also the countries that execute the most people in general, specifically China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. As reported by latest reports, an unknown number of women were given capital punishment in China, while two received death sentences in Egypt, 30 in Iran, one in Iraq, nine in Saudi Arabia and two in Yemen.

Unreliable information is available for countries that execute the most or for additional countries including North Korea, Vietnam and Qatar. Nonetheless, analysis is accessible regarding 15 other countries with the largest quantities of women on death row.

The main offenses for which women are given capital punishment are murder and drug trafficking. Countries with required execution sentences for murder, or that fail to acknowledge gender-based violence as lessening conditions, are prone to exhibit increased quantities of women on death row and additional capital punishments.

Additionally, countries that severely criminalize drug trafficking, such as those in the Middle East and Oriental southeast, have a high proportion of women on death row.

Suitability of Prison for Women

Various professionals and advocates contend that prison is inappropriate penalty for a significant portion of women who commit crimes. The majority are imprisoned for non-violent crimes; in the UK, for example, 72% of female prison admissions in 2020 belonged to this group. Women frequently experience a "revolving door" of limited imprisonment terms – inadequate duration to engage in meaningful education, training or work opportunities.

Up to 80% of women in prison worldwide have an identifiable mental illness. In Europe, suicide rates for women in prison are nine times higher than for the wider community, as reported by the global health authority.

In answer to growing statistics of imprisoned females and a deficiency of regulations reflecting their needs, the UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners (known as the Bangkok Rules) were adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2010. These rules mandate countries to establish non-imprisonment penalties and to provide women-specific consideration in prisons.

Kids with Imprisoned Mothers

An estimated 19,000 children reside in correctional facilities with a parent, usually their mother, while significantly more children are apart from their mothers. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a mother in prison.

Besides the clear division and related distress that a prison sentence can cause, it is frequent for a woman to forfeit parental rights of her children after just a brief period in prison.

Various states allow for babies and young children to remain in correctional facilities with their mothers up to a certain age. Nonetheless, a early life in correctional facilities can damage a child both physically and emotionally.