Worrying trend closing 'the wrong gap'

Women are ending up in prison at increasingly higher rates compared to men, resulting in huge costs to society and the economy.

If prison populations and costs continue to increase at the same rate, Australia will be spending at least $1.6 billion extra each year on its prison system by 2030, pushing the annual bill to taxpayers above $7 billion.

Although fewer women are incarcerated than men, the female prison population has grown by more than 60 per cent in the past decade, compared to a 45 per cent increase in the male population.

This comes despite rates of serious criminal offences falling in the same period, with the increase largely due to growth in sentences for minor, often drug-related crimes.

Melinda Cilento from the Committee for Economic Development of Australia said these women overwhelmingly posed little to no risk to the community.

"This underlines that over-policing of minor offences and tougher bail and sentencing laws are having a disproportionate effect on women," she said while releasing a new CEDA report.

Tellingly, incarceration rates have grown most among vulnerable populations, including Indigenous Australians and women with a history of abuse, revealing the prison system disproportionately harms society's most disadvantaged.

"Many women in prison are themselves victims of violence, facing significant physical and mental health challenges," Ms Cilento said.

"This also affects their children and families, contributing to an intergenerational cycle of disadvantage."

The report makes five recommendations, the first being to reduce female incarceration. 

It posits that this can be accomplished by raising bail release rates, providing better support to women released on bail and replacing short sentences for minor offences with community service.

The other recommendations are setting targets to lower imprisonment rates; redirecting funds from prisons to preventative measures such as community support programs; improving housing, work and health opportunities to help prisoners re-engage with society; and greater collection and sharing of data.

Nicole Dwyer, chief executive of not-for-profit Workskil Australia and a contributor to the report, said forming strong, trusted relationships with prisoners is key so they continue to feel supported when released back into the community.

Authorities should also ensure former prisoners have quality services available to them to smooth their reintegration into society, she said.

"A strong focus on housing, employment, health, welfare and education with tailored, flexible and culturally responsive servicing is proven to reduce re-offending."

The report concludes "there is little risk to the community from reducing rates of female incarceration and significant benefit from doing so".