Credits: © Sam Abeka/OSF
Country: Sierra Leone

Female Correctional Centre, Freetown, Sierra Leone

The Freetown Female Correctional Centre is a maximum-security prison with about 90 female inmates, some with their children. Although women on death row and those serving life imprisonment sentences are also held at the facility, the majority of female prisoners here were arrested for petty offences such as loitering, possession of marijuana, disorderly behaviour or debt. These laws are vague, poorly defined and disproportionately affect the poor. Many women spend excessive time in prison awaiting trial or serving sentences simply because they cannot afford to pay the alternative fine.

Theme:
Petty Offences
Prisons
People Groups:
Children & Young People
People experiencing Poverty
Women and Girls