Record levels of self-harm show women's prisons are in crisis

Responding to latest figures which show that self-harm by female prisoners reached a record high in 2020, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Wera Hobhouse MP said: "Our prisons are in crisis. The amount of self-harm, especially in women's prisons, is shockingly high and rising.   "Far too many women are sent to prison on short sentences for non-violent offences. In many cases these women have been victims of abuse and have suffered trauma which has led them into a life of disadvantage and low level crime, but many also have caring responsibilities.   "Being in prison will set off the next round of trauma and disadvantage for those that depend on them. We have to break this destructive circle.   "Women should only be sent to prison where absolutely necessary: for the most serious crimes, or where they pose a threat to the public. Effective community-based sentences would be far better to stop re-offending, and far less damaging for the people involved."