Imprisoned Women and Health

This book is based on the research study conducted on Women Prisoners of Aligarh, Bulandshahar and Meerut District Jails of Western Uttar Pradesh. It presents a deep insight of life of women residing in prisons. It explores the causative factors behind deteriorating health conditions of women prisoners which determine to a large extent by their socio-economic background. The study reveals that majority of women prisoners were illiterate, married, housewives, economically dependent, belonging to rural background, lower income group, and having large family size. Majority of them belonged to lower caste (schedule caste & backward caste) and were largely alleged or convicted for dowry death & murder followed by theft, abduction, cheating, drug trafficking etc. As rehabilitation of inmates is one of the most important goals of incarceration and the correctional system, so it may well be the female inmate’s last best chance. The duration of incarceration, no matter how long or short, provides a window of opportunity to improve the health care of the women. Rehabilitation and reformation of the prisoners should occur at multi-dimensional levels, from physiological, psychological, spiritual, vocational and social perspectives. The study looks at the prisons as these can provide a corrective and rehabilitative roles only if the concerns are adequately addressed.