While women still only make up a small percentage of the overall prison population, their rate of imprisonment is rocketing.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (2016) showed a 42% increase of imprisonment rates over the last ten years for women, compared to a 24% increase for men.

For indigenous women it's even worse. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women make up around 34% of women incarcerated despite comprising only 2% of the adult female population.

Why is this happening and what are the unintended consequences for the women and their families, especially their children?