9781422280058

Marlene’s boyfriend, whowas tried as an adult, was found guilty and sentenced to death in the gas chamber (a sentence that was later changed to life in prison). Marlene, whom the judge said “did encourage, instigate, aide, abet and act as ac- complice in the homicides of her parents,” was tried as a juvenile, found guilty, and sentenced to confinement at the California Youth Authority from which she would be released on her 21st birthday. She served less than 4 years. Escape from Mutilation to Hell Located inwesternAfrica, FauziyaKasinga’s home country of Togo supported the ancient practice of female genital mutilation—a coming-of-age ritual in which a girl’s clitoris and labia are surgically removed, and her vagina is sewn nearly shut to protect her chastity until marriage. Fauziya hoped to escape this painful, often life-threatening rite, so she fled to the United States and sought political asylum . Until immigration officials could decide her fate, the then 17-year-old (who had committed no crimes) was sent to a detention facility—a place where offi- cials could keep her in custody until her immigration hearing with U.S. officials could be arranged. While held in detention, she faced abuse at the hands of her guards, worse than anything she’d endured in her own country: she endured regular beatings and was forced to wear chains around her ankles and wrists. Guards made her stand naked for long periods of time just to humiliate her, and to add to her embarrassment, guards refused to provide sanitary napkins when she needed them. A riot in the detention center where she was being held initiated Fauziya’s transfer to a county prison in Pennsylvania. Though the guards at this facility treated her well, officials housed her with inmates who had been convicted of crimes, some of which were violent. One inmate walked into Fauziya’s cell and issued this ultimatum: “You either giveme your apple [fresh fruit is rare in prison] or you sleep with me.” Fauziya had never heard of homosexual behavior between women before, let alone been threatened with it. She was terrified. She surrendered her prized fruit to defuse the tension with the other inmate, who then left her alone.

Top Crimes Committed by Women

The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics lists the top crimes committed by incarcerated women in the United States: 1. Violent crimes 2. Property felonies (burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, fraud, forgery, embezzlement)

3. Drug felonies (trafficking, possession) 4. Other nonviolent felonies not listed above

11

Women Incarcerated