The crime rate among women is growing and one of the reason is unemployment – 53% did not have their job when committing crime. In Moscow the number of violent crimes has increased by three times, robberies- by twice, by four times – number of assaults and batteries.

Crimes committed by women are almost the same as those committed by men: stealing, defrauding, drugs, murder. Most of crimes are against property – 53,2%. During the last several years the relative growth was in respect to the thefts of the state property, robbery and assaults. The number of those sentenced for premeditated murder have increased by 2,5 times.

There is a new category of prisoners whose crimes have not been caused by the economic necessity: they came from quite wealthy families, young. Crimes are thefts, drugs.

In 1996 15 % of imprisoned women were sentenced for the second time, 28% — for the third time and more, 7% were ranked as «especially dangerous recidivists».

Among remand female prisoners there are many women from the CIS countries who had to come to Russia because of the harsh economic situation.

Copyright © 1998 Moscow Center for Prison Reform. All rights reserved.
Design and support © 1998 Moscow Center for Prison Reform. All rights reserved.