Number of Victorian female prisoners skyrockets
New statistics show the number of female prisoners in the Victorian prison system has risen by 266 per cent in the past six years, with several key factors contributing to the influx of inmates.
VIC News
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The number of women jailed in Victoria has risen by 266 per cent in the past six years.
New Crime Statistics Agency data shows there were 800 women sent to prison last year, compared with 333 in 2012.
Authorities are battling to keep women out of custody but more stringent bail laws have meant the vast majority of inmates are in custody as they await legal proceedings.
The rate of remandees is running at higher than 85 per cent.
The CSA figures also reveal a high number of inmates who had been the victim of at least one domestic violence incident.
That is running at 43 per cent for unsentenced women and 39 per cent for those who have been dealt with by the courts.
Eight per cent of women new inmates had been the victim of a sexual offence in the two years prior to entering prison.
Drug offending has also surged among women jailed.
The level of sentenced prisoners recorded for a drug offence increased from 30 per cent to 46 per cent in the six years to 2018.
A rise of 42 to 56 per cent was noted among remandees.
Crime Statistics Agency chief statistician Fiona Dowsley said the study found the most common reason for women being sent to prison on remand in 2018 was the breach of an order.
“Our research found that half the women who entered prison on remand during 2018 were charged with one of two new breach of bail offences first introduced during December 2013,” Ms Dowsley said.
Ms Dowsley said the next most common charge for women remanded during 2018 was theft (63%), followed by drug use and possession (39%).
“One quarter of women who entered prison on remand in 2018 were charged with drug use or possession involving methamphetamine, an increase from 5% in 2012,” Ms Dowsley said.
Almost half of those incarcerated had been imprisoned in the previous two years.
Each prisoner costs the state $323.82 per day, meaning the cost of housing them has risen by tens of millions of dollars.
Corrections Minister Ben Carroll said the government had improved facilities to cater for the growth of female prisoners but was also working to reduce the number of inmates.
“The key to reducing offending and protecting community safety is ensuring we address the root causes of crime,” he said.
“That’s why we’re focusing on providing greater support to women involved in the justice system.
“We are investing in a range of innovative programs for women in the justice system that are focused on employment, mental health and housing.”
The latest state Budget included $1.8 billion in funding to provide 1550 new beds for men in prison and more than 100 for women.
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A new 70-bed precinct, focused around mental health and wellbeing, was also opened earlier in the year.
Latest Corrections Victoria figures show there were 554 women in Victoria’s prison system during September and of these 286 were unsentenced.