ABOUT TWO WOMEN IN PRISON: A SUCCESSFUL RESTORATIVE PRACTICE

Abstract

This article analyzes a concrete case of a disciplinary administrative procedure within the context of female criminal enforcement, from a gender-based and intersectional perspective. It first examines the profile of incarcerated women and the absence of public policies capable of addressing the multiple vulnerabilities that shape female imprisonment, particularly those related to race, class, motherhood, and poverty. It then problematizes the punitive and inquisitorial nature of disciplinary procedures in the prison system, highlighting their limitations in effectively addressing and resolving conflicts. Finally, the article presents Restorative Justice as a possible and legitimate alternative for conflict resolution in prison settings, based on the analysis of a practical experience considered successful. The research adopts a historical-dialectical materialist method, with a qualitative and empirical approach, structured as a case study grounded in the institutional practice of the Public Defender’s Office. It combines bibliographic and documentary review with the analysis of official data and the restorative practice implemented in the prison context. Doctrinal sources, academic articles, and governmental data are mobilized to examine issues related to criminal enforcement, female incarceration, disciplinary administrative procedures, restorative justice, and the dynamics of crime and punishment.