WUNRN
Direct Link to Resolution:
European
Parliament Adopts Resolution on Situation of Women in Prison and the Impact of
the Imprisonment of Parents on Social and Family Life
20/03/2008
The
European Parliament has adopted (13 March 2008) a resolution on the particular
situation of women in prison and the impact of the imprisonment of parents on
social and family life.
In
this resolution the Parliament recalls the "specific nature" of
women's prisons and insists that security and reintegration arrangements aimed
at women should be put in place.
The EP
also recalls further that for women who have been abused, exploited and
excluded resettlement arrangements in a supportive environment responsive to
their individual needs is important.
The EP also asks Member States, amongst others:
- to
incorporate gender equality into their prison policies and detention centres
and to take greater account of women's specific circumstances;
- to
guarantee women equal, non-discriminatory access to health care of all kinds;
- to
adopt a comprehensive prison health policy that allows the identification and
treatment of physical and mental disorders occurring following imprisonment and
to provide medical and psychological assistance to all prisoners, male and
female, suffering from addictions, with respect, however, for the specific
circumstances of women;
- to
take all measures necessary to provide psychological support to all women
prisoners and, in particular, those that have been the victims of violence or
mistreatment, mothers raising children alone and juvenile offenders;
- to
favour to a greater extent alternative penalties to imprisonment, such as
community-based sentences, particularly for mothers, where their imprisonment
could result in serious disruptions to family life;
- to
exchange information and best practice in relation to prison conditions, in
particular those for women, and in relation to the effectiveness of vocational
training and social reintegration measures;
- to
respect fully the development of sexual orientation and the different forms of
family life, provided they are in conformity with the law;
- to
end the detention of girls and boys aged 18 and under in adult prisons;
- to
ensure that children's rights are respected in the consideration of matters
relating to the imprisonment of mothers.
The EP
also asks the Commission to pay particular attention to the prison population
in its action programme to combat social exclusion.
Finally,
the EP asks the Commission, together with the Member States, to promote the
carrying-out of prison-related research from a gender point of view and to
fund studies on the causes of crime, the context in which offending behaviour
occurs and the effectiveness of penal systems, with a view to improving the
participation of prisoners, male and female, in social, family and working
life.
================================================================
To leave the list, send your request by email to: wunrn_listserve-request@lists.wunrn.com.
Thank you.