Conference paper

Small in number, high in need - issues in managing justly with female offenders

Catriona McComish
Assistant Commissioner for Probation and Parole, Department of Corrective Services, New South Wales

Presented at:
Probation and community corrections : making the community safer
Novotel Langley, Perth
23-24 September 2002

• No paper available

Abstract

A recent health survey of NSW inmates provided a clear picture of the complex and acute needs of women in prison. This profile confirms what has been described in jurisdictions around the world - although always a tiny minority in the correctional system women in prison have severe deficits and complex problems including their social responsibilities. Both the profile and the size of the female offender population create major problems for a system set up to contain, manage and respond to male violence. This paper will give examples of how these issues manifest in the NSW correctional system and of current and proposed strategies to address the issues.