Can Therapeutic Jurisprudence Improve the Rights of Female Prisoners?

Abstract

Women offenders may suffer from numerous violations of basic rights within the prison system. They are vulnerable for sexual assaults including rape, molestation and sexual bullies. They may also lack basic medical and hygienic amenities. While international conventions and rules like United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders (Bangkok Rules, 2010) offers guidelines for protection of the rights of women prisoners, still there has been no research which explores the therapeutic jurisprudential values of such rules. This chapter suggests that the therapeutic jurisprudential approach of the domestic and international laws, conventions and guidelines must be understood by the practitioners, activists and other stakeholders who may in turn; make use of the therapeutic jurisprudential values to improve the condition of women prisoners.