Maternity Management in Prison: The Case of the Creciendo Juntos Programme in Chile

Abstract

The increase in the female prison population worldwide is a concerning phenomenon; however, research on the current situation of women prisoners is still scarce in Chile. The intersectional gender perspective applied in the penal framework offers an alternative to its study. This article aims to present the results of an exploratory-descriptive qualitative research on motherhood in prison contexts and its public management in Chile through the Creciendo Juntos Programme. Institutional documents were analyzed and active-reflexive interviews were conducted with program executors. From the discursive perspective, we constructed interpretative repertoires on maternity management: the worker as evaluator, as support, and as a catalyst for change. These repertoires distinguish management practices that favor hegemonic and counter-hegemonic notions of motherhood based on individual and/or collective perspectives of the social reintegration process. The intersection of these practices generates tensions in the field of intervention, reproducing gender stereotypes and norms. The proposal/sugestion is a social approach that recognizes the complexity of the inmates' situation and promotes community participation, reflecting on individualistic policies and encouraging collective change.