THE number of women given jail sentences in England and Wales has increased by more than 50% over the past decade, reaching a record 8,862 last year, according to official figures highlighted today.
And the rise has been particularly sharp among women aged over 40, according to research by Liberal Democrats.
Justice Ministry figures obtained in answer to Parliamentary questions showed that the number of women offenders sentenced to custody increased from 5,849 in 1998 to 8,862 in 2008. In the same period, the average female prison population swelled by 42% from 3,105 to 4,414.
Lib-Dem justice spokesman David Howarth said it was “particularly alarming” that the figures showed a 189% rise in women over 60 put behind bars, a 132% increase for women aged 50-59 and 127% for women aged 40-49. Some 1,319 women in their forties were jailed in 2008, along with 313 in their fifties and 55 aged 60 or more.
