Women's Imprisonment in Spain

Abstract

Even though Spain has one of the highest rates for the incarceration of women in Europe – 9% of the total prison population – women’s imprisonment is one of the most neglected subjects of academic study and research in Spanish universities. The purpose of this paper is to contribute cross-national evidence from Spain to support the claim of researchers in other countries that the needs of women in prison are different to those of men. It is divided into four main parts entitled: The increase of the female prison population in Spain since the 1980s; The differences in men’s and women’s prisons and male and female prisoners’ needs; Profiles of women in prison in Spain; and Myths and motherhood. Much of the argument is based on research conducted by the author into women’s imprisonment during two periods of time, 1995-1996 and 2000-2001