Exclusion within Exclusion: Gender Stereotyping of Vocational Training in Prison

Abstract

Abstract – The main objective of the study is to examine the gender differences in implementing vocational training programmes in prison. Sri Lanka has come to believe that prisoners should be economically rehabilitated and integrated to society. In this process, being gender neutral is important as the current economic system of the country requires the productive employment of both males and females to uplift the family economy which can in return avoid illegal conducts of people to a considerable degree. To make this a success, economic rehabilitation should be able to occupy the ex-prisoners in a standard livelihood minimizing the recidivism and reconviction. However, the rates of recidivism and reconviction have not been reduced making rehabilitation questionable. Female recidivism is at higher occurrence comparing to the total prisoner population. Therefore, the research examines the gender issues related with economic rehabilitation. The Magazine prison was selected as the field of study and purposive sampling was used. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected. In depth and focused group interviews and non-participant observation method were used to collect data. Data was analysed and presented in a descriptive way using narrative analysis. Through findings, it was revealed that prison overcrowding has made it hard to deliver a quality vocational training and the gender neutral access to training is limited. It has been hard to categorize prisoners according to offences or needs and all are placed in cells together. Saliently, gender stereotyping in vocational training has limited the positive impact. Additionally, the officers are not well trained to deliver an effective and gender neutral vocational training. Society labels and discourages ex-prisoners without any trust on rehabilitation. This has become a more critical issue for female ex prisoners. Lack of financial resources and outdated programmes are dominant in minimizing the effectiveness. Finally, the most required but least planned after care process has made the issue more critical. The policy makers, the Department of Prisons and society have been provided with recommendations through the study.