Member

In particular, inequality of outcomes may arise in a stark way for pregnant women and mothers—in their case, not because of the likelihood of longer sentences but because there is substantial evidence that pregnant women and mothers of young children suffer disproportionately when prison sentences are imposed. Amendments 14 and 16 in the names of my noble friend Lord Beith and the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Gloucester raise these issues. The evidence extends not just to the women concerned, whose suffering as a result of a prison sentence is compounded by the mental anguish of separation; it extends also to the innocent children concerned, who suffer as a result of the imprisonment of their mothers. These are clear cases of inequality of outcome arising from the fact of imprisonment and its effect, rather than from race or deliberate discrimination.