Proposal aimed at serving women released from the prison system becomes law

Regularization

Project is authored by state deputy Roberto Cidade, with the aim of improving visiting conditions in prison units

Manaus (AM) – Law No. 6,606/2023, proposed by state deputy Roberto Cidade (UB), president of the Legislative Assembly of Amazonas (Aleam), is already in force, which establishes the State Policy for Assistance to Women in Situations of Deprivation of Liberty and Those Egress from Prison System. The initiative provides that the state government, through the State Secretariat for Penitentiary Administration (Seap), can establish a flow of specific services and procedures for women, in order to guarantee the regularization of assistance within prison units.

The legislation is aligned with the National Policy for Attention to Women in Situations of Freedom and Those Leaving the Prison System (PNAMPE). “It is important that we can contribute, at the local level, to the national policy that establishes new ways of dealing with this problem. We need to improve resocialization strategies and also help the children of these inmates, so that they have a better future and we, a more dignified society. The trial has already been made by the courts, with the penalties established, but if we want to have a different future for these women we must present opportunities”, defended the parliamentarian.

The law proposes the agreement of actions with the networks of the Unified Health System (SUS) and the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS), to assist incarcerated women and their families with their health and social assistance needs and the creation of partnerships with public and private higher education institutions, encouraging the implementation of educational, sporting and cultural projects with women.

It also provides for agreeing actions with the Judiciary in order to encourage, whenever possible, the application of precautionary measures other than imprisonment, the reduction of custodial sentences and the option for house arrest, within the limits established by the Code of Criminal Procedure; regularizing legal assistance for inmates, in order to ensure criminal regime progressions, pardons and commutations and improving visiting conditions in prison units and promoting the strengthening of family ties are also among the proposed actions.

The new law proposes to improve visiting conditions in prison units, in order to guarantee safety for family members, especially minors, and promote the strengthening of family ties; promote attention to the children of incarcerated women who are inside or outside the walls, with guaranteed access to education, social assistance and health and create an annual calendar of actions aimed at training employees who work in prison units who guard women;

In addition to improving and humanizing the female prison system, especially with regard to prison architecture and the execution of prison activities and routines; alternatives for professional training, inclusion in employability programs and development of solidarity economy projects may be offered, respecting the specificities and interests of each woman and their respective obligations with the Justice System.

The Law also creates the Mobilization Program for Assistance to Women Pre-egress and Ex-egress from the Prison System (PROMAE), with the objective of reintegrating the ex-prisoner into society, providing her with conditions so that she can work, produce and recover her human dignity.

“There are many social challenges for these women leaving the prison system and this was a way we found to try to help them envision a better future. It is not enough to release them, it is necessary to resocialize them. Those that have this objective will be able to count on the protection of our law. This is important for them, but it is even more so for their families,” she said.

Number of women incarcerated in Brazil

With around 40 thousand women incarcerated, in recent years the country has seen exponential growth in these numbers, quadrupling this population in just 20 years. Around 45% of these women are in pre-trial detention, according to a survey carried out by the National Penitentiary Department (Depen).

Brazil is the country with the third largest female prisoner population in the world, according to a survey recently released by the World Female Imprisonment List.

*With information from consultancy.

Read more:

Aleam project delivers a thousand basic food baskets to social institutions in Manaus

Representative Alessandra Campelo presents a report on Aleam’s Women’s Attorney’s Office

Roberto Cidade’s proposal that encourages family farming is sanctioned by Aleam