We need MORE women in prison not less.

All those women false making malicious false rape accusations should receive the same sentances as the accused would have faced
These aren't violent offences, but such serial accusers are far more dangerous than the vast majoirty of the prison population.

John Kimble, Southampotn,

"Women fare particularly badly in prison. They self harm, they have mental health and drug problems. When they come out, they often find that they have lost their living accommodation. These are people in need of help. "

All true for men as well.

Gareth Jones, Cardiff, wales

If a woman doesn't want to do the time, she shouldn't do the crime. Simple. I would suggest a female criminal commits the crime in the knowledge she may have to leave her family and go to prison. Occupational hazard i'm afraid and 'pleading the belly' when you're caught is too late.

Anthony, Brum,

The prison population of the UK is 87,000. Out of those 4,500 are women . Over a third are in for theft and handling and many have no previous. The real story here is the number of violent criminal men our society seems to be producing. J Nowlands men ARE more criminal. Denial is not a river in...

Calvin, Stockwell, UK

"Children need their mother not their father most kids have 5 or 6 step-father`s during their upbringing but only one mother.. close those womens prisons"

Most kids don't have 5 or 6 step-fathers! Most have one REAL father. Children need both parents. Unless one of them puts the kid at risk.

Ian, Bedford, England

I agree that women who maliciously destroy their childrens relationship with their fathers after divorce should be jailed.
They are choosing to put their own children through the grief of losing a parent. Women don't turn into saints when they give birth.

Julie, Edinburgh,

What utter claptrap from a 1960's trendy where it's someone else's fault ! It's usually the woman who has the most influence over the majority of households - and who is usually the most dangerous when it comes to criminal manipulation - which the kids watch and learn and then put into practice.

Karen, Doncaster, England

What's this, another "Women can do no wrong, and if they do, it's the men's fault" article? Keep up the good work!

Howard, Manchester,

There are only 4,5k women out of a prison population of 80k. That suggests that either men are far more likely to commit crimes, or that women are far less likely to be jailed for the crimes they commit. If it's the latter, then if equal opportunities is to be taken seriously, that's unacceptable.

Leo, York, UK

It is naive, and stupid to believe 'The family is central to their world view'. A lot of women do not care one bit about their kids.

Arthur, Newcastle,

"Pop this in the back of the cupboard....". What a load of rubbish. The most prolific shoplifters are women. Women don't aspire to equal treatment in prison, because they get it far easier than men in prison. If men are seperated from their families, why shouldn't women be seperated.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

It is always interested to see how women pull the weakest sex card at their convenience; equility that is not applied evenly is not equality, if a woman has commited a crime should be just as accountable and suffer the same consequences that a man, the system is judging adults not sexes.

Tony Crave, Reading, Berkshire

Wow, this really is the cherry on the cake...
People are not jailed for trivial offences atall, male or female, just breaking rules that have been put in place after the crime e.g community service. Surley the children are better off without mothers who are moving down this walk of life...

Jason, Newcastle Upon Tyne,

Actually Joan, having the kids stay with a good foster family whilst Mum is in jail might be just what they need. You have to really keep at it to get into prison these days. Children with malign Mothers need to have break from their influence.

Janet, London,

Children need their mother not their father most kids have 5 or 6 step-father`s during their upbringing but only one mother.. close those womens prisons

Barry, Carlisle, Cumbria

How about jailing mothers that fail to comply with court orders granting access to their children's fathers?

Paul, London, UK

...And men have no children and their kids are not scarred by lack of their fathers?
Motherhood is not a right, but yes, kids are entitled to their parents.

Camilla, Edinburgh,

I emeber hearing something about everyone being equal in the eyes of the law, does this not encompass the sentancing part of the law?

ET, London,

Helen and others - people are jailed for minor offences when they have failed to do community service, not respondent to probation orders, refused to pay fines and continued offending.
What else pray can we do with them?
Try owning a corner shop and telling me shoplifting is a trivial crime.

Richard Garland, Greater Manchester,

Objecting to women in crim justice system being treated differently misses the point.
Surely those who have suffered abuse, have self harm/mental health issues, are the sole carers for their children, shoud be treated diff
These issues are far more likely to apply to female prisoners than male.

Michael, London,

I am sick of the "Mummy Mafia" trumpeting the idea that having kids (their CHOICE) gives them preferential treatment over the rest of society. Society pays for the kids (benefit), wages that aren't earned (maternity) and now they are to be exempt from prison when they commit a crime? Enough!

Emma, Southampton, UK

Actually people (male AND female) are jailed for trivial offences. My view is that only those guilty of violent crime should be locked up - mainly to keep them away from doing further harm to others. For all other crimes we should be able to come up with more creative punishments.

Helen, Fleet, UK

the people who should be visiting the baby unit to see what it is like to be separated from your child are those women who are setting out on the path of criminality. the way to avoid such heartbreak is simple.

jem, london, uk

i feel we should all propose that any women who is a convicted criminal should be knighted and given a state/monarchy title. See the benefit to the child, when his/her mom has such a title, it will do wonders to the child's development.

long live discrimination..oops, sorry, gender affirmation...

SG (London), London, UK

This article states that women wish to choose where they are equal and where they are not. Several (women) commentators clearly agree with this.

It is interesting that the wider world doesn't notice. Proof that you can, in fact, fool all of the people all of the time?

RobW, Reading, UK

Try visiting to see women in the baby unit, knowing their baby will be taken away from them - to see the despair of the tormented, the drained apathy of the rest. Prisoner Cell Block H might be grim, Bad Girls might be a bit of fun, but the reality is utterly depressing and utterly unnecessary

Neil, London,

J Nowland - lots of small crimes that equal a daring one? How many stolen CDs, lipsticks and boxes of nappies equal an armed robbery? Is a spot of GBH equal to or less than welfare fraud? Male offenders are still more violent than females (even the stupid ones) and, yes, men commit more crimes.

Angela, Epping, Australia

Imprisonment is a BUSINESS - it provides the Police State with the opportunity to create MORE JOBS. It has NOTHING to do with JUSTICE.

Peter Rice, Brighton, UK

I still have a problem in giving woman preferential treatment because they are women. Especially with Labour proposing to discriminate against white males.

Its tree hugging time again.

Richard, London,

So now we know,women criminals are the fault of the`right wing press`,nothing to do with women comiting crimes themselves then.Please Joan spare us the usual 1960`s,its all societies fault, trendie claptrap.Of 100% of crimes,3%,yes 3%,get to court.1.8% of all crimes are punished by imprisonment.

Norman, Notts,

'replacing them with a network of 150 custodial family units in city centres'.
So we need to send thechildren to prison as well. That should be a wonderful environment to learn values and life skills...

Dan, Slough, UK

Women as violent and committing as many crimes as men? Presumably proven by the fact that there are many more men doing time. Next you'll tell me that women are just better at covering their tracks.

Anyway it's hardly a competition, and not what the article is about, see para 8 "A passionate ..."

Ursula, Bournemouth,

If women who are jailed are so attached to their children, and so caring, why do they commit crime that will land them in jail?

John Smith, London,

Take your blinkers off Joan,you are beginning to sound like Germaine Greer.

Kenneth O'Boyle, Perth, UK

Women often hide behind their children to escape punishments that they themselves advocate wholeheartedly for men. It should be remembered that if a women is the type to attract a prison sentence then their children are pleased to be rid of them and the first to benefit from their absence.

calamico, Bournemouth, UK

In reply to Math Campbell-Sturgess. Women do commit as much crime as men. Shoplifting is just one of many examples.
They are clever enough to do lots of small crimes that eventually make the same profit as more daring crimes. A crime carries a punishment. There can be no exceptions based on sex.

J Nowland, Leeds, United Kingdom

To J Nowland, Leeds:
Actually, to say that women do not commit crime to the same amount as men is not deeply sexist at all. Simply put, women commit far less crimes than men. Well known fact, proven and known about for thousands of years. Why is anyone's guess. But sexist it's not. Deal with it.

Math Campbell-Sturgess, Greenock, Scotland

The point about effect on children is valid. Using sex as basis for decisions is not. I am a single father raising my daughter. Her mother emigrated. If either of us committed a crime then I should be jailed just because I am the father, my ex-wife should not just because she is the mother. Rubbish.

Slawomir Kilanowski, Abingdon, UK

Look outside for our future society - more children without parental guidance will become the kind of delinquents we see on the streets today: criminals & other undesirables.
Ah, the wonders of socialism & the nanny state.

Gishere joan, phoenix, United States

Again women want equality on their own terms. What is disgraceful is that only 4500 women are in prison compared to over 80,000 men. Are you trying to tell me that women do not commit crime in the same amounts as men ?, to say so is deeply sexist. All pigs are equal but some pigs are more equal etc.

J Nowland, Leeds, United Kingdom

Here we go again. Special pleading for women.

So it's equality when it's convenient, and privilege when it ain't.

Chris, Wokingham, England

There's an old saying - indeed, a cliche - "If you can't do the time don't do the crime" - and it applies equally to criminals of both sexes

Anthony Price, Truro, Cornwall, UK

Actually, people are jailed for trivial offences, especially if they are repeat offenders or so inadequate/mentally ill etc. that they need care and there is no room in a proper insttiution. A lot depends on the judge. I

Men also fare badly in prison. Their families also suffer.

Geoffrey Baxter-Wright, Birmingham,

Thank you so much for dismissing the sentiments and emotions men also feel for their children. Not all women feel a bond with their children, just as not all men wash their hands of them.

If you are going to make a point, please do it from a position of reason.

David Williams, Eastnor, England

Women are adults. And responsible for themselves as are men. People should not steal. If they do they should pay the price.

Anyway, women are just as violent as men.

Jo , london, uk

I agree with M Knott. I work in a court. Nobody's jailed for a trivial offence. If a woman is jailed for a non-violent, non-sexual offence, it's because she's had all the other options (conditional discharge, fine, probation, community service), & is still offending, even during a community order.

Sam R, Worcester, UK

The headline to this article is 'jailing women for trivial offences is wrong.'

Women are not jailed for trivial offences. In fact no-one is jailed for trivial offences. Nor do you give a single example of a woman jailed for a trivial offence.

Malcolm Knott, Woodbridge , England