Keltria
02-09-2005, 02:25 PM
If i may just add that this does not just apply to women but also to men. Many cant afford their bail or fines.
Women jailed through poverty
09/02/2005 22:38 - (SA)
Elsabé Brits
Cape Town - More than 200 women are in South African prisons not because they are a danger to society, but because of poverty.
These 208 women were given the choice of a prison sentence or a fine, but they could not afford the latter. The courts found they were no danger to society.
Of 986 awaiting-trial women, 330 of them cannot pay their bail. For some, it's as little as R200, but they, too, are locked up.
These findings come from a comprehensive report recently compiled by the judicial inspectorate of prisons, headed by Judge Johannes Fagan.
A total of 4 152 women are in prison, of whom 3 166 have been convicted.
They are being held in eight women's prisons and 72 others.
At the other prisons, they are held separately from the men.
Women constitute 2.3% of the country's prison population, a low percentage compared to other countries around the world.
Women prisoners are concerned the most about lack of contact with their families.
Of the total in jail, 63% are held more than 100km away from their families.
Although they complain also about conditions in prison and their lack of access to legal representation, these matters weigh less than their loss of "contact with their loved ones".
More than half have no contact with their children any more.
According to the inspectorate, it's one of the biggest sources of frustration for the women prisoners.
The occupancy levels in the prisons differ, with Queenstown being just 71% full and Thohoyandou 395% full.
The majority of women who have been convicted committed crimes such as assault, homicide and murder, followed by various types of theft, as well as fraud and robbery.
Women are supplied with soap, toothpaste and -brushes and sanitary pads, but they have to buy shampoo and deodorant from the prison, or family members must provide.
Convicted women have access to the library, but awaiting-trial prisoners don't.
In most cases, a doctor visits the prison once a week, and a dentist once a month. Psychiatric services are limited.
Women jailed through poverty
09/02/2005 22:38 - (SA)
Elsabé Brits
Cape Town - More than 200 women are in South African prisons not because they are a danger to society, but because of poverty.
These 208 women were given the choice of a prison sentence or a fine, but they could not afford the latter. The courts found they were no danger to society.
Of 986 awaiting-trial women, 330 of them cannot pay their bail. For some, it's as little as R200, but they, too, are locked up.
These findings come from a comprehensive report recently compiled by the judicial inspectorate of prisons, headed by Judge Johannes Fagan.
A total of 4 152 women are in prison, of whom 3 166 have been convicted.
They are being held in eight women's prisons and 72 others.
At the other prisons, they are held separately from the men.
Women constitute 2.3% of the country's prison population, a low percentage compared to other countries around the world.
Women prisoners are concerned the most about lack of contact with their families.
Of the total in jail, 63% are held more than 100km away from their families.
Although they complain also about conditions in prison and their lack of access to legal representation, these matters weigh less than their loss of "contact with their loved ones".
More than half have no contact with their children any more.
According to the inspectorate, it's one of the biggest sources of frustration for the women prisoners.
The occupancy levels in the prisons differ, with Queenstown being just 71% full and Thohoyandou 395% full.
The majority of women who have been convicted committed crimes such as assault, homicide and murder, followed by various types of theft, as well as fraud and robbery.
Women are supplied with soap, toothpaste and -brushes and sanitary pads, but they have to buy shampoo and deodorant from the prison, or family members must provide.
Convicted women have access to the library, but awaiting-trial prisoners don't.
In most cases, a doctor visits the prison once a week, and a dentist once a month. Psychiatric services are limited.