Treatment of female convicts in Tanzania

This dissertation contends that female convicts in Tanzania are not properly treated at two levels: the courts and prisons. It is argued that the courts of law do not exercise rational alternatives in sentencing females with incarceration as the rule than an exception, And this has far reaching consequences on the personality of the prisoners and their families, including young ones, while in the prisons and thereafter. Indeed the latter limb, i.e. the prison, is the main province of this study. At theoretical level the cause of female criminality has not been properly determined. Often times writers of eminence and high standing maintain that the diagnosis finds root in their biological status with menstrual, menopause, acrimonious bickering within the family etc. This thesis, with respect, negates the socioeconomic dynamics which act upon females and consciously or unconsciously force them to commit various offences. There can never be proper prescription without correct diagnosis. It is thus maintained that the cause of female criminality, like many others, finds expression in a dischanted economy which breads disparity, hopelessness, mental fatigue etc, whereas it remains a fact, therefore, that the right solution of female criminality is to raise this economic well being the current methods of treating the unfortunate convicts should be improved upon. For one thing incarceration is incapable and has miserably failed to rehabilitate convicts. Therefore instead of cleaving to that mode of punishment other avenues which the law, incidentally, takes cognisance of, such as probation, fine, keeping the peace etc., should be pursued. In all, the dissertation consists of six chapters with the first one as an introduction. Then follows Literature Review as chapter two, which makes a survey of theories advanced by different scholars on the subject. Chapter three discusses various theories of treatment of offenders. Chapter four is the actual research carried out in the field in the few prisons set aside for females in Tanzania at Morogoro and Dodoma. Then alternatives to imprisonments is discussed in chapter five ending with concluding remarks in chapter six.