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Current Worldwide Female Prison Population

More than 733,000 women and girls are currently held in penal institutions worldwide, according to latest research studies. This number encompasses both pre-trial detainees and individuals already found guilty and punished. Analysts suggest the true count is significantly higher due to incomplete data from multiple states.

Female inmates generally account for a minor proportion of overall inmate numbers – typically between 2-9% on average. Currently, women and girls represent approximately 6.8% of the global prison population. Nevertheless, their figures are rising at a faster rate than male inmates.

From the millennium onward, the number of women and girls in prison has increased by almost three-fifths – roughly triple the rise observed in the incarcerated male demographic. The global female prison population rose by over 100,000 individuals during the decade-long span ending in 2020.

Main Causes Behind the Growth

Women's lawbreaking are commonly connected to financial deprivation and usually serve as a method of sustenance to support their children and relatives.

Detailed analysis has determined that regulations typically outlaw basic sustenance activities and that women are unequally impacted because they are over-represented among the most impoverished segments of society. In many countries, laws prohibiting abortion, adultery, sexual misconduct and prostitution primarily impact women. The chance of being given a prison sentence is often also related to poverty and the failure to afford fines for petty offenses or to arrange temporary freedom.

States with the Largest Women Inmate Numbers

The United States has the highest count of female prisoners with 174,607. China comes next with 145,000, plus an undetermined count of women and girls in awaiting trial custody and "bureaucratic confinement. Additional major sources 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 England and Wales, there are 3,566 women in prison – representing 4% of the overall inmate count. Estimates suggest these numbers are expected to rise to 4,200 by 2027. Across Europe, 94,472 women are presently incarcerated, while Australia reports 3,473 women in prison, constituting approximately 8% of its complete incarceration numbers.

Countries with Substantial Rises in Female Prison Populations

Although including standard demographic increases over the last quarter-century, the increase in the number of female prisoners per 100,000 people remains indicative of a remarkable increase. Cambodia and El Salvador have experienced increases exceeding 600%, while Turkey and Indonesia have seen increases over five times.

Women on Death Row

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

The countries that execute the most women are likewise the states that perform the highest number of executions in general, including China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Based on latest reports, an unknown number of women were executed in China, while two were executed in Egypt, 30 in Iran, one in Iraq, nine in Saudi Arabia and two in Yemen.

Incomplete statistics is available for states with most frequent capital punishment or for nations like North Korea, Vietnam and Qatar. Nonetheless, analysis is accessible regarding 15 other countries with the largest quantities of women on death row.

The principal violations for which women are receiving execution orders are murder and drug trafficking. Countries with mandatory death penalties for murder, or that do not recognize gender-based violence as mitigating circumstances, are inclined to display greater amounts of women on death row and additional capital punishments.

Additionally, countries that strictly prohibit drug trafficking, such as those in the Gulf region and Oriental southeast, have a substantial ratio of women on death row.

Appropriateness of Incarceration for Females

Many experts and advocates argue that prison is unsuitable sanction for a significant portion of women who commit crimes. Many are jailed for non-aggressive offenses; in the UK, for example, 72% of female prison admissions in 2020 fit this category. Women frequently experience a "revolving door" of short prison sentences – inadequate duration to participate in meaningful education, training or work opportunities.

Up to 80% of women in prison worldwide have an identifiable mental illness. In Europe, self-destruction numbers for women in prison are nine times higher than for the wider community, based on the WHO.

In response to rising numbers 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 oblige states to establish non-imprisonment penalties and to provide women-specific consideration in prisons.

Offspring of Incarcerated Women

An calculated 19,000 children reside in correctional facilities with a parent, usually their mother, while a much larger quantity are divided from their parents. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a incarcerated mother.

In addition to the obvious separation and related distress that a prison sentence can cause, it is not uncommon for a woman to be deprived of guardianship of her children after just a brief period in prison.

Many countries make provision for babies and young children to live in incarceration centers with their mothers up to a specific age. Nevertheless, a early life in correctional facilities can negatively affect a minor both physically and emotionally.