KEY ISSUES OF WOMEN PRISONERS:LESSONS LEARNED FROM THAIPRISONSNathee Chitsawang
Thailand Institute of JusticeCurrent Issues of Women Prisoners in Thailand
 Prison Overcrowding Shortage of Staff
 Characteristics of Thai Women Prisoners
 Treatment Programmes

2Prison Overcrowding
List of the Countries Having the Highest Percentage of Female Prisoners, 2011
Country

Percentage ofFemale Inmates (%)

1.

Maldives

21.6

2.

Hongkong - China

20.0

3.

Bahrain18.5

4.

Andorra16.4

5.

Macau - China

14.8

6.

Qatar

14.7

7.

Thailand

14.6

Source: Walmsley, R. (2011) World Female Imprisonment List (2nd Edition), International Centre for Prison Studies (ICPS)

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Prison Overcrowding
Number of Female Prison Population (including remandees), 2005 - 2012

Source: The Centre of Prisoner Statistics, Planning Division, Department of Corrections

4Prison Overcrowding
Increasing number of drug-related
offenders Only 8 women correctional
institutions & 21 women prisonerunits Lack of alternative-to-imprisonment
measures

5

Shortage of Female Prison Staff
Number of Female Officers at Thai Department of Corrections, 2002 - 2010

Source: Personnel Division, Department of Corrections

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Characteristics of Thai Female Prisoners
Percentage of Female Convicted Inmates Classified by Offence (as of May 31, 2012)-Offence against Property- Offence against Life
- Bodily Harm
- Sex Offence- Offence against social security- Others

13.41%
1.4%
0.6%
0.5%
0.05%
2.27%

Offence against theNarcotic Laws

81.77%

Source: The Centre of Prisoner Statistics, Planning Division, Department of Corrections

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Facilities

8

Alternative Measures to Prison

Lack of alternative measures to prison

Because…………….

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Characteristics of Thai Female Prisoners
Number of Female Inmates Convicted for Crimes against Narcotic Laws
Classified by Type of Drugs (as of May 31, 2012)
Type of Drugs

Number of Female Convicted Inmates

Heroine287

Cannabis

146

Opium

33

Methamphetamine

20,235Inhalant

6

Morphine

0Cocaine

188

Others294

Total

21,189Source: The Centre of Prisoner Statistics, Planning Division, Department of Corrections

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Characteristics of Thai Female Prisoners
Number of Female Inmates Convicted for Crimes against Narcotic Laws
Classified by Type of Drug Offence (as of May 31, 2012)
Type of Drug Offence

Number of Female Convicted Inmates

Category “Drug Use”:-Use415-

Possession

2,047

-

Both use and possession

2,208

Category “Selling”:-Selling

6,973-

Possession for selling

8,704

-

OthersTotalSource: The Centre of Prisoner Statistics, Planning Division, Department of Corrections

842
21,18911

Characteristics of Thai Female Prisoners
Number of Female Convicted Inmates Classified by Age (as of May 31, 2012)
Age

Number of Female Convicted
Inmates

Less than18 – 20 years

809

More than 20 – 30 years

10,094More than 30 – 40 years

8,857

More than 40 – 50 years

4,763

More than 50 -60 years

1,067

More than 60 years

Total
Source: The Centre of Prisoner Statistics, Planning Division, Department of Corrections

322

25,91212Characteristics of Thai Female Prisoners
Number of Female Convicted Inmates Classified by Sentence (as of May 31, 2012)
Sentence/Length of prison
sentence

Number of Female Convicted
Inmates

Less than 3 months – 2 years

6,570

More than 2 – 5 years

9,280

More than 5 – 10 years

4,178

More than 10 – 15 years

1,583

More than 15 – 20 years

1,085

More than 20 -50 years

3,015Life imprisonment
Death penaltyTotal
Source: The Centre of Prisoner Statistics, Planning Division, Department of Corrections

195
625,91213

Treatment Programmes
Education

 basic level, vocational education,degree level at Open University
Vocational Training Handicraft making, cooking,fashion design, Thai massage



Recreation and Mental Development

 Art, Sport, Music: Art for All project,prison choir, sport behind bars, female boxing

Changing and Improving Lives

 Kamlangjai Project and Sufficiency Economy Philosophy in prison

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Highlight of Treatment Programmes

15Highlight of Treatment Programmes

16Kamlangjai Project
under the Royal Initiative of
HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha

To give considerable assistance and provide development
opportunity to female prisoners while they are behind the prison
walls and also those prepared to be released from prisons Enhancing Lives of Female Inmates: ELFI UN Rules for the Treatment of Women
Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for
Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules)

17

Lessons Learned from
Kamlangjai Project18

1. Special Needs‘They have special needs and basic necessities different from men’s…’19

2. Non-violent Offenders‘ They are both victims and offenders at the same time…’20

3. In Need of Diversion‘Some of them should not have been strictly imprisoned in prisons...’21

4. Negative Attitudes‘All offenders must be severely punished…’“Kamlangjai Foundation Fund”“Bra Charity”

22

5. International Cooperation‘Many countries have the same difficulties of the treatment of women prisoners…’

enhancing the standards in the treatment ofwomen prisoners in all nations

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Implementation of the Bangkok Rules inThai Prisons24Strategies: Macro & Micro Levels
Macro Level Temporary release measure during the court proceedings by using theElectronic Monitoring (EM) devices
 Home detention by using EM
 The suspension of sentence by placing the offenders on probation andusing EM
 Parole & probation
Micro Level

 “Role Model” of prison: Ratchaburi Central Prison
 Role Model expansion to other prisons Training programme for prison staff
 Research and studies on the implementation of the Bangkok Rules

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Factors Facilitating the Implementation
Prison Overcrowding

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Factors Facilitating the Implementation
Actual Situation and Atmosphere in Prison“Rule 28
Visits involving children shall take place in an environment that is conducive to a positive
visiting experience, including with regard to staff attitudes, and shall allow open contact
between mother and child. Visits involving extended contact with children should be
encouraged, where possible.”

The custody-oriented ambience and strict regulation due to drugs and mobile
phone smuggling prevention strategies

27Factors Facilitating the Implementation

Number of Prison Officers and Support from Various
Sectors“Rule 13
Prison staff shall be made aware of times when women may feel particular
distress, so as to be sensitive to their situation and ensure that the women areprovided appropriate support.”

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Factors Facilitating the Implementation
Knowledge, understanding and the recognition of theimportance of the Bangkok Rules

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Factors Facilitating the Implementation
Motivation in Prison Officers

30Thank You

31