On gender discrimination in prison: the perspectives of inmates, workers and members of associations in the prisons of the Basque Country

Abstract

The purpose of the current article is to analyze the types of gender discrimination or inequalities women inmates are suffering nowadays, in the prisons of the Basque Country. Special attention will be paid to the possible effects of recent changes in the prison system;e.g. the creation of macro prisons or Respect Cell-blocks. The analysis is based on the contents of several in-depth interviews, which were conducted for the completion of a doctoral thesis entitled Prison as a gender institution: experiences, resistances and strategies of women prisoners. The discussion will be particularly focus on the following topics: 1) centers, infras- tructures and internal organization; 2) activities, courses and jobs; 3) control and attacks; 4) health situation, medical attention and care; and, finally, 5) relations with people outside the prison. We aim to bring to light the sexist, androcentric and discriminatory character of prisons through an analysis of gender inequalities (re)created in such places.