Prison Rethinking: The Folly of Fixing One Problem by Shifting the Burden The British government's proposal to convert parts of the female prison estate into cells for men is a classic example of treating symptoms rather than addressing underlying issues.
On the surface, it appears to be an attempt to alleviate overcrowding in the male prison system, but scratch beneath and you'll find a policy that prioritizes short term gains over long term solutions.
Women currently account for less than 5% of the total prison population in Britain, with 12 dedicated jails.