RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND MOTHERHOOD: MOTHERS DEPRIVED OF FREEDOM IN THE FEMALE CUSTODY AND REINSERTION UNIT OF SANTARÉM/PA
Motherhood; Restorative Justice; Incarceration; Social Reintegration.
Gestation and motherhood present themselves as unique events in a woman's life, filled with expectations and emotions, experienced differently from person to person depending on their social environment. This period of intense psychological changes can be compounded by incarceration—a place where the discourse of the 'social enemy' still prevails. Here, the fear and insecurity sustained by the presence of the enemy transform the individual into a being without a face, form, or rights. This understanding extends to women as well, including mothers and postpartum women, who, besides being viewed as social enemies, are also seen as 'deserters' of a safe life (the home) and of non-negotiable privileges (motherhood). Given this recognition, the restorative model proposed by Restorative Justice emerges as a solution for the inclusion, redefinition, and active social responsibility of these mothers deprived of freedom. The objective is to understand how the circular practices of Restorative Justice impact the redefinition of motherhood for women deprived of their liberty at the Custody and Female Reintegration Unit in Santarém/PA. Guided by a participant-observer methodology, this study seeks to connect the object to its context, opposing the principle of isolation in which we were trained. By acting as both facilitator and circle member, I position myself to share, feel, and immerse. This approach is fundamental in reducing the social distance inherent in traditional research, which often fails to encompass the full uniqueness of justice and motherhood processes. With an exploratory focus, it allows for a more complete and appropriate understanding of reality. Thus, the target is reached more efficiently and with greater awareness. A non-probability quota sampling method will be applied at the Custody and Female Reintegration Unit in Santarém, located within the Silvio Hall de Moura penitentiary complex in Vila De Cucurunã, 10 km from the city center. Inaugurated in 2018, the custody unit provides 86 spaces for women under the supervision of the State Penitentiary System. This is the first female penitentiary in western Pará. The proposal involves conducting 10 Peacebuilding Circles on the broad theme of motherhood, with four focus areas (being a mother, my self, family, incarceration) applied to the universe characterized as 'mother.' For quantitative data collection, a socio-demographic and legal questionnaire will be used, along with a semi-structured interview. Data analysis will be based on descriptive statistics and discourse analysis.