Everyone knows that in Russia there are women's zones. This fact is not hidden from anyone, but it is somehow not accepted to discuss it in the media. We can say that people are embarrassed about this topic; it is something conditionally forbidden. Society does not want to know what happens to women who are behind bars. They are outcasts of this society, having a chance to return to normal life only after serving their sentence. A women's prison is not a place for the weak; it has its own laws and orders. We will talk about them in this article.
Women's zones in Russia: general characteristics
According to the latest data, there are thirty-five colonies and prisons for women in our country. They contain about sixty thousand representatives of the fair sex, which is approximately five percent of all prisoners in Russia. If we compare all these figures with the total number of residents of the country, it turns out that for approximately one hundred thousand Russians there are forty convicted women.
Minor girls behind bars make up a fairly large percentage of prisoners. There are currently about thirteen thousand of them in Russia, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service.
There are three types of women's colonies:
- general regime;
- strict;
- colony-settlement.
Most often, women are assigned to general regime colonies and settlements. For minors there is an educational women's zone. A strict regime is provided only for repeat offenders; there are two such correctional institutions in Russia. They are located at the following addresses:
- the city of Bereznyaki;
- Shakhovo village.
Typically, female killers who have repeatedly or repeatedly committed this criminal act end up in such zones. It is quite rare for people to end up in a strict regime for theft or robbery.
Women's areas are not the only place where women are detained. There are approximately twenty thousand representatives of the fair sex in pre-trial detention centers. They are awaiting trial and sentencing. If found guilty, the woman is gradually sent to a correctional facility. It is worth noting that pre-trial detention centers in our country are mixed, but recently there has been a tendency towards reforming the system of serving sentences. In this regard, three women’s pre-trial detention centers appeared in the country, located in the following cities:
- St. Petersburg
- Moscow.
- Ekaterinburg.
The conditions of detention in some of them are an order of magnitude better than in mixed pre-trial detention centers.
Release on parole
Conditional early release can be applied only after the convicted person has actually served:
- at least one third of the sentence imposed for a crime of minor or medium gravity;
- not less than half of the sentence imposed for a serious crime;
- at least two-thirds of the sentence imposed for a particularly serious crime.
How to get it and what does the court pay attention to?
- behavior of the convicted person in the colony, compliance with the regime and internal regulations;
- degree of repentance, admission of guilt and willingness to bear responsibility for the offense committed (compensation for moral and material damage to the victim);
- sincerity in repentance and willingness to change one’s life, learn a new profession, and be useful to society;
- whether the convicted person has received incentives or penalties from the prison administration;
- presence of an official place of work and attitude towards work in general;
- participation of the convicted person in the life of the team, work and leisure activities during the process of serving the term;
- availability of permanent residence or plans to acquire it;
- willingness to become a good citizen, benefit society and work.
Attention! It is worth noting that the court will evaluate the totality of the circumstances. Lack of place of residence or work, in the presence of other positive factors, will not become an obstacle to satisfying parole.
Why do women go to prison?
The most common crime for which Russian women end up behind barbed wire is the possession and distribution of narcotic substances. Such convicted women make up more than sixty percent of the total number. There are some thieves, they are not very popular in the zone. They are capable of stealing from their own people, which is harshly suppressed by the rest of the convicts. Female killers make up no more than six percent of all those imprisoned. Most often, their article is classified as “murder by negligence” or “exceeding the level of permissible self-defense.” Such cases are very common.
A special contingent in the zone consists of female prisoners serving sentences for fraud, sometimes on an especially large scale. These ladies are usually quite well-groomed and are released on parole, having served a little more than half of the term prescribed by the court.
Russia: in which region are the most women's colonies located?
Traditionally, Mordovia is called the camp region. There are twenty correctional facilities located here, three of which are women’s zones. Mordovia is a rather difficult place to serve a sentence; former convicts talk about difficult living conditions, cases of bullying by the administration, poor nutrition and lack of basic hygiene supplies. Even uniforms are not always issued here or are not complete.
The list of women's correctional institutions in Mordovia is as follows:
- IK-2 (Yavas village).
- IK-13 (Partsa village).
- IK-14 (Partsa village).
Each of the colonies has an industrial zone, some have their own subsidiary farms.
Types of PS
What could a women's area be like? First of all, it is worth saying that correctional institutions belong to the criminal correctional system of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation. With the help of colonies, punishments are carried out, which are expressed by imprisonment either for a certain period or for life. Those sentenced to death are also held in correctional institutions.
A zone for women can be a correctional or educational colony, a prison, or a medical correctional institution.
Pre-trial detention center: features of awaiting trial
The only women's pre-trial detention center in Moscow has a bad reputation among similar institutions. Getting here means opening the gates of hell for yourself and, perhaps, staying in it forever. The prisoners call this institution very eloquently - “SIZO 666”. And this is quite fair, because such inhuman conditions do not exist even in maximum security colonies. Judge for yourself: social activists come here almost weekly and sound the alarm, but the situation has not yet changed - the conditions of detention for women remain incredibly monstrous. It is simply not possible for a healthy person to leave the pre-trial detention center.
According to data for last year, there are 1,357 people in the Moscow pre-trial detention center, and the upper limit of the institution’s occupancy ranges around 892 women. Can you imagine what is happening in the cells where the prisoners are with such overcrowding? If not, we will tell you.
Each cell contains seventy to eighty people, while the norm is fifty. There are not enough beds for everyone, so a common sight in this pre-trial detention center is women sleeping under the beds and on the floors of the cells. This has not bothered anyone for a long time; the guards are also accustomed to prisoners lying on the floor, covered with a thin blanket. No one can solve the situation, because even folding phones will not lead to a radical solution to the problem. No one can imagine how to put them in cells where it is even impossible to turn around.
Add to this state of affairs the terrible unsanitary conditions. Women do not have a proper toilet, and there is no shower in such cells at all. If prisoners are lucky, they will be able to rinse their hands and face with water heated in a kettle. It is not available in all cameras. Hordes of cockroaches crawl on women sleeping under their beds. There are more and more of them here every year. It is difficult to find a square meter of space where several dozen of these whiskered insects would not sit.
A particular problem for women in pre-trial detention centers is medical care. We can say that it is not there at all; all requests for help will be answered with one thing - they will give you aspirin. Many women enter the institution absolutely healthy and leave with tuberculosis or syphilis. It’s easy to catch it in a cell, because new arrivals can’t even withstand the required quarantine. No one takes a blood test from them or does fluorography. In emergency cases, it is impossible to wait for medical help; even pregnant women may not be examined throughout the entire period. Such negligence leads to a high mortality rate among prisoners; even young and strong women cannot withstand such conditions.
The food also leaves much to be desired. As the prisoners themselves say, they eat expired food, and packages from relatives are not delivered in full.
Of course, this information is just a light sketch of the everyday life of prisoners in a Moscow pre-trial detention center, but even this already inspires horror from the situation in which perhaps even innocent women find themselves.
Rules in the women's area
Judging by the reviews of former convicts, the zones are radically different from each other. Some of them resemble hell, while in others life can be quite bearable and tolerable. Of course, if you have money and the ability to constantly receive parcels. Life in women's zones directly depends on the amount of money; for it you can buy yourself a relaxation of the regime, tasty food and a relatively quiet existence without duty and harassment from fellow inmates. But let's talk about everything in order.
Women live in barracks designed for approximately forty people. Typically, such cells are large in size, they have a shower, a designated area for the toilet and a fenced off small kitchen area. In conditions where privacy is almost impossible, this layout allows you to at least sometimes be away from the noisy crowd of people. It is much more difficult to stay in smaller cells; they do not have a separate kitchen, and the TV is always turned on at the request of the elder.
Each squad has four separate beds. Only a select few sleep on them. Usually this is the eldest and those whom she herself appoints. A sleeping place can be purchased for money or cigarettes. The rate depends on the person in charge of the detachment; she sets the rates and the number of days when you can use the special position.
The eldest is always elected by a general vote of women, but her candidacy must be agreed upon with the administration of the colony. In general, the person in charge can be appointed directly by the administration; she is responsible for everything that happens in the detachment. The slightest violation of the regime, disorder or fights immediately become a reason for punishment by the eldest, and she, in turn, will begin to deal harshly with her cellmates.
In order to maintain cleanliness, the elder draws up duty schedules. This makes women's zones significantly different from men's - here almost every action is regulated by a schedule. Even washing and drying clothes occurs in every woman’s day. Being on duty is not considered something shameful, but it is quite difficult to clean the entire cell area three times a day alone. Many women who have money hand over their duty to fellow inmates in exchange for cigarettes. Together with tea, they are the most popular goods.
Fights and showdowns in cells, of course, happen. But still they are not as frequent as they show in movies. Many women live in “families,” but such groups do not have sexual overtones. It’s just that several people lead a joint household and communicate; usually the whole detachment eventually splits into such groups. People communicate only within the “family”; loners can communicate with anyone.
Cases of rape, which, according to journalists, abound in women's colonies, are in fact extremely rare. Lesbian couples usually form among women who have been incarcerated for more than ten years. This is not particularly welcomed or advertised, but no one will force you to cohabitate.
It’s better to forget about formal politeness
The polite treatment that is practiced in the wild is considered a manifestation of weakness and softness in places of deprivation of liberty. Excessive politeness may be regarded by prisoners as ingratiation, and then it will not be possible to gain respect from fellow inmates. Here, they are more likely to respect straightforward and tough individuals who are capable of giving an opponent a bad name in their hearts, rather than those who constantly apologize and try to curry favor with others.
Politeness in prison is demonstrated not in words, but in actions. Let's look at a few examples:
- You should not interrupt people who are having a dialogue.
- Helping an older person carry bags is the best sign of respect.
- Politeness is giving up the queue for the kettle or shower to someone who clearly needs it.
Life routine in the colonies
Naturally, a women's prison is not a sanatorium. Here you need to work, and work a lot. What do they do in the zone? Mostly women sew workwear; even those who have never sat at a sewing machine or picked up a needle do this.
According to the schedule, the rise in the zone begins at six in the morning. Convicts are given an hour for hygiene procedures; at seven o'clock they must stand at the entrance to the industrial zone. The working day lasts differently in each zone, as does the work schedule. In some zones, women work twelve hours with an hour break for lunch and one day off per week. Others have a two-by-two schedule, but this is quite rare in correctional settings. Convicts have a daily production quota, for failure to comply with which the entire squad can be punished, so absolutely everyone tries to work well and quickly.
In addition to sewing, there are jobs as cleaners, cooks and dishwashers. Some colonies have built their own bakeries, where women also work. Many correctional institutions have clubs; they raise the status of the institution in the eyes of the inspection authorities. Women usually organize competitions themselves, stage plays and hold holidays. Nobody forces them to do this, but due to the lack of emotions and vivid impressions, they themselves are ready to somehow brighten up their gray everyday life.
Show of force
Strong personalities are respected in the zone. A determined, persistent person will always find like-minded people. Physical strength is not particularly important, since according to this parameter all female prisoners are more or less equal. The exception is female athletes, but they have to demonstrate their physical data only in extreme cases. For example, if you need to move heavy furniture or help at a construction site.
Fights in women's colonies are a rare occurrence. Those who fight are mainly those who are unable to resolve their issues differently. If a person is strong in spirit and self-confident, then he will not have to participate in a fight. It is important to immediately defend your personal space, and then problems will not arise in the future. You should not descend to gossip, whining and petty squabbles.
Uniforms of convicts
There are no uniform standards for this in the colonies either. According to the law, every woman must be given a set of clothes and underwear for a period of one year. But in reality, this rule is almost never observed.
Based on the stories of the convicts, one can judge the situation with the provision of clothing in the colonies. For example, in Mordovia, convicts are often given the following set of forms:
- shirt;
- skirt or trousers;
- handkerchief;
- padded jacket;
- one set of underwear.
Typically, such a set is worn for about three years, or even longer. In addition, in winter frosts, women do not have the opportunity to wear a jacket or T-shirt under a thin shirt. Women freeze in cold sewing workshops, and they do not have the opportunity to take off their headscarf until lights out. It must be on the head constantly, which is extremely inconvenient.
In other colonies, ladies receive only trousers and a padded jacket in the winter, this significantly complicates the life of women who do not have the opportunity to receive parcels with things from home. They have to buy clothes from their cellmates or wear cast-offs. This leads to unsanitary conditions and a large number of colds.
Employment
The administration of any correctional colony has one very important responsibility. It must provide convicts with employment. In this case, the woman’s age and, if possible, specialty are taken into account.
Working convicts have the right to paid annual leave. Its duration is twelve days, excluding weekends.
Juvenile offenders in an educational institution are granted longer leave. It is eighteen working days. The same leave is granted to women who have reached the age of 55.
It is noted that convicted women work more diligently than men. Only a small percentage of women do not want to work or are dishonest about their duties.
In order to diversify the monotonous work of convicts, who are usually employed in clothing production, the administration of penal institutions often offers them new areas of employment. This includes knitting and lace weaving, folk crafts, etc.
Birth of a child in prison
This topic is perhaps the most painful and difficult. After all, the miracle of the birth of a new life is overshadowed by being in dark dungeons and not being able to see your child. Not all women are able to bear a child in a colony. Many pregnancies end in miscarriages, this is due to difficult living conditions and poor medical care. Prison hospitals do not have the necessary equipment and medicines. Even if there are professional and kind-hearted doctors, in an emergency, they will not be able to provide the necessary assistance to maintain the pregnancy. In addition, many doctors do not bother to examine expectant mothers; they may not be under medical supervision for the entire period.
Not every colony allows the mother to stay with her child until she is three years old. Most often, the mother may not see the baby after birth - he is immediately transferred to the children's department of the hospital, and then to the orphanage. In other cases, the baby is kept in a neighboring building, and the mother has the opportunity to see him only a few hours a day during walks. After three years, the child is sent to an orphanage or to be raised by relatives if they agree to accept the baby.
Motherhood
In prisons where children's homes are open, there are maternity wards . These institutions help women serving time.
In accordance with the law, these institutions must be designed so that the children living in them feel comfortable. A convicted mother has the right to communicate with her own child if she has free time from work. They are allowed to live together .
After the child turns three years old, then, with the consent of the mother, he is given to his closest relatives. Otherwise, he will be sent to a state institution for education.
The arrangement of the child is that the woman is given fifteen days leave . In the future, the administration will provide the mother with the same leave to visit the baby.
If the mother is serving a sentence of less than three years , then the child can be left in the orphanage and the woman will take him away immediately after release.
However, this right is granted only if all rules are followed and behavior is impeccable.
About motherhood in women's prisons in this video:
Women's zone: reviews from former convicts
It is difficult to summarize the opinions of prisoners about their life in the colonies, because they vary so much. But thanks to these reviews, it is possible to identify common problems in women's colonies that almost all prisoners had to face. The list of problems is as follows:
1. Unsanitary conditions
Each woman mentioned the terrible unsanitary conditions, because many prisoners do not have the opportunity to obtain hygiene products and even ordinary soap. In addition, prisoners cannot always wash themselves and have privacy in the toilet. All intimate procedures take place in full view of the team, which significantly breaks the psyche and turns a woman into a weak-willed and submissive creature.
Unfortunately, not in all colonies, prisoners have the opportunity to walk and even breathe fresh air, which creates additional difficulties and serves as a source of infection.
2. Inhuman attitude of the guards
Of course, among the guards there are also excellent employees who treat convicts with great attention and see them as people. But, unfortunately, the percentage of such colony employees is extremely small. Basically, the guards (themselves women, by the way) try in every possible way to humiliate the convicts and practice various forms of bullying.
3. Poor nutrition
Despite the fact that the prisoners' diet is quite balanced, in reality it looks very meager and poor. In addition, many colonies purchase food of poor quality, which affects women’s health. If someone has money, they do not eat prison food, but cook for themselves from food sent from home by relatives.
4. Lack of medical care
In Russian women's colonies, as in men's colonies, there are high rates of tuberculosis and HIV infection. There are about fifty percent of such convicts. Women do not receive medical assistance on time; many are not treated at all, while the situation still needs to be corrected.
5. Commodity-money relations among prisoners and administration
Almost all convicts note that it is impossible to exist in a colony without money. For them you can buy yourself a phone, additional visits with relatives and relaxation of the regime. In addition, in some colonies there are rumors about the possibility of being released on parole for a fixed amount of money. Of course, there is no official confirmation of these rumors, but still there is no smoke without fire. In addition, everyone knows that for a fee, convicts can go to prison beauty salons, get manicures and pedicures, and even wear makeup all day long. Some prisoners said in interviews that in their detachment there was a make-up artist who daily put young ladies in good financial standing into shape.
All of the above problems are as generalized as possible and do not reveal the full state of affairs in all women’s colonies. But, as the former convicts themselves say, after leaving the zone, it is difficult to feel like a full-fledged person again. After all, inhumane treatment kills and cripples the soul, which leads to cases of relapse and return to the colony under new charges.
Excessive talkativeness is a vice
Prisoners should not talk too much about their past. This especially applies to personal life and sexual contacts - communication between prisoners should not go beyond certain limits.
You shouldn’t be frank even with your best camp friends. Talking less and listening more is the best advice for surviving in a women's colony.
Drug addicts should not be trusted. This is especially true for those who are addicted to heroin. These will be sold as soon as possible. They can leak information to both senior staff and administration employees. And they will do it for a pack of tea or a few cigarettes.
