Handbook for prison managers and policymakers on women and imprisonment
Acknowledgements The handbook was prepared for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) by Tomris Atabay, consultant on criminal justice issues, based in Turkey. UNODC wishes to acknowledge with appreciation the significant role played by the Quaker UN Office (Geneva) throughout the development of the handbook. UNODC also wishes to acknowledge the valuable contributions received from the following experts who kindly agreed to review the handbook and provide comments and feedback: UNODC also wishes to acknowledge the support provided by the Governments of Canada, Sweden, New Zealand and Norway toward the development of the handbook. v Contents Introduction 1 1. The special needs of female prisoners 7 1. Challenges in accessing justice 7 2. History of victimization and mental healthcare needs 8 3. Gender-specific healthcare needs 10 4. Safety in prisons 14 5. Accommodation and family contact 15 6. Pregnancy and women with children 17 7. Post-release reintegration 22 2. Management of women's prisons 25 1. Gender-sensitive prison management 25 2. Staff 28 3. Assessment and classification 30 4. Safety and security 33 5. Prisoner activities and programmes 42 6. Healthcare 48 7. Access to legal assistance 58 8. Contact with the outside world 60 9. Preparation for release and post-release support 63 10. Pregnant women and women with children in prison 66 11. Special categories 72 3. Reducing the female prison population by reforming legislation and practice: suggested measures 81 1. Legal assistance on arrest 83 2. Diversion from prosecution 84 3. Pre-trial detention 85 4. Sentencing 88 5. Discriminatory legislation and trial procedures 95 6. Foreign national women 99 Management of women's prisons: key recommendations 103 Reducing the female prison population: key recommendations 111 References 115 1 Introduction Whom the handbook is for The present handbook forms part of a series of tools developed by The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to support countries in implementing the rule of law and the development of criminal justice reform. It is designed to be used by all actors involved in the criminal justice system, including policymakers, legislators, prison managers, prison staff, members of non-governmental organizations and other individuals interested or active in the field of criminal justice and prison reform. It can be used in a variety of contexts, both as a reference document and as a training tool. The main focus of the handbook is female prisoners 1 and guidance on the components of a …
The Fourth World Conference on Women.
The Fourth World Conference on Women (FWCW), meeting in Beijing, China from 4 to 15 September 1995, will discuss and adopt a Platform for Action, as well as hear Plenary statements and commitments from governments regarding the women of the world. The draft Platform for Action (A/CONF.177/L.1), which will serve as the basis for negotiations, was originally prepared by the FWCW Secretariat, with input from five regional group meetings, four expert group meetings, consultations with UN agencies, and informal, open-ended consultations in December 1994. The UN member States began negotiations on the draft Platform from 15 March to 7 April 1995, at UN Headquarters in New York, during the 39th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Negotiations continued during informal consultations, which were held from 31 July to 4 August 1995 to reduce the number of outstanding issues to be discussed here in Beijing. Opening ceremonies will be held today, 4 September, after which delegates will begin to hear statements from States and agencies. Negotiations on the draft Platform for Action will resume on Tuesday, 5 September.
The Relational Model of Women's Psychological Development: Implications for Substance Abuse
Over the past two decades, new conceptualizations of women's psychological development have been evolving which emphasize the centrality of relationships in women's lives (Belenky et al., 1986; Gilligan, 1982; Jordan et al., 1991; Miller, 1976). This relational perspective has sought to describe development from women's perspective, using language and concepts derived from women's experience. Since women in this culture have been the "carriers" of certain aspects of the total human experience, specifically carrying responsibility for the care and maintenance of relationships, this model attempts to articulate the strengths as well as the problems arising for women from this relational orientation. Theorists and clinicians at the Stone Center at Wellesley College have been developing this theoretical perspective as a base for creating relational models of healing and empowerment for women.