
A Tragedy of Lives
Women in Prison in Zimbabwe
Weaver Press
Published on 5. September 2000
Book
Paperback/Softback
340 pages
978-1-77922-017-2 (ISBN)
Description
A collection of first-hand stories, based on interviews with former female prisoners, conducted by Zimbabwe Women's Writers. Each story is highly personal and particular. As a body, they document that women who find themselves in prison are often driven by circumstances into a situation where the emotional or material poverty of their lives makes breaking the law the only option. They illustrate how once in prison, women are subjected to punitive or demeaning action; and not infrequently, are regarded as pariahs by their families and friends, and society at large. The stories further shed light on the impact of imprisonment on the children of prisoners, who by virtue of the absence of their mothers, suffer deprivation, which limits their opportunities for a fulfilling life. The writers pose the challenges: how much responsibility should be borne by the culprits themselves; and how much are their failures an indictment against the whole society, outlining what might be done to prevent the so-called crime and create a more compassionate environment. The stories are supplemented with scholarly essays written by specialists in law, gender and prison reform, who raise some important general issues regarding women, criminal law and punishment regimes.
More details
Language
English
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 20 mm
Weight
480 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-77922-017-2 (9781779220172)
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Schweitzer Classification