Historique
Rapport
Cause for alarm: The incarceration of women for drug offences in Europe and Central Asia, and the need for legislative and sentencing reform
Auteur(s) :
IAKOBISHVILI, E.
Année
2012
Page(s) :
28 p.
Langue(s) :
Anglais
Éditeur(s) :
London : HRI (Harm Reduction International)
ISBN :
978-0-9566116-4-2
Domaine :
Drogues illicites / Illicit drugs
Discipline :
EPI (Epidémiologie / Epidemiology)
Thésaurus géographique
EUROPE
;
ASIE DU CENTRE
Thésaurus mots-clés
INCARCERATION
;
SEXE FEMININ
;
RECOMMANDATION
;
ILS
;
CRIMINALITE
;
PRISON
Note générale :
Plus de 31 000 femmes emprisonnées en Europe et en Asie centrale, soit 28 %, le sont pour possession, préparation, production, achat ou vente de substances illicites.
Résumé :
Over 31,000 women across Europe and Central Asia are imprisoned for drug offences, representing 28 percent of all women in prisons in these regions, according to a new report by Harm Reduction International.
This report, the first to calculate the total number of females in prisons on drug offences in Europe and Central Asia, was launched on the opening day of the annual meeting of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which is taking place in Vienna March 12-16.
The report collected data from fifty-one European and Central Asian countries between August 2011 and February 2012 through government agencies, including national prison services, ministries of justice and drug agencies; as well as academic researchers and civil society organisations. Drug offences include possession, preparation, production, purchase and sale of illicit substances.
In some countries (Latvia, Tajikistan) more than half of female prisoners, are imprisoned for non-violent drug offences. Moreover, in Russia, almost 20,000 women are imprisoned for drugs, far more than double the amount of women in prison in the countries of the European Union combined.
"Women are disproportionately facing prison for non-violent drug offences, often as a result of poverty and social marginalisation," said Eka Iakobishvili, Human Rights Analyst at Harm Reduction International, and author of the report, who is attending the CND meeting. "Many of these women have problems, including with drug and alcohol dependency, and are in need of support, not punishment. This research points to an over-reliance on criminal laws to address social and economic problems in many countries". The report also confirms that :
• 1 in 4 women in prisons across Europe and Central Asia are incarcerated for drugs, some 31,400 women of a total of 112,575 presently incarcerated in that region;
• Just over a third of the 51 countries studied have a higher proportion of women prisoners convicted of drug offences than the regional rate of 28%.
• In Spain, almost 10 times as many women (2,935) are incarcerated for drug offences compared to France (308).
• In Portugal where decriminalisation of personal possession was introduced in 2001, 47.6 percent of female prisoners are incarcerated for drug offences. [Extract of the media release]
This report, the first to calculate the total number of females in prisons on drug offences in Europe and Central Asia, was launched on the opening day of the annual meeting of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which is taking place in Vienna March 12-16.
The report collected data from fifty-one European and Central Asian countries between August 2011 and February 2012 through government agencies, including national prison services, ministries of justice and drug agencies; as well as academic researchers and civil society organisations. Drug offences include possession, preparation, production, purchase and sale of illicit substances.
In some countries (Latvia, Tajikistan) more than half of female prisoners, are imprisoned for non-violent drug offences. Moreover, in Russia, almost 20,000 women are imprisoned for drugs, far more than double the amount of women in prison in the countries of the European Union combined.
"Women are disproportionately facing prison for non-violent drug offences, often as a result of poverty and social marginalisation," said Eka Iakobishvili, Human Rights Analyst at Harm Reduction International, and author of the report, who is attending the CND meeting. "Many of these women have problems, including with drug and alcohol dependency, and are in need of support, not punishment. This research points to an over-reliance on criminal laws to address social and economic problems in many countries". The report also confirms that :
• 1 in 4 women in prisons across Europe and Central Asia are incarcerated for drugs, some 31,400 women of a total of 112,575 presently incarcerated in that region;
• Just over a third of the 51 countries studied have a higher proportion of women prisoners convicted of drug offences than the regional rate of 28%.
• In Spain, almost 10 times as many women (2,935) are incarcerated for drug offences compared to France (308).
• In Portugal where decriminalisation of personal possession was introduced in 2001, 47.6 percent of female prisoners are incarcerated for drug offences. [Extract of the media release]