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Current Worldwide Female Prison Inmates

In excess of 733,000 women and girls are detained in prison systems worldwide, according to latest investigations. This statistic includes both remand prisoners and individuals already found guilty and punished. Experts believe the actual total is significantly higher due to missing information from several countries.

Females typically constitute a small minority of correctional system demographics – usually between 2-9% on average. Currently, women and girls account for approximately 6.8% of the global prison population. Nevertheless, their numbers are increasing at a faster rate than male inmates.

Since the year 2000, the number of women and girls in prison has grown by nearly 60% – roughly triple the increase observed in the male prison population. The global female prison population rose by over 100,000 individuals during the decade-long span ending in 2020.

Primary Drivers Behind the Growth

Offenses committed by women are commonly linked to poverty and typically represent a method of sustenance to support their children and relatives.

Comprehensive research has established that regulations typically outlaw acts of survival and that women are unfairly targeted because they are more commonly found among the lowest economic brackets of society. In many countries, laws criminalizing abortion, adultery, sexual misconduct and prostitution primarily impact women. The chance of being given a prison sentence is frequently connected with poverty and the lack of resources for fines for small infractions or to obtain release.

Countries with the Highest Incarcerated Women Statistics

The US has the highest count of female prisoners with 174,607. China comes next with 145,000, plus an unknown number of women and girls in awaiting trial custody and "procedural custody. Further substantial contributors 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 Britain, there are 3,566 women in prison – representing 4% of the total prison population. Projections indicate these numbers are predicted to increase to 4,200 by 2027. Across Europe, 94,472 women are currently detained, while Australia reports 3,473 women in prison, amounting to approximately 8% of its total prison population.

Countries with Major Growth in Women Inmate Numbers

Although including normal population growth over the past 25 years, the surge in the number of female prisoners per 100,000 people remains indicative of a remarkable increase. El Salvador and Cambodia have experienced more than sixfold increases, while these countries 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 states that carry out executions on the most women are similarly the nations that carry out the most capital punishments in general, including China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Based on current records, an uncertain quantity of women were given capital punishment in China, while two faced execution in Egypt, 30 in Iran, one in Iraq, nine in Saudi Arabia and two in Yemen.

Incomplete statistics is available for countries that execute the most or for additional countries including North Korea, Vietnam and Qatar. However, analysis is accessible regarding 15 other countries with the largest quantities of women on death row.

The main offenses for which women are given capital punishment are murder and drug trafficking. Countries with required execution sentences for murder, or that do not recognize gender-based violence as lessening conditions, are inclined to display higher numbers of women on death row and more executions.

Additionally, countries that severely criminalize drug trafficking, such as those in the Arabian Peninsula and Oriental southeast, have a high proportion of women on death row.

Appropriateness of Imprisonment for Women

Many experts and activists argue that prison is inappropriate penalty for a substantial percentage of women who violate regulations. Many are jailed for peaceful violations; in England and Wales, for example, 72% of female prison admissions in 2020 belonged to this group. Women frequently experience a "repetitive cycle of brief incarceration periods – 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, suicide rates for women in prison are nine times higher than for the general population, as reported by the WHO.

In reaction to rising numbers of imprisoned females and a absence of guidelines addressing their requirements, the United Nations Female Inmate Guidelines (known as the Bangkok Rules) were accepted by the UN General Assembly in December 2010. These rules oblige states to develop non-custodial sanctions and to ensure gender-sensitive treatment in prisons.

Offspring of Incarcerated Women

An calculated 19,000 children reside in correctional facilities with a parent, most often their mother, while many times that number are separated from them. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a incarcerated mother.

In addition to the clear division and associated suffering that a prison sentence can cause, it is not uncommon for a woman to lose custody of her children after just a short time in prison.

Various states permit babies and young children to live in incarceration centers with their mothers up to a particular maturity level. Nonetheless, a childhood spent in prison can negatively affect a minor both bodily and psychologically.