THE SELECTIVITY OF THE BRAZILIAN CRIMINAL SYSTEM FROM A FEMINIST EPISTEMOLOGY

Abstract

The present research aims at the analysis of selectivity in the penal system, with emphasis on female incarceration. The work started from feminist epistemology, beginning with an approach to the history of patriarchy existing in our society and its criminological influences. The question that was sought to analyze was the growing incarceration of women, relating it to the prohibitionist policy of drugs. It is a qualitative research, in which bibliographical sources, documentaries and analysis of statistics related to Brazilian penitentiaries collected from the Penitentiary Information (INFOPEN) of the year 2014 were used. At that moment, the aim was to deal with the oppression experienced by and the emergence of feminism as a mechanism for liberation and struggle for the guarantee of women's rights. In the second topic we investigated the prohibitionist drug policy and its effects on female incarceration. In the third and last topic, it has been proven that drug trafficking is the crime that most imprisoned women in Brazil, and a profile of women prisoners has been traced, analyzing the rights that are violated in the prison. From all these data, it is understood that the prohibitionist policy is ineffective, and ends up evidencing and strengthening the criminal selectivity especially with regard to women.