Les parcours post-carcéraux des femmes condamnées en Russie : le rôle des Centres d’adaptation sociale dans le processus d’insertion

Abstract

The prison population in Russia has decreased by a quarter over the last decade. Nevertheless, it is still one of the largest in the world. This is also the case for women inmates, whose proportion in Russia is higher than the European average. The rate of penal recidivism is 62.5 percent, however, there is still no special rehabilitation program for ex-offenders. Social adaptation centers organized in every Russian region and managed by the Ministry of Social Development have become the main public institution offering basic assistance to former prisoners. What role do adaptation centers play in the lives of women released from correctional colonies? What kind of difficulties do female offenders face in freedom, and how do they find their way to reintegrate into society? This research note seeks to answer these questions by focusing on the careers and strategies of female ex-prisoners and exploring the contribution of adaptation center in Perm in the process of their resocialization. The text is based on the results of in-depth interviews and observations conducted during the EHESS two-years master's program in sociology.