Many thanks to Jenny Earle (Director, Programme to reduce women’s imprisonment) at The Prison Reform Trust for letting us have the PRT briefing document that went to MPs before the debate.

You can find the document here: Westminster Hall debate – sentencing of female offenders

Jenny offered this insight:

“We do not argue that women should be treated ‘more favourably than men’, rather that equal treatment does not necessarily mean or require the same treatment. As the nature, causes and patterns of offending are different for women than for men, different responses may be required. Also, there is ample evidence that imprisonment is particularly hard on women, especially for mothers who are much more likely than men/fathers to be primary carers, women are less likely to have someone ‘looking out for them’ when they are in prison, as women often do for men when they are in prison.”