The graph illustrates the trends in the prison populations of males and females in a European country between 1911 and 2001. Overall, the male prison population experienced significant growth, particularly after 1971, while the female population declined overall, despite some fluctuations.Throughout the period, the number of male prisoners was consistently much higher than that of females.
In 1911, there were approximately 19,000 male prisoners, compared to just 3,350 female prisoners. Over the following decades, the male prison population decreased steadily, reaching a low of around 10,000 in 1931. After that, it rose gradually, returning to its initial level of 19,000 by 1971. From this point onward, there was a dramatic increase, with the male prison population peaking at around 45,000 by 2001.
The trend for female prisoners was different. Their numbers fell sharply from 3,350 in 1911 to only 550 by 1941, marking the lowest point for female incarceration during the period. This was followed by a steady recovery, with the figure rising to 1,400 in 1961. In the subsequent decades, the female prison population fluctuated slightly but remained relatively stable, ending at about 1,000 in 2001, significantly lower than the starting point.
Overall, while the male prison population grew substantially over the century, the female prison population declined, with the most dramatic decrease occurring in the first half of the period.