Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

April 15, 2019

Zimbabwe: call to commit all women inmates to open prison

News

Africa Women Facilities Zimbabwe

THE Zimbabwe Prison Correctional Services (ZPCS) has called on government to commit all women inmates to the open prison system. ZPCS’s assistant commissioner, Christmas Tarwira said this development will greatly assist mothers incarcerated and living with their minors. “We want the government to b…

March 19, 2019

France: en prison, des femmes fabriquent des cups avec des bouteilles en plastique

News

Women Europe France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

March 5, 2019

France: le grand débat dans une prison de femmes à Versailles

News

Women Europe France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

February 12, 2019

USA: women in prison in Florida get some needed attention

News

Women United States

Florida legislators, no matter their party — and no matter their gender — have shown a heartening amount of empathy for incarcerated women on an issue that affects them, uniquely. On Monday, the state Senate Criminal Justice Committee unanimously approve the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act. The…

January 25, 2019

United States: transgender inmate moved to women’s prison

News

Women LGBTQI United States

For the first time in the state, a transgender inmate has been moved from an all-male prison to the state women’s prison, MCI-Framingham (above) to be housed according to her gender identity.

December 26, 2018

Italy: un projet pilote pour prévenir la radicalisation des femmes en prison

News

Women Europe Religion Italy

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

November 28, 2018

Saudi Arabia : "Pourquoi maintenir ces femmes en prison?"

News

Women Middle East Saudi Arabia

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version

November 28, 2018

United States. : American prisons are hell. For women, they’re even worse [video]

News

Women United States

The U.S. incarcerates more people than any other country–over two million. Roughly 200,000 of them are female. But existing American prisons are often ill-equipped to handle the specific needs of women and girls. Amna Nawaz talks to Andrea James, a lawyer and former federal inmate who founded the N…

November 21, 2018

USA: should women work in men’s prisons? These women say yes

News

Women United States

Since the 1970s, when women began gaining greater access to jobs within the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the number of women employed by the agency has risen to more than 10,000 — a third of its total work force — in its 122 prisons.

November 19, 2018

USA: women who work in federal prisons — How we got their story

News

Women United States

Ever since journalists exposed Harvey Weinstein for his predatory behavior toward women, we’ve learned that workplace sexual harassment and even assault seem to plague every major industry, from manufacturing to the media. Perhaps it’s not surprising, then, that women who work in the male-dominated…

November 17, 2018

USA: hazing, humiliation, terror — working while female in federal prison

News

Women United States

Inmates expose themselves and threaten rape. Male guards let them do it. Women who complain are ‘pretty much blackballed.’

October 31, 2018

United kingdom: prison sentences for women of less than a year should be abolished, say mps and peers

News

Women Europe United Kingdom

“It would save lives and reduce crime.”

October 20, 2018

France: pourquoi les femmes incarcérées sont les grandes oubliées

News

Women Europe France

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

October 9, 2018

USA: more women are behind bars now. One prison wants to change that.

News

Women United States

Despite their names, state “departments of correction” in the United States aren’t known for correcting much. More than seven of every 10 prisoners, according to some studies, are arrested again less than four years after they are released.

September 28, 2018

UK: Why doesn't prison work for women?

News

Women Europe United Kingdom

Women make up just under 5% of the prison population in England and Wales, yet they are more likely than men to reoffend. Why doesn’t prison work for women and what is being done to improve outcomes for them? “The last day, I was given a bin bag of my stuff. The door closed behind me, and it was ov…

September 18, 2018

USA: federal prisons fail to provide adequate services for female inmates

News

Women United States

The study by the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General reveals a system that fails to meet certain basic needs of prisoners in ways large and small.

September 9, 2018

United Kingdom: sexual assaults in women's prison reignite debate over transgender inmates

News

Women LGBTQI United Kingdom

A leading prison reformer has said prisoners who have committed violent offences against women should not be able to transfer to women’s prisons if they have not legally changed their gender, after it emerged that a transgender inmate had sexually assaulted fellow prisoners after transferring to a…

September 6, 2018

Australia: female prisoner dies in Brisbane prison

News

Women Oceania Australia

A 51-year-old female prisoner died at Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre in the early hours of Thursday morning.

August 22, 2018

USA: inside a radical experiment to transform the lives of incarcerated women

News

Women United States

A new prison unit aims to reduce recidivism in Connecticut. But can it become the standard nationwide?

July 31, 2018

France: intimacy inside four walls

Testimonial

Women Europe Social ties France

Celine’s partner is serving a sentence of ten years. After months of visits in the regular visitation rooms, permission for a nine-hour stay is granted. Céline tells the story.

July 29, 2018

USA: in battle for freedom, women inmates fight blazes

News

Women United States

About 4,000 inmates each week fight wildfires alongside civilian firefighters. That number includes approximately 250 women.

June 27, 2018

UK: government scraps proposed women's 'community prisons' in new strategy to reduce female offending

News

Women Facilities United Kingdom

Campaigners warn funding offered for community focussed plans is “wholly inadequate”.

June 27, 2018

UK: in prison I saw the futility of locking up women for minor crimes

News

Women United Kingdom

I spent nine weeks behind bars. I’m glad the government is scrapping plans to build new female prisons

June 20, 2018

France: insalubrité et sur-occupation à la maison d'arrêt des femmes de Mulhouse

News

Women Europe France

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.