Maternity in the penitentiary centers of Sinaloa, Mexico. 2019

Abstract

Abstract. This article´s objective is to present, from a gender perspective, the life story regarding the maternity of female prisoners in the three female penitentiary centers located in the State of Sinaloa, Mexico. The approach is qualitative and exploratory-descriptive in scope. It is a case study (Stake, 1995).

The sample is intentional (Martínez, 2006) and was integrated with 11 women who are inmates at CECJUDE at Culiacán, Mazatlán, and Ahome at the State of Sinaloa, who met one of the following selection criteria: to be mothers with children living with them within the criminal, or be inmates in pregnancy condition. In both criteria it was considered that, due to the scarcity of economic resources and inadequate conditions of confinement, they find it even more difficult to live their maternity at prison.

To specify the qualitative approach, an ethnographic visit was carried out, and to col­lect the information of life stories, the respective instrument was used according to Taylor and Bogdan (1998).

In inmates women testimonies it is detected a majority perception of deficiency in the medical service, at the same time they express that there are medical facilities, but there is a lack of medicines, instruments and medical specialists. Nor are there programs to detect and prevent chronic degenerative diseases of women, such as cervical and breast cancer.

Regarding the conditions to house the minors who live inside the female prison of Sinaloa, with their mothers imprisoned, it is observed that a special area is lacking for the inmates to reside with their children. There are no daycare or basic education services; there are no conditions for an adequate diet nor pediatric medical attention.

Keywords: Gender, maternity, pregnancy, prison, penitentiary centers.