Number of women jailed in Wales rises for fourth consecutive year

THE number of Welsh female prisoners has increased for a fourth consecutive year.

- RUTH MOSALSKI

Analysis of figures for 2024 show that despite promises to cut the numbers of women in prison, the number of women handed immediate custodial sentences in Wales reached its highest level in 2024 since the outbreak of Covid-19.

Women handed sentences of one month or less at courts in Wales also rose by a further 51% last year. Research by Cardiff University's Wales Governance Centre shows the number of women in Wales remanded at the magistrates' court increased by 25% in 2024.

In total, 555 women were remanded into custody at either the magistrates' court (350) or Crown Court (205) in Wales last year

Other findings show:

There were 2,227 people released from Welsh prisons under the Ministry of Justice's SDS40 early release scheme between September 2024 and March 2025;

the number of those released from Welsh prisons without a fixed address to return to increased by 34% in 2024;

a total of 560 prison leavers managed by Welsh probation services were rough sleeping on the day of their release in 2024/25;