New figures show that 20% of prisoners in England and Wales are still awaiting trial or sentencing – with that figure rising to 25% of all women in prison.
Almost 60% of women arriving into prison on remand between October 2023 and June 2025 had been charged with non-violent crimes, compared to 51% of men. Nevertheless, women are more likely to be denied bail than men, including for non-violent crimes. According to research by The Howard League for Penal Reform, two-thirds of women held on remand are later found not guilty or handed a non-custodial sentence.
Women in Prison CEO, Sonya Ruparel responded:
“Women are being disproportionately put on remand and this picture becomes even worse when you look at the numbers for black and racially minoritised women. Almost nine in 10 women on remand are assessed as posing only low to medium risk of serious harm to the public, and the majority of women on remand are there for low level, non-violent offences. Remand separates women from their children, can mean they lose their home and jobs, and it can mean poorer health outcomes for women, including if they are pregnant. The women we work with tell us it’s unjust and they often experience anxiety and depression whilst on remand, describing a feeling of being ‘in the dark’ about their case, and ‘left in limbo.’”
Such delays risk violating people’s rights under the protections outlined in the European Convention of Human Rights, which states that a person being detained must be brought to trial within a reasonable time or released pending trial.
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