' Bangkok Rules' For Women Convicts

[webfact]

'Bangkok Rules' for women convicts
PIYANUT TUMNUKASETCHAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Judges nationwide have decided to use the United Nations' Bangkok Rules in court trials and be more lenient with pregnant convicts or new mothers. Thailand's recent world ranking as the second highest in the number of female inmates suggests that Thai judges focus more on jail sentences rather than other alternatives.

Thailand comes in after the United States.

Metha Thampanichawat, chief judge at the Appeals Court, said most Thai judges have decided to start applying the Bangkok Rules in their verdicts and are considering the background and circumstances of female defendants. He cited a case in which the defendant had a three-month-old child, so the judge decided not to put her behind bars.

Angkhaneung Lepnak, an official from the Corrections Department, said of the 107 prisons in Thailand, 99 housed both sexes and only eight were meant for just women.

She said female prisoners in ordinary prisons had little access to education, training or welfare, adding that the department was planning to set up at least one females-only prison per region.

It is also promoting alternatives to imprisonment during trial, especially for pregnant women or those with infants or bad health, she added.

These statements were made at an event yesterday initiated by HRH Princess Bajra Kitiyabha to unveil Participatory Action Research (PAR) on women's prison reform to meet international standards and apply the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders, which is known as the Bangkok Rules.

This is the first time in Asia that PAR is being applied to the reform of women's prisons and will extend to men's prisons in the future.

The PAR was conducted as a pilot scheme at Ratchaburi Prison where officials were also trained to promote family ties (such as granting the inmates' children visitation rights) as well as provide legal assistance and prepare prisoners for life after prison, deputy justice permanent secretary Charnchao Chaiyanukij said.

PAR team leader Napaporn Hawanont said the research aimed to change people's mindset and the treatment of female prisoners, as well as ensure that prisons provide rehabilitation.

Prison officials will also be made to change their approach from a strict disciplinary one to one that allows inmates' participation.


-- The Nation 2013-03-23

[Locationthailand]

A lot of the sentences handed down are OTT for the crime committed. Poverty also forces some people to stray from the righteous path in desperation but are slammed with long sentences. Whilst I for one would not advocate the crime should go unpunished, I am sure there are better way to ensure these people receive decent treatment. There are a lot of vids on YouTube showing conditions and interviews re the womens prisons here and whilst seemingly cleaner and more organised than the male prisons, the life is hardly ideal. Perhaps this is a good overhaul and endorsement through royalty, things may change for the better.

[A Member]

Maybe the screws should kick them around more, make them feel as if they are back home

[Markaew]

Uh-oh. Thailand and the United States mentioned in the same sentence. Here we go with the US haters.

[Kananga]

Thailand - Hub of female incarcerations.

[harrry]

I have no sympathy for the idea than just because someone is a woman they should be treated more leniently than men for a crime they have committed.

Edited March 23, 2013 by harrry

[Pib]

I just googled "countries females inmates" and opened the first link which showed a ranking by country using a percentage of female inmates compared to total inmates. Thailand is indeed # 1 (a Hub) at 20.3% , but the U.S. is # 9 at 8.5%. Here's the Link.

I sure hope the article is not using purely a "total" number of female inmates for comparison to the U.S. since the U.S. has a total population of approx. around 315M compared to Thailand's approx 70M.

[Pimay1]

I just googled "countries females inmates" and opened the first link which showed a ranking by country using a percentage of female inmates compared to total inmates. Thailand is indeed # 1 (a Hub) at 20.3% , but the U.S. is # 9 at 8.5%. Here's the Link.

I sure hope the article is not using purely a "total" number of female inmates for comparison to the U.S. since the U.S. has a total population of approx. around 315M compared to Thailand's approx 70M.

Judging from articles written by the Nation staff, verification of facts is not on the top of their list.

[Locationthailand]

I just googled "countries females inmates" and opened the first link which showed a ranking by country using a percentage of female inmates compared to total inmates. Thailand is indeed # 1 (a Hub) at 20.3% , but the U.S. is # 9 at 8.5%. Here's the Link.

I sure hope the article is not using purely a "total" number of female inmates for comparison to the U.S. since the U.S. has a total population of approx. around 315M compared to Thailand's approx 70M.

Judging from articles written by the Nation staff, verification of facts is not on the top of their list.

... and never has been.

[ZhouZhou]

I just googled "countries females inmates" and opened the first link which showed a ranking by country using a percentage of female inmates compared to total inmates. Thailand is indeed # 1 (a Hub) at 20.3% , but the U.S. is # 9 at 8.5%. Here's the Link.

I sure hope the article is not using purely a "total" number of female inmates for comparison to the U.S. since the U.S. has a total population of approx. around 315M compared to Thailand's approx 70M.

Judging from articles written by the Nation staff, verification of facts is not on the top of their list.

... and never has been.

"nationmaster" and "i just googled" is on par with the Nation when it comes to accuracy.

[orang37]

Khun Pimay wrote: "Judging from articles written by the Nation staff, verification of facts is not on the top of their list."

There are no "facts" in this country, only opinions, and propaganda: verification always costs somebody something, to arrive at the conclusions they paid for, so: why bother unless it's an absolute necessity ?

Now ask yourself: is it really any different than the country you were born in (assuming that's not Thailand) ?

As Groucho Marx said: "Those are my principles: if you don't like them, I've got others."

~o:37;

[metisdead]

A nonsense post has been removed as well as the replies.

[RPCVguy]

Does the label "convicts" include all those awaiting trial who have not made bail? There is a likelihood those who are innocent but unable to make bail are indeed included. The system is not kind to any such people, and suffering of such is an injustice that happens around the world - disproportionately for the poor. Measures to differentiate between and among prison populations would be a help - if this was not already the case.

Edited March 23, 2013 by RPCVguy

[me313]

Uh-oh. Thailand and the United States mentioned in the same sentence. Here we go with the US haters.

They're using statistics of inmates, not bias towards nations. The US has serious problems with single-parent families that are splintered beyond recognition due to sentencing laws called Mandatory Minimum Sentences. For example, in California this is called "Three Strikes" law. If a person gets three felonies, they get locked up for life. The poverty and desperation of people living in "ghettos" coincides with the selling of crack cocaine. Women who don't have a husband or provider but are left with children. The crack cocaine laws have a ratio of 80 to 100 times the length of "regular" cocaine, which is much more expensive and generally known amongst the white population. Crack is cheaper, it's the "poor man's cocaine". Thus, there is a huge problem not only with single mothers who get imprisoned, sometimes for life, but then their children are left without any parents or caretakers and end up "in the system" of foster care. Foster care in the US is sometimes known for child abuse or sexual abuse. It doesn't have a very good reputation. I can provide you with articles, peer-reviewed, that explain this situation and how the incarceration rate is the highest in the world, with the "revolving door" of prison. But if you want a view of how the US is even worse than Thailand for prison, this is a website from the book I had to read in a graduate class for Criminal Justice and it is not "left-wing" propaganda either http://paulsjusticepage.com/RichGetRicher/summary-conc.htm

[robertson468]

I thought at one time people were asked to take on women who had just been released from Prison in some form of employment, which sounds like an excellent idea, assuming it is still happening. I can understand potential employers being cautious about taking them on, but treated right initially carefully supervised, I am sure it is the solution many female criminals need to get them away from the repeat offender syndrome. Anyone any idea if the scheme is still running?

Edited March 23, 2013 by robertson468

[dighambara]

I just googled "countries females inmates" and opened the first link which showed a ranking by country using a percentage of female inmates compared to total inmates. Thailand is indeed # 1 (a Hub) at 20.3% , but the U.S. is # 9 at 8.5%. Here's the Link.

I sure hope the article is not using purely a "total" number of female inmates for comparison to the U.S. since the U.S. has a total population of approx. around 315M compared to Thailand's approx 70M.

Judging from articles written by the Nation staff, verification of facts is not on the top of their list.

... and never has been.

"nationmaster" and "i just googled" is on par with the Nation when it comes to accuracy.

HMMM - google produces poor results..?? I often use Google and Wiki while researching - it is important to doule or triple check, but the data can be quite corect...

[Ironmike]

I am not an American but I did live there for 17 years, I have lived here for 6 years, in relation to males and females comitting a crime I believe firmly in the rule,,,If you can't do the time then don't do the crime,, but there is a major difference between Thailand and the US and that is education,, In the US students are given sex education in schools but not here??? why not??? maybe if Thailand spent some more money on sex education and free condoms, their would not be so many women needing to comit criimes to take care of their babies and family,, these people are desparate for money and unlike the US they do not get free money from the GOV.

Lets have a look at how much money the Thai GOV is spending on trying to ban alcohol on Songkran this year,,,like that is going to happen,,yeah yeah BS,,,, spend the polititions pay checks on condoms for young girls so they do not need to sell their bodies to scumbags that visit here because they cant afford a prositute back where they come from as they are so over weight and ugly

[rbrooks]

I just googled "countries females inmates" and opened the first link which showed a ranking by country using a percentage of female inmates compared to total inmates. Thailand is indeed # 1 (a Hub) at 20.3% , but the U.S. is # 9 at 8.5%. Here's the Link.

I sure hope the article is not using purely a "total" number of female inmates for comparison to the U.S. since the U.S. has a total population of approx. around 315M compared to Thailand's approx 70M.

Judging from articles written by the Nation staff, verification of facts is not on the top of their list.

... and never has been.

And never will be I might add

[belg]

why be lient ?

if you can't do the time, don't do the crime

do only way one should be lient if you did steal bread for yourself/family

if you are stealing out of greed ... then jail is a good place for you to be

[Almera]

Thai judges have decided to start applying the Bangkok Rules in their verdicts and are considering the background and circumstances of female

defendants.

Is their surname Na Ayudtaya and were any of the nine victims rich and powerful?

[Morakot]

Maybe the screws should kick them around more, make them feel as if they are back home

I somehow have the feeling you know a lot about prisons and domestic violence.

[dimitris]

Thailand is world number 1 for female inmates

here is the official link for crime statistics

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_pri_fem-crime-prisoners-female

[ZhouZhou]

"nationmaster" and "i just googled" is on par with the Nation when it comes to accuracy.

HMMM - google produces poor results..?? I often use Google and Wiki while researching - it is important to doule or triple check, but the data can be quite corect...

"i just googled" ≠ double or triple check.

an what if your nice wiki article uses a the nation article as source?

[ZhouZhou]

Thailand is world number 1 for female inmates

here is the official link for crime statistics

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_pri_fem-crime-prisoners-female

what makes that link to an "official link"?

[A_Traveller]

Mayhap because the statistics are collated by International Centre for Prison Studies, which is part of the University of Essex in the UK a widely respected organisation who assist governments and other bodies in establishing prison and incarceration policies.

[ZhouZhou]

Mayhap because the statistics are collated by International Centre for Prison Studies, which is part of the University of Essex in the UK a widely respected organisation who assist governments and other bodies in establishing prison and incarceration policies.

and nationmaster.com is the official publisher of said organisation?

what makes you sure that nationmaster.com will even present the same data as you can found at the source nationmaster pretends to use?

nothing can make you sure. i would not put any trust in that what i can read at nationmaster without verifying it first. and if you do you will find out that nationmaster is on par with the nation or coconutz when it comes to accuracy.

[harrry]

Thailand is world number 1 for female inmates

here is the official link for crime statistics

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_pri_fem-crime-prisoners-female

That shows that as the percentage of female prisoners to male prisoners is highest Thailand is less discriminatory of sentancing regarding sex as there is aover 5o% females in the population and they probably comit the same number of crimes as males only diferent ones.

[A_Traveller]

Mayhap because the statistics are collated by International Centre for Prison Studies, which is part of the University of Essex in the UK a widely respected organisation who assist governments and other bodies in establishing prison and incarceration policies.

and nationmaster.com is the official publisher of said organisation?

what makes you sure that nationmaster.com will even present the same data as you can found at the source nationmaster pretends to use?

nothing can make you sure. i would not put any trust in that what i can read at nationmaster without verifying it first. and if you do you will find out that nationmaster is on par with the nation or coconutz when it comes to accuracy.

Nice try, but you missed the trap, thought you would.. The Nationmaster site specifies the date of the dataset as 2003.

They say honey helps the brain. I wonder.

[ZhouZhou]

Mayhap because the statistics are collated by International Centre for Prison Studies, which is part of the University of Essex in the UK a widely respected organisation who assist governments and other bodies in establishing prison and incarceration policies.

and nationmaster.com is the official publisher of said organisation?

what makes you sure that nationmaster.com will even present the same data as you can found at the source nationmaster pretends to use?

nothing can make you sure. i would not put any trust in that what i can read at nationmaster without verifying it first. and if you do you will find out that nationmaster is on par with the nation or coconutz when it comes to accuracy.

Nice try, but you missed the trap, thought you would.. The Nationmaster site specifies the date of the dataset as 2003.

They say honey helps the brain. I wonder.

what trap? 10 years old data that cannot be verified a sit is so often with data from nationmaster?

you cannot put trust in nationmaster, if you do you just show that you have not big interest in accuracy or reputation.

what next, give credit to a story about honey you read at coconutz?

[A Member]

Maybe the screws should kick them around more, make them feel as if they are back home

I somehow have the feeling you know a lot about prisons and domestic violence.

Don't know if this makes me qualified but I was in the police for 30 years and my ex-wife was a vindictive bitch