I Am who I am – reflection of a life in prison
Fulfilling sentences, exercising rights
Rio de Janeiro
Objetivos e público prioritário
Promote and improve the discussion on prisoners’ rights (communication and training); to press the state to fulfill its constitutional role (research and actions) and to strengthen and promote the group as a relevant actor in the prison system (participation and association).
Main activities
- Provide capacity training
- Search
- Advocacy
- Information/awareness
Context
From 2013 to 2016, the prison population in Rio de Janeiro increased 50.1% – surpassing 50,000 detainees, without there being enough personnel to attend to this population. One of the main consequences is that prisoners and their families do not have access to the benefits that are legally secured to them, which affects the economic and social life of prisoners and their families, including their children. One example is the incarceration benefit, which is granted to the families of prisoners serving sentences in closed or semi-open regime, during the period of incarceration insured by the INSS. There are numerous reports coming from families of prisoners who would be entitled to the benefit but do not receive it due to the difficulty in collecting documentation and the lack of comprehension of the required legal procedures to request it, even though this is a quite simple procedure.
About the organization
A small group of former detainees gathered to raise awareness on the actual conditions in which prisoners live, take action and improve their situation and to support individuals after they have been to prison. The fact that its members have experienced the challenge of overcoming prejudice, invisibility and the lack of perspective allows them a strong interaction with prisoners and their families. The work aims at contributing to better assist the prison population and their respective families, seeking to overcome the challenges posed by the different procedures involved in the execution of their sentence, raising awareness on the their rights, seeking actions that consider a fair fulfillment of their sentence, with the least impacts for the families.
Funding Line
Annual Call for Proposals
Year
2017
Total Granted
R$ 39.560,00
Duration
12 months
Main Themes
Guaranteeing the rule of law and criminal justice
