Court. Few women were remanded in custody, but over 60 per cent of women remanded in custody - a much higher rate than for men - received a non-custodial sentence, and the reason why they had previously spent time remanded in custody was being investigated. 1988 Home Office guidelines had urged the granting of bail to women defendants. 26. The courts seemed to be sentencing far fewer female (3.7 per cent) than male (8.4 per cent) offenders to community service, perhaps because of the traditional view of community service as unsuitable for women. Consequently, the National Standards for Community Service Orders, in effect from 1 April 1989, provided guidance for the probation service and the courts, specifically stating that an attempt should be made to find suitable community-service work for female offenders, including those who were pregnant, and offenders with young children or other domestic responsibilities. If as a consequence the offender incurred special expenses, it might be possible to defray them. It was too soon to say whether the Standards had had the desired effect. 27. Some aspects of women's imprisonment gave rise to concern. For instance, proportionately more women than men were punished for disciplinary offences inside prison, and the issue was being discussed with individual prison governors. In addition, research was being done on the particular problems of mothers in prison and the physical and psychological development of babies in prison, one conclusion being that residence in a mother-and-baby unit did not significantly impair the development of babies. Areas where better child-care practice could be developed had been identified, however, and child-care experts in the Department of Health would monitor progress. 28. There was no evidence of discrimination against foreign women in prisons, although language and customs posed new challenges for prison staff. Many were in prison for drug-importation offences, however, for which the law mandated longer 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the treatment of women in the criminal justice system, specifically in regards to their imprisonment, sentencing, and childcare needs. It highlights the challenges faced by women in prison, such as language barriers, childcare responsibilities, and the need for specialized services. The text also mentions the efforts being made to improve the treatment of women in prison, including the development of new guidelines and research into the effects of imprisonment on children.

**Category**
Health, Employment