Abstract:
This research attempts to create a well-developed and cohesive understanding of the effect of prevalent prison conditions and the rehabilitative environment on the physiological and psychosocial needs of incarcerated women. The study aims to answer the basic questions of what constitute physiological and psychosocial needs specific to women inmates and the fundamental effect prison conditions and the rehabilitative environment have on need fulfillment and inmate satisfaction. The research aims to bring further clarity through meaningful data to the plight of incarcerated women and issues of re-entry into society post-incarceration. Previous literature on the topic has not focused exclusively on the correlation between physiological and psychosocial need fulfillment in terms of prison conditions and the rehabilitative infrastructure in place within prisons. For the purposes of this research, Case Study methodology was applied to Multan Central Jail with a sample size of 45 incarcerated women, including 9 condemned inmates and 36 convicted inmates. The data collected was triangulated through both quantitative and qualitative methods, including in-depth structured interviews with the prison administration and the inmates along with general observation and field study. At the end, the paper outlines key policy recommendations on the basis of the research findings for reforms specific to a gendered perspective on imprisonment, incarceration and post-incarceration rehabilitation. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the effect of prison conditions on physiological and psychosocial needs of women inmates and to provide recommendations for improvement on the basis of the analysis. Scope: The analysis of the study can be employed to rethink prison policies in order to design and implement policies that increase level of satisfaction of prisoners and reduce their resentment against the society. It is important to reduce the resentment against society to ensure successful reintegration of prisoners in the society and to promote prisons as institutions of corrective action.
