CHALLENGES FACING WOMEN IN PRISON: A CASE OF NAROK PRISON

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines the challenges faced by the women prisoners. The study was undertaken at Narok prison in Narok County. Women are among the minority group in the society that has been neglected and the challenges that they face in the society they are overlooked. The study adopted descriptive research design. Simple random sampling technique was used to draw a sample population of 30 convicted inmates from a study population of 40.Data was collected using structured questionnaire, which was administered by the researcher .In addition, qualitative data was collected through an in depth interview with five prison staffs who gave an insight of the challenges that women are facing in Narok Prison. The study findings indicate that women inmates undergo stress adapting to the new environment of prison life away from their family and the people they love. The detachment from the world and separation from the family is a major source of stress, loneliness, homesick and boredom were found to be weighing them down. The findings also indicated that HIV is a major health problem that women face in prison and overcrowding was a major social problem that women had to deal with while serving their sentences. These challenges the women development aspect since their mental health is affected and they suffer the trauma of serving short sentences for petty crimes and also the fact of mingling the hard criminals while in prison. The study therefore recommends that the women imprisoned for non- violent crimes may be allowed to serve non- custodial punishment since their sentences are shorter to prevent family breakages as well as to reduce overcrowding in prison. In addition, the prison authorities should put more recreational facilities in the institution where inmates can spend their leisure time to keep them busy, improve on health care services provided and also to keep them busy from engaging in drugs and alcohol abuse. The study also recommends that the measures that Narok prison has put in place in place to curb the challenges should be strengthened and followed to the letter to avoid the problems that women are facing while in priso