Caimari, L., Whose criminals are these?

Thr Amt'ri cu .)4!2 Otto~r 1W7. llS.>-lOt! topynp!t by Lbc Acadcroy oC Amc~n Fr.ancuan Hüto~·

WH OSE CRI MINALS ARE T'HESE? CHURCH STATE, A D PATRONATOS AND TIIE

REHABJ LITATlO OF FEMALE CO YlCT'S (BUE OS AIRES. 1890-1940)*

lN'l ROOU<:fiOl'

Turn-of-tht: century Argt:ntinc political h:ade;:n; wcn: dccply in· Oucncc<J by ncw idea about thc origin and trcatmcnt of crimi­natity dcvclopcd by thc ltaliao positivist school of criminology.

According to thill l~Chool, crimc was not thc íruit of tbc crimioal's wickcdncsll. as classic pcnology bad claimcd. but wall ralhcr thc rcsult of a complcx wcb o( ·ocial and p ycho-biological dctcrminations of which the criminal had been a victim. Thi pathology callcd "crimc" could be corrected if it origin wa cicntifically determincd and if thc n~:w mcthod of rchf'bilitation prcscribcd for criminals and potcntial criminal wcrc coforccd.1 Although not all oí th~: prcmj 'Cll of thc crim­inological choollcd by Lombroso. Fcrri, and Garofalo wcrc acccptcd uncritically in Argentina. the ba ic principléS of the ncw scicncc wcrc widely adopted by juri ts, doctors, h)'gieni t and p ych.iatri t .2 The ·e ideas were received in the con[ext of ma. sive F.uropenn immigration. accele rated urbani7ation, and the cmcrgcncc of n largc working clas.s.

• 1 II;IJlt 10 tba.nk Kan: o ~lead. M. Uabtlcla :-.IOwt1ll~ a.nd ~bnano l'lotkin fOT tlw:ir helpful C(lmmert~ 10 carhcr '-emom of 11\n antclc. r v.1<J\ al<o 10 acknowlcd~ the u~t'ul su~~uoru. or tbc al14n~mou_~ Thc A muialv rcVlc•'Cr.

A summlt)' 01 lhe a,l>utnpb()ns of ~tlvut crimioology, aJo mlerpreterl by onc ol rhe mAjor AJ~cn~nc repr~ol8ll''c~. lo lbe proiQ&ut b) Jo~ lngcnie:08 ro Lhe popobr book by f'w;c:hio Gómc7, 1 a mota ' Ida tll fltUtiM Ait< (Buenos Att~ Ed. 11180 Ro!d.Sn. I..US)

J A di-.c:·uMKin M tho: reoeptia n n( pn<lrivi<m in ,\r~cnt M in Rkaunc Soler. tJ p<ntftviwnCJ

tlf'R~nrUt<J (Buenos Aun: Paidól.. IY6!1). Thc indivtdnli7 .. uion of che ~.alry (lhc ad~pumon 01 thc ~ncl t<m to thc particul.\r clrC'IJm<(at~ of tadl c:tllle. R!QII.lnn,s :s o.Jct;si l"'d-"udy if the ¡>h)"'S!Cil!, P•~'Chclozjc"l :md soc:i;al ~r.at1er~,,~ of uch itldi,tdual). lhe " 11110 uf dw~~·~ .. (.s cva~pt appiJcd to lhru.e ""o " ere wcn 11 hkcl)' lo oommit aimc<, ju:<rif)ioJ, ftmhcr (Of'l"'l1 ot treAtmcnt). e be np!c of cociebc~ 10 deftod lhC:tosth 'eS.. :~.nd lhe 1mport:uu:c of •wk in thc ~h.!i~hrattoo of thc cnmin"l• "''Cre .lit \Ítal princ.rft~ a.n t.hc peoaJ olUd JI'.IUl<OIJJU) rduun ..

185

186 WtiO E CRJMI, AL ARE THESE?

Under the intluence of the new ~cienti~r of crimc. che leading cla ·e perceived these changes as the cnu e of the ri ing crimc rAtc in Rucno Aares. ·n,e fear generated by thi~ diagno i · (ormcd the basis o( thc rcforms undertaken by the Argenlinc tate 10 fight urban crimc.' Thc new approach to crime hada concrete impact upon Argcntinc socicty: the police. the judiciary and, to a le, er extent, the penal code, were updated accordang to the new ~cientific thinking. One of the areas where this impact was clear wa~ the prison system. The Penitentiary of Huenos Aires. created in IK77 and fedcrali1,cd in 1880, becar11e a "mode l institution." where inmates benefited from the new therapie . Prestigious foreign visitors were given tours to look at the efforts made to enforce penalties according Lo individual medica! and ps)'chological profiles. the modern facilities, the numerous and we ll-equipped work­shops whe re inmates worked as if employed in an efficient industry. thc primary chool. and the courses in music. industnal drawing. typ­ing. and accounting. According to Eusebio Gómcz. director of thc institution and well-known criminologist. the enforcement of the new (positivist) regulations of tbe Penitentiary bad "fulfilled tbe expccta­úons of functionarics and rescarchers alike. " ·1 The res u lb of pcnitcn­tiary reform were. however. more limitcd than such statcmcnts may indicate. On the one hand. thc change in provincial pri ons was much le~ impressivc than in thc Pcnitcntiary.5 On thc othcr hand. thc ncw thinking m criminolog)' sccms to havc applicd only to thc mate of­fcndcr. sincc tbc vast majority of ncw works in tbis arcH barcly rncn­tioncd (cmalc case ·. Thi · rcmarkable theorctical gap wa ' match~ by an institutional one. lndccd. thc fatc of those womcn who wcrc con­demned to pnson wa quite diffcrtnt than that of men: not only were

• On lh~ m:Jpt~pllun uf lnliJU r.Uib ~ ·~~pcxwbk fur lit.: sruwrns ~'t llJlHtabty ID BUetlOS Au.:~dunc thb ~·r.od. s¡,·~ : Ju.ha Klrlc U!ncJ.wcldcc and L)ID o L Johosoo "O~ioe Crimint~l t'attc-rns 10 St.teo~ Alfes 1~90 to 1?1: . · Jouuw / of Ú''" l\mrr4 DJt Sludtcr. 14:2. '59 On lhe ur p8<1 ot po!ill~l.~t crimmolo¡y on 1um-of thc:-cenlury poh\iQI k llden.. scc: El.lu:~rdu :Umm~r·

rlMin . / .().f l!MttJILs ttfnrmíua~ lA a•crti4n Joona! m la A'!(C'IItma. /890-/ ':1/ ó (Uu.:ous AIICS

SuW.rncncanaJU. de Sllo Attd!~ 19'))). cbaplcr (). On l.bc lnt or lh.c id~· of pc.lOolliviw CTÍITIJ

DOlO!!\ to conuol tbc v.·or nt: .:las ... ~e Rteardo ntvntorc:. ·• nminol<~. Prh on Rd unn. 3111.1 1~ Buc:no.< A m:~ WOTking Cl.t.~ •• Jnu111cl of lmrrJisc.iplutiJ') Hutoty. X..XJIL 2 (Auturun 1 092). ] 79-299. l'or :a " foucauldlan" '"~ rprc111uoo o l thb rdorm scc-. Uca tm Ruib11J. ldf'l.~()j(fa dC'I romml J utt(;/_ IJutr()J Ait~S fl&'tJ.J911JJ (Buenos A•re..: Centro EdltOt" eSe J\ mtncll btLn.:a, 1993).

~ .. i t mona de ll' Pc:OIIcnQll rla Nacional " flnln!r. dt ID D•bfim«a Nariunal dt Cri171lnu lo rf11 ~·

C1#'11Fiilf A jVtPf, 19'111. • Althou h lcdt:'lically 1~ pcn&l C'Ode C>labllshcd tbt \~cm of pcl\lllles cor che: ~holc councry.

t.n f.iCI tn e JI pro' lncc: tbc: ~ltu 1100 n !he pn~~ wa5 dtf(c rcnt. ilnd c:bCh ptovutcuol su.,uruocot Íll"pno;c:d diffc:n:nt regublrOC'Il>. I ~W<mO Gómc·L <.rimut<J!o •/u an:(~nt!na. l<t~(r7Q lt~bl•()1(r6fH'a (Ul)(no. Aucs; Llbrcrfa e lmprcc11 Europea. 1912). Llll.

LILA M. CAIMAlU 187

they not ·ent to ill Litutions organized a long scientific lines. but in 1890 pri on for women were placed under control of a rclig1ous arder. thc Good Shepherd, naturally di sociated from and quite opposcd lo the postuJates o( the new criminological sciencc. In thc 1930s, a privatc institution, the Patronato de Recluidas y Liberadas, was crcated with the explicit purpose of adapting the treatment of female prisoners to modern standards and bringing their institutions closer to the leve! of thosc of male inmatcs. The compcting effon of the mcmbcrs of an ancicnt rcligjous ordcr and thosc of a ccular-mindcd Patrono/o to monitor dcviant womcn would rcsult in intcrcsting clashcs. Ncvcrthc.:­lc~s. tht: nuns o( thc Good Shcphcrc.J would keep control o( thc cor­rcctionaJ sy~tem. both in the city and provincc o( Buenos Aires. untiJ a reccntly as thc 1970s.

Thc purposc of this article is to explain the apparent contrac.Jiction in volved in the deci ·ion of state leader • known for thcir conccrn for crimc a wcll a · their ccular and scicntific pcr uasion . to givc control of fcmalc pri on toa rcligious ordcr he distancc bctwccn thc e two approachc ·-that of thc; nuns and tbat oí positivist criminologists- will be; ·bown througb an analy~ll> of thc.: ordcr's adrninil>tration of the Corrc;:.ctional JlouSc of Buenos Aires and the therapy givcn to thcir inmate . f inaUy, a di cus ion of thc conflict bctwccn the Good hep­herd and the Pturonfllo in the 1930s will lead to po iblc cxplanation · of hoth thc fAilurc of t he tAller to pcr uftdc tate lcadcrs to adopt its agenda, And the tunning continuity o( thc rcligious approach in the public I)Olici~ towar<.l fcrmtlc oUcndcrs.

l. THE. GOOD HEPHERD ANO THE R EII,\ BILITI\ llON OF W O'AFN

Among the women who have spent time here. you will find intclligcnt domesric who c.1n ser"e )'OU witb fidelit}'. tidin~ and can!. becausc thcy are Lntincd in Hll :ucao; '>Uit:tblc for thcir sex. - Lctter from Mothcr Snn Agu.'>lin 10 M:tnucla "'a arro Pacheco. 1890

lt seems contradictory thnt a Govcmmcot known in Argcntinc history for its positivist credo. itl> 1~1 for sccuhtri~ tion. and its anti·clerical attitude would give control or f~male pri ·on · to a rcligious ordcr. Far from bcing an exception. the get~eroción del ochema wa · just one of severa) Latín American po itivi t-innuenccd p<>litical elite which dcl­cgatcd the job of rehahilitating fe mate offcndcr · to thc Good Shcp­hcrc.J. Taking control of these prisons was part of thc.: broadcr cxpan-ioo of this order m outh America, which it clf was part of an cxpan­ion of scvcral religiou cong• cgations in thc last quartcr of the

L88 WHOSE CRI~ll'l\l.S ARE TitE t:'?

nineteenth century. For years to come. these orders would provide the bulk o{ the staff for charitahle instirutions. a~ylums and schools. donu ­natmg m areas wherc the state was till a marginal prcsence.ó

AJthough uot all ·ourc~ agrcc on thc dctaiJs of thc complicatw hi tory of correctional in titution for womco. wc know that thi hi -tory begjn wi th lhc: colony. The Law or Indie called for incarcerated women to be kept in separatc facil itie. from th e of men, '·keeping all honc ty nnd dcccncy." In 1692, nn old ho. pitnl wn use<.! to e rente a h OtL')C whcrc •·poor orpht~n~ anu virtuou maiden~" could find shelter. and tbere i ~trong e idencc that thi in titution, which survived j ust nine years. was used to helter criminal a well a other marginal women. Until 1774. all condemned women were , ent to a special sec4

tion of t he m ale pri. on. in the Cal>ildf>, where they were employed primarily in the ki tchcn. In thi, year. Virrey Vérti7. order-ed the cre­ation of a Ca , de Recogida · meant to "control and correct women of dis~olute li fc," the fin>t known reft:rence to a correctional facility for womcn. l lowever, the re ult or thi initiative is unclear. By thc end of the eighteenth centllry. there were two possible desunics for fcmalc criminnl : those who were arre ted on common of(ense charges werc houscd in a . pccial ~tion of thc puh1ic pri~on: or t hey could be sent to t he Re.,idmciu, an old building that had belonged to thc Jcswts, and whcrc friars of the 13ethlemite order had taken carc of thc sick and given hou ing to prost ilute~. In 1860 this i nstitution bccamc thc ncw

"touoll..--d m An • fr.-ncc: . in 1 lS, thc first l.Atin American br:snch or l11 Good bepherd .,..as esubbi!lc:d 10 1855. and "''OIIkt ruptdly cxp.and to the rn t o( tbe motintnt EolatM~nt \athoht fllmahc~> K"~ scocruu.:d) to t~ oulc: ul t.hc tono of buildJDl!S ~nd fundinJ- Within ;¡ fc:w )'UI". the Good Sbt.!pbcrd tud.l'xpan<h:d lo t.:rug.uo). Argentina. Rr111il ;u~tt Polr.lZWI) Thi~ monM!otum ,..¡,toa ~re!l C\tcot thc rc:sult of íbe cfrons of rl)e mothe1 \o\lpenor ol Sanll:~~u d~ Cbi~. Mochet

n Alt'lSlin. JI mcmhcr o( a prc:~>ha)ou.~ Catholtc l.auul). wtw was u tr met~ brt.'4d and a"~· loive 1n h:r ne ot i.allunl' ~ath tbc SO' ra.u~Db o( th.: rountnc " be re nc:~ b~nc.h~ -..CJc:- founded. Thc mrurmllliOO aboutthH ordcrromcs trom liS onoah" V$ing thu \OUJ'CI<',t ,..u rntmbel'l\ ot the dc:rgy b.t\'C wn llen deta.Jicd dtrorucl~<- rqc <urprinngl)'. hll8i0ir.sptúc:, ol tbc Otdef nd it~ tour*n. sn 1.01111 Amcnc;~: P. Jua.n h crn. 1:.1 IJ11m l~tJJ.1<Jr ~~~ /tu NtJc(Ofl•'$ J,l fOud ,¡,. Amnu·o (Artentin:t Ar:wl CluJe. J"&r UlY y Uruguay) (BucOO" Aire,. S. de Amorrortu, 1931). Una Rdigio10a del U~o Pa).(Ot'. Vuln d~ /Q MCidrt Mtuf. a11 AJ(U.IÚn d~ J~w Frmránd~: C:u,rd'J (Monte~tdeo "C A Barn:rro · R:un~" .A.. 1~6). J~ .ll duc.'~l:on o1 lbe r r of tbe ("O()()(!

h.rpo'lerd in Olilc:.'ln fc:m:~le pn~on.,, ~: ~lJI.s S. L.:l.tatc C&DlpO). ··VKiou._, Womc:n. Virtuou• Womc:n lñe renu.Je O"hnquent a.nd thc • nuago de: Ctulc CorrcctiOn~I JioWC", JS60 1900" tn R S~h.atorc: :sol.! C. A~"\l!lre. eds T~ IJ/uh fl ( tllf Pfmtm turry 111 ÚIJin Amait·u. E .. H41)) C1ll

Ctumnuf"'lY Pn>~.Ht R(fi ,m. •11111 Sflrlnl C..n1tttnJ. 1 ;o 19-J'J ( Aw.tlo. '1 X: \..'ru' rsu~ of T C:\ól

t>c ~. 19961 On thc import.1nt role oC «rlatn fcmaJe rc:l.tglous orden m ni Jrt.titutioo~ of t u.m or lhc·CCl11Ut> Bueou• Air~s.. ~e. K:uen \fea d. OII}:QI (hlc Dn(tl'lrr and ,\ uru: Pub/re fkoflt, und B~M/ktrru ;,s R•t ''<U AuN, IMO 1014 (Ph.D . Dr~rt t.tloo U oc Olltlorruo nntn R:ar-Nr.a. e 1~) ch;~pter ~.

LILA M. CAIMAKI 189

'orrectional House of the Capital for mate and female criminals. who were housed in separate wings of the building. according to thc regu­lations of 1855.7 In 1877. convicted mate prisoners \vere moved from thc Rt-sidencia to thc ncw Pcnitcntiary of Buenos A ires. which bccamc thc ational Pcn.itentiary aftcr the city bccame the official capital of thc country in 1880. Thc Residencta was renamed the Women·s Cor­rcctional Housc.

11le i n~titut ion· ncw charactcr Corccd thc admini tration of Juárcz Celman to providc an in(ra ·tructurc ·pc;cifically d igncd for a Ccmalc populat ion. Therc i· evidente that thc govcrnmcot wa~ rcluctant to follow the recommendatioo of a ·~iaJ commission that it hand ovcr the adminL tration of the pri on lO the Good hepherd: thc projcct ' a repeatedly postponed until Mini ter of Jwtice Posl'C finally gavc in to the combined pre. su re of the order ~nd vMiou inOucntial atholic women. Funhermore. these two group. had to litcrally force thcm­selves into the building. ejecting the public a uthori tic who hac.J until then run the institution. As the annat of the ordcr wouJd latcr ta te. "thc fortrcss was takcn:·~

'Wh~ dic.J a national govcmment so interested in controlling crime and limiling the power of thc Catholic hw·ch give up the task of rehabilitating the ·e crimina l to a rcligious ordcr'? Practical con ider­ations were impor t~nt in thi dcci ·ion. Evcryone agreed on th~ moral danger involved in lcaviog it to malc administration. This pri on needed a fe male tafC that was traint:d and willing to live with the inmates. Such a staff did not exist in thc ·tate bureaucracy or in other rcligaous orders. and it woutd take a long time to train one. Becau e thc li ed in convents- where they wcrc oftcn cluded in cell a nc.J

'J~ P~nnn .aoo HOfncto Mt\Ckro. Lo Aúmmúlfuclón Samron.? :r AriSt<'tiCifl P(,hl/(41 d~ lu (mdotl d~ Buenos AitV (Oucnos N re Kraft. 1910). Pbro. Mllnu 1 J. S:sngumell i. " Anlccedcntc.s de 1~ CáJUI ck MUJtfC:¡ 1.h: 8-u.n~ Aire• " R('VIftD Pmnl y P€nlu , l a11a (V. 19JD): Rodnlfo (~7:Uc7 Lebrero, " FI ,\~ilo ~ C~tc 1611 \k MuJ~o;r\!lo ck Otnnos Alfe Un proyecto do e.ir\!.el rdorm;atOrio paro~ 1:1 Améria UlhM, ' R~t"l~flJ l'~trl y l'~nittJrcwrut ( 11 , 194?): L3ds<~o Tbot. "BOSoQ\Ií:JO lub1óuc:o de lalo irulltucrone:s pcnatenaanas de La Reptlbhc:::l Ar&enrinn.'' R Q/,.tln 1M PatmtfD•'fJ dr• Rt•<lllldos • ubr•raúw (Apnl October llffl) 10-ll. . CariO> CÚileo. 1 a.' riJt l~s ( Ouenos Aire~: CCJ~tro E<Jjtor de ADWc~~t Latru. 1'171).

,. Wbco cbc ¡roup ROC to the bwldlll.g oC tbc Conecclon:ll l lous.e. rhe dutttor of tJw faaltty reflhcd to kt Lb~ uum 10. In .a c:onte ' t ol ~t confu~loo. M04het • so Asustín m;~n:~Jed to sn k in her nun nnd ~)' (ot tb~: Ol$hL Hdo:t che f.r.ct, Pt'\foe (l-ose to 6'\JPf)Ott tbc o:dcr. bcrn, 1:.1 Buen Pll.ltoT , '01. l . p. SOO Acoordio 10 Good !)bephe:d'" ~ura:\ che tdc:J~ 01 boochog tJw pn:;un to ti m eaur\! tu tbo: ~u,-cmmenc ,.,drrecdy, throu&h a ptous fem.tk or~nit:~lloo co OAbOOI at tt.ld bccn nrf$i.n ll} b.lll<h:ll. tlr.: SciftJfJ..\ dr las Wu ~flt dt ~,, FrancLSco SolDnrJ

190 Wuosr- CRt~TNALS ARE THE s.?

used to severc regulation. anc.J all kin() - of privalio~-oun~ wcre per­cei ed as naturally adapte<.l to a pt:nitentiary regime. Furthermore. their investiture gave them an aura of authority, vi -~-'~ both in mate and secular members of the staff. Finally. one should not overlook the fact that the state would only ha ve to provide a IOken u m of moncy­just enough to cover the esc;emial expen. es. Since lhe nun .. ought to avoid all outside tnterference, they ran the institution wi th the per on­ncl the ordcr it clf could provide-usua11y twenty to thirty people. Thu . the Correctional H ouse required of lhe national tate a fraction of tbe funds . pent on prisons or other correctional institutions for men."~

Of course. these practica! considerations were ~upported hy sorne fundamental a umpt ions on thc part of PQiitical lcadcn,. thc rno t obviou~ bcing that the admini tration of pri on for women did not justify an important inve tment of money and staff. a in the case of the

ational Penitentiary. Neither was it an area where it wa worth com· peting with the .hurch for the control of certain segments of society. as had been the case in the areas of education and civil law. After aH. women only accounted for 3 to 18 percent of total arrests.10 Rather than being feared, like maJe offendcr , most of thcsc womcn wcrc perceived as occa~ional criminal • victims of their own moral wcak· ne.c;ses. whicb were most likel tbe result of irrationalit · and lack of intelligence.11 Unlike male criminality. whicb requircd a wbolc ballcry of specialists and technical studics to undcrstand. fcmaJc criminality wns een prirnarily as a moral problem. one that could be addrcsscc.J adequatel}' by the resources that religion could offcr.l2 ucb idea may

"11-ü c:onclw•on bo..>ctla.e"oo"•ous "'bencompan:~g tbe budgct fOf tbc pruoo 10 ~IOn '-'Mh MY

Other conecttonaJ latrllty ror maJes. For ~nk•o¡t e~ornplc: ~o~:c:: Arc:h•vo Genc:r.LI ck la :-lact61• <he•oañc:t AGN), Mmi~eno de: J1mi<tJ e loS(rucción Pl.itoiiC'.l. l !S')S. u ;aJU 43. IZ~JX.'dlcntc JU

10 DoM~ Guy, "P~Jirurion .11nd fcm:alc: C"rimm:~hty in Duc:nOl> Airt>. l~7S.l9J7.'' 10 Lyman John<nn, c:d.. Tlt~ l'roh!ttr: of Ordtr in Chf»>gi~ txltrlts

11 1ñe ""~ ohhe 1de! of Lhc lotnn51C lllteUe-."t\\al and mor•l weo n c:M of wum~ tu ull't~m th.:u <rlmmal be~~iOf ~d bctn Pd'a~d ~y 1 omhro«~ :and ad<lp(c:d mofe: or le:~ expl•ctll)' b) "otfialll 1\r~ntmc: crimino~Qsy :~lthough none of thc: lta4to~ C11manolo~tsts dc\'CIQ9Cd rhc:sc thc:orid :my furthc!r Set, C. Lomb1'060 snd G Fern:ro, J.a Ftmt r rmur.tllr rr l a ptn.ltlrufr P:m), 11>96) lottreshn~). one ot rhc \'(f} fe'-' .1uth~ -.·ho w(luld l.¡¡tc:r di~ lhc: <¡Ut')laoo ftool a !~OIIJ'Int potnl ot VICW, ~Ared ~me of lh~e prc:mi!do: rehatn Khmpel, LA muja, tl dttao ~ '" W1.'1rJ~d (Bue~ Aire~ r:J .1\lc:nro 19JS). For .a dDtU)Won of tite hiS(Oncll cxplanallOI\~ of (c:m:alc: cnm< lo«. o. Kkll'l. "The tlolot ()( Femak Cnmc: A RC:\1CIIo' or thc: u lcnalU1é:." /J,YIA~

in Cnmmulu y .l (hU lC>7J). ·29-. Cor.1mnc Richr)' \ bnn rrm~Jit' Crune ami Dtlmqllt'II<J' (UruHntly. ;\ l.;l\;¡m;¡ The Univerwty of A l ma Prt • IYtl l).

l : 11 :.cems tnleroling 1 l tht tdta Of lbe U<;c Of reh~on :l\ iJ w:ay lO rdurm v.·oru.:n l":'UJlliLal!.

LILA M. ,AIMARI 191

also explain how the leaders of . ecular ization in thc: 1880s could tol­era te the religious practices of wonu.:n in tht;ir own ramilie : in thcir

iew. atho1ic1 m and the Church ~hould retreat from the public sphcrc, and be relegated lo the more innocuous areas of society.

Choo ·ing the Good Shcphcrd to rehabilitate marginal and crimmal womcn al o rc.:vcal thc wcight of gcndcr con idcrations in political dcci ion that could ha\'c an impact on the Argentine labor market. Although most of thc inmatcs wcrc cxtremely poor. it was e.xpecled that thc pri ·on wovkJ confine itsclf to corrccting the moral deviations that had allegcdly driven them to commit crimes. rather than train women to takt an active role in the modero arcas of the economy. as wa the ca. e at tht: a tional Penitcntiary. The Good 'hepherd did attach importance lo work. bvt thc naturc of tbc tasks thc inmate were givcn w~ limitcd: cwing. cmbroidcring. washing and ironing. In other worcb, tht:y werc providcd only with the skills nceded to find work a home workc or domcMic scrvants- an area in high demand in turn-of-the cemury 13ueno Aire , and repcatcdly mcntioned by the ordcr's authoritie a. the most likcly a nd uitablc labor ma rkct for their inmates. The ongoing con truction of thc facility itself limited these activitie~ even further, incc thcrc wa littlc spacc for workshop , and overcrowding wa. ofLen an ob tHdc to any typc o( work .

Dcl>pitc thc cnonnou. ideological gap bctween thc nuns of the Good Shcphcrd and most state Jeader , it . eems clear that both harcd this fundamental perception of the vocationAI po ·ibilitics of poor. mar· ginal women. ot only did su~c ivc govcrnmcnts insure the conti­nuity of thi tate of affatrs by not changing thc administration of the pri~on for cighty ycars. but the authoriti~ of th~ national Penitentiary S)'Stem (ormulatcd thc question along the ame linc a Mother ·an Agu tín. In 1911. thc commission charged with advi ing th govcrn­mcnt about eventual prison reforms mnde two rccommcndations con­cerning femalc facilities: a) tO keep WOU1CI1 ano girJs in separaLe wings of the (future) building for indicted women. whc;rc thcy would have enough land to acquirc gardening kili. and pace. to lcarn domestic

~ ) aoo prl.':knl In c:ounlnc~ likc Frnn« ..... llere critltioolu~·. ~~'Chiwry nd roedtane liad 81) cnormous tnlluence .n the pcrceplinn of cnme And wbuc ~~: .. 'UltmM~tron h;,IJ rcachod fcmale proun•m 1~; Ruth Harn ¡\furrll'rr QJfJ Mutlno'\' M4'tf~ernr Law ncJ S.X·uo· br llu fin thf f~dr (~" w Yurt: Odord ni,•e.·«il)' Prcs• 1 YSQ). p. 01. A )lud~· on thc role o! reh$JOUS. onJers ro Ftcocb fCJl)St.e pn!tOn~ ln a.~ude t an~lol . "L'ItllrO\htc\Juo dc-i ('()ll!ré !Ilion~ fémintne-1 <bn le ~~'$(~me pénicenuaite r~.;n 1819 1 " in hcque Pt crt. C'd" La priwm. le bGf"' rr 1 hlt,()ftt (P . .n>: Lt :.ame de$ Mtndteo< t 1). pp 129 o

192

ta k ; b) to m ove women to the t.emporarily vacant National Pri ·on. where indu rrial work hops--considered unncce ary for thi poputa­tion-would be demolic;hed ancl replaced with garclen, and ewing workshops rhat would ' 'provide approprisue occupSltion" for thl; e in­mate .. 11 In any ca. c. no onc cxpcctt;d thc Goc.xJ Sbcphcrd to force thc n~wly fa hionabl~ ~nitentiary techniqut:S on th~ inmates. Fr m the order· per pective. the ucces or failure o( thi enterpri e was mea­sured in the number of former convict. or abandoned minors who had gone on to hegin Christian families, ro take their first oommunion. or to be bapti7.ed and confirmed in their faith. More importantly: once CC.)JWcrted. thc~ woulcJ con titule a ourcc of rlcw rccruitmCJlt fo• thc order it elf. Such was the cas~ for al out 70 women between 1890 and 1923.14 The detailed . torie of exemplary case of conversion in prison. preserved in the annal of the congregation. al so give usa pro file o{ thc ideal ex-inrnate: a model of humility. subservience and kindness.

Thc in mates wcrc ubjcctcd toa routinc that consi tcd of a mixture of rel.igious observanccs. school instruction and manual work. Thc da y began with prayers. cleaning and tbc mass. Collowcd by first- anc.J l><;C­ond·gradc instruction for tho ·e who nccdcd it- lct u · k~~p in mind that many inmatc wcrc forcigncr . cvcral moral readings for the wholc community took place during thc day. intcn>persed betwe~n period of recreation. Thc day culminatcd wilh final praycn;. Rcligiow alues wcrc introduccd lo thc inmatc · through othcr ~el i ities: con­

fcssion. weekly catechism. prcacbiog. anoual piritual extrci e • etc.1$

Although thc federal govemmcnt upported the in titution throughout its existcncc, and though the repor of the Mother Superior to the Ministry of Ju ticc wcrc full of complaints ahout the hudget and the lack of staff. it soon bccamc clcar thHl nny ouL~ide help that might rcpresent an int~rfcrt:D(;(; in the nun • total control over the inmatcs was pcrceivcd al> a thrcat. 16 Thc order wa~ contpletely interposed be· twccn thc inmatc · and the bureaucracy of the national penitentiary

1 ' "hnU.teno lk Ju::¡hwa lmuu~"':túo 1'\lbh<:.ll. /'t (IJ r:tlu ~~~ Reformo C'.4llt'~!/Jrw. lnfnrm~ di" la ( omi,idn f:Yp«.iol (Hucoos Aucs: Talkre< Gr~Cico$ de: la Penitc:nci:uia Nxsu D&. 1913). I' P 6 1. 163.

' ' l<crn. F.l flum Portor. v. 111. p. 739. " l.sc:rn. 1:.'1 Hum PtJStor. v 111. p . .SI!ó *' Ibis was o bvtou•. for JOS(a.ncc . whc:n th: n~:-.':fp:spc:r LtJ Prtn'IU <.'Umplau~d ob<lutthe nl""gcr

lUnd.s 110d •taf· cbe S1.ltc: w;&.' 'olol lbn lo ¡nuv"Jc: tu tbc: Hoo~. Ob~tOU l)' f".:~rin~ :m out<idc: totcrvencion the Mother Supenor lmm.cdJat~ly wrote to tbc Mi.niSter CJiticlriny. tllc: inuccu~· of che :u1icle 3nd th nklo~ oatiOt'lal autbon ue tor thc:ir (l()Cll'!tkrAlioo to-.·~mJ ti~ o rdct . AG!':. \llolbteno de Ju¡.eici11 Culto. e lrutruoenóc1 PútJLcu. L~8~JO 4~. E1pcd 1'1"'-

Lll M . Ci\NI\RI 193

. y~tem. The school of the prbon, which had functioned a. the chapel when the building was run by the Jesuit . was di. manlled and returned to its old purpose. The teacher, hired and paid by the state. was im­medtately fired by the Mother Superior. who argued that "seriou.c: problems could aris.e by the intervemion of a tranger who cann t be as intcrc tcd in thc order and moralit ... of our inmates a ar~ tho e in chargc of the Hou e." The tate gave up the in. truction of prison~~. dclegating tbe direction and uppon of the chool to the order. ' 7 More­ovcr. until 1908 thc Correctional House did not have official regula­tion . and thc nuns followed interna! rules that were unknown to the tate burcaucracy. The state's ability to monitor wa thu reduccd to

routinc in pections by thc Depanment of Hygiene. the General ln­·pcction o{ Justicc. as well as thc daily visits or the phy ician who trcatcd thc inmatc~ Thc role of the Good Shepherd in the femate pri ·on l>~ ·tcm expande<.) furthcr when the government granted to the or<.Jcr the administrauon of another prison. the Asylum Sa11 Miguel. for thosc accu ·c.:d of lcss serious crimes (contraventoras). By the turn of thc ccntury, thc order controllcd thc en tire fcmale pri on ., tem of the city of Rucno · Aire Y'

11. lllr: ST,\lT- " !f) Fr\tAlF CRTMI ALTTY

A brief look at the profile of the inmat · of thc Hou e will help u to clanfy the impact of the ordcr' trcatmcnt of thc e womcn. as well as the dectston of sune leadcr to withdraw from thc task of rehabili­tallon of this population. A. Micbacl lgnaticU poinll> out. thc popula­tion of pri ons i not a good indicator or thc punitivc function of the tate or tbc real eriminality in a given ·ocicty-only a very small por­

tion of all erimes committed are actually puní ·hcd- but is rathe r a sign of whicb crimes and criminal are sdectcd to be punisbed. t<i A s we

17 1 ~m. U a,ur: PoMt.>l \ 111. p S~. ·~ In 1903. hnwewr. de.,UilCJ uon uf .tb\Jks ~g_uiUl pru.onen ol che: Corre"Jonal Hou.sc

IOteed the g<wcmment 10 uncicn.lke ~n ~:xbau~av~ uup.:cllvu ol th~ tn.1hlutioo. The ~quons ~me crom a nci·den 1 sroups.. ~ha had nc'~f bccn satutt .. ·d '"nh th~ :~moont ar pa'll'cr V"'" en lhe GONt hepherd. Thc n~ p:~pcr l.'/ S1glu publi~cd 01n unJclc addJc sed to t!lc Min•~tcr nf J u hc:c xcu "J rhc nun~ of m tu.~ pH)oncr~ work "'athout par. <ubJCC'IlnJ: them co crutJ pun· ubm~nb :t:Jd corrupcing minnr5 und.cr lbc .r 'UJl~hotOCI Nut •urpr1~1ny)y. che ntdc: ·~ked CM ~vctnmetll 10 fu 1~ ouru :~nd re a~umc elle ildmmmrtuoo 01 th~ IIIShtulil)n. fln.,.e\cr, thc­m.~pec:tioo-which illC'Jtadcd ull rv ' "'o; •1lb tbc mmulet-dld not rc,·caliH'I m ,or 1rttg.ubntiu • .lnd 1he 1nodent ~oold rem.'lin AOOllkr q.1uod\: m tbc w ¡s: bct,.ecn C';atholt<:S and anll-cl~uc.'ll ~fOUJlS. /bid .• 111, :! .

•• MJCh'l<'l l~ t rr. "H~unogr.lph.ic: CTitaque du sy~Cmc ~oltcntJ~Ite" '" J. l'eht , / .o pmrm fiP· 9· 17.

19-t W110. r CRIMINAl-~ ARf. T11r.~~?

:,hall scc. in this <.:a e thc profilc of thc population of pri intcrcsting indicator o( which criminal and crirnes were elcctcd to be puni hect in thi way, i.e., by ending , entenced and indicted womcn to prison. a opposed to other forms of puní. hment. Also, thc study of public policies toward this population will reveal to what extent thc pcrccplion nnd trcatmenr of fernale crimina liry by thc statc burcau­cracy rclicd on ;t ~umption~ deeply intluenced by traditional concep· tion · of gender, crime, and work. Thc objcct of this thcrapy of rcha­bilitation wa ao ext rcmely complex population. Surprisingly. con­"ictcd offender accounted for a minority of thc womcn üving in thc llou c. The majority of inmates consisted of women who had lx:cn indictcd and who. e trinls were pending. After Octobcr 1890 wbcn thc la:,t mate pri oner.> were cnt to othcr instirutions-growing num­bérs of mioor. were sent to thc Corrcctional Hou c. and thcy . oon becamc the majorily of the populauoo.2<l Vcry soon. thc numbcr of girl sent hy Jueces de Menores, the Courts. thc Policc and thc Wclfnre

c1cty cxceeded the capaci[)' of the institution. Thcrc wa an average of 225 mi non\ u. ing an infrastructurc intcndcd for 80. and man cnded up :,lccping on the noor. The Housc bccamc a hybrid between a cor­r<:.Ctional facality for crimjnals and a homc for abandoned girls. Be ides con ·uming m~ t of the budgct. thc prcscncc of thc lr~uer challenged thc correctional mi . ion of thc institution. sincc thc ra¡)id pace of arrivnl. and exits - sorne would sta for le · than a week bcfore bemg scnt to <t family-often prevented bcginning tb~ plaoned moral rcha­bilitation.2t

Tha divcrse population wa housed in a 200 ycar-old building which wa quite inappropriate for this purpose. both bt:~u e it was small and bccausc it forccd dangerous and non-dangcrou:, condcmned criminals lo li't•e witb innocent womcn and dclinqucnt or abandoned minors. Criminologh~ and penallawycrs dcmandcd thatthe state intervenc in

) unCIIl!)Z(), '~~>'hcn 11 new CIVlJ Cod.s.,., enacted. t~o<>me:O un6er '2l )'<:in uhJ """''"' WO idrr~d m1nor1 allhoogh thc: Peo:sl Code ~u bf¡q.cd mlj<,-iry al th.: ;as.: oc 1

:t Thc Goud Sbcpbl.'td bod rcct>l\\"d 1he minnr.t ~~ lh~u requc t. a.nd o~tltn~ rbc: ad11:« uf ti~ n.!ftn.mr~ 41~ M~I11Ht>S ro the Merul.ler. H(n•cvcr. tht COntt n· movement af y.trb '1'.1.) a OltlfOJ concem In JWI. l l'le Molhtr Supcríue u( Lhc Hou.se d(Qiicd lo ~dt a JOOSC oot tu r~múv~ ;;n) ~id\ withoul tl'le C'úiUC:IIl e>l IJ1~ 3dll\IOi lr:IIÍOf'l oilhe f'ri.Wn. 1 be ~\Crnrncol ' r<:1J)OIUC: ,.;¡ys Mmlt:lhing ~buut tbe rwt.'OfS ~\IHOVIlchn¡ thc Good Sht>phetd: tnnute~ ... ho "'C~ alrets.d) " wt·

rcctc:d" oooJd noc be k~ m the iru1ttuhuntu matee ·hcm •otlc in m:snwslt~ tll:u wc1e 8'"'"~ prof1llO tl)c 1 louM:: Lcuc:r ur l b< .Mltu~h.: r o( Jusucc to rht \llothtr Supowot tcproducc4 tn l10em, T./ flur.n /'u11Ur, \01, 11. p 2g7 Thc r~quc ~l of lht otdtr 10 bome .(!llls, and lht CJfiPO).IlJUC u( lh-.: Od~nsotc so f\G , Mamstcrio t.lc hntr~a. O..tto e lmtl'\lccióo PúbllQ, lb~5. Lo:6 •1JO \:

Lu M . CAtMARI 195

rim~ ror ~hic.'h F('mllll' lnmall~ \\\•re ·~nito Priscm (In l'erccniOJ,!C)•

.tO 35 30 25 20 15 10

5 0 ~~--r-----~--------~--

1900 t915 1932

O Theft or su&picion of theft

• Injuries

• lnfantlelde

• Abortion

•The chan.<. and table ancluded an thl.li "«tion ;¡re b sed oo tbc officittl rcport.<~ of th~· <'orrcc:lional House of Buenos Aires pubh hcd an: Ar¡l!nltue Rqnablic. Minisuy of Ju~t i e 3nd Public ln:oll'\l<:tion, Mcmorw. 1900,1915. 3Jld 1932

thi " brccding place for prostitutes,'' anc.J ~w in thls mixmg of women the mttin cxplanation of the high rate of n:cic.Jivism of female crinu­nnl :n ~1o -t of those who were serving sentcncc had comn11tted le e r crimc~ "gainst pcrsons or property ( theft. su~picion o{ thcft. and com­plicity in thdt accountcc.J for nearly 50 percent of thc ca ·cs. followed by injurie.l llesione.s)).2.l \Vomen accused of typic.:ally fcmalc crimes. such ru abortion or infanticide. repre ented only l lo 3 pcrcent of the cac;e .. As the following chart how . thc na ture of the crimes women were sent to priS()n for did not vary signific.a ntly ovcr time. M o t of t hese

» In ttl mmm• <r:ction th<- d.ln~r o( tLc bu1h.IU1! cnwtbhnK furcc:d 1hc ltO\'<:mment to l>J nd monev oo oorl!llr~Kiion. Thr: infonn11rioo u.sed 10 lll.> 'kC1aOn ·~ \.l~wn frcm thc ;~nnu:.l rcpons of the <'<'~11 \nrTC«IOrlllllk MUJ~•~~ in MinL~tc:rio de Jumc.a e lnstruoclón PalNic:a, MO'flltmo, 1$190 ~nd ' · ¡\ ocilo rnnt'('cinnol de Mlj~té~. Llbru dt: \' uwu ( IM/1«d0ff(t (10/1-1966}. 1'M rom plaant o( oul$idr: nbsc~-c:rc in Klimpcl. "('jrcdc~": von..cJiet. l..cbrcm 'F.I ASlk>"

:.' In «> Cás-: . thc: dll~if~C~Iioo of the auD( t.hat tlle anm te• ._..ere :~c~ed o: ha'I.D!. cnmmatteli 'll'ol\ ch;;n~cd O\C4 tb~ )'-:Sr:c. a.c:. inJtn~" roukl be da\idtd tnto tv.o dntrnct c.atc:¡o­rtb Thr: ~me: prnhlcm h;appencd lO th~ d~ •Ja:.:l..l prufcJ.'10il of l h<KC det&tncd. le tlk C~tc:gory "~r,lt!nta" t~r'r.l.nt) -..~ $0mccr~ rcpl e~ by "o1uc:snu" (m:~id). Thc c.lttgOC)' ....... thoo1 ('II'O(C<..1l00 'Wb SOli~III~S n.:pfaet'CJ t'ly, Or Oddcd 10. "dornt~hc ,.'Ork ," " 'hich $()(1)Cllfl).'S 0\ll"" it difficult to ltnow atx- t\SICl paopurllon ul c::sch Co'IIC:j!Ory

196

50

40

30

20

10

W HOSE CKL'-111'\AL) AKt TH.tst?

Professional Protile of Female lnmates (In Percontage)

0""'"""----------------- __,..-1900 1915 1932

:J Oomest:lc Servanf$

• Seamstressesllaundry Workera

• Prostltutes

O No Profeuion/Unapecífied Home Workera

• 01 er

womeo workcd in traditional {cmalc jobs- i.c.. cam ·trc e • laundry workers. and othcr unspecificd catcgoric" of homc workc~/4 Dome -tic . rvant.; (maid~. -.crvAnt • cook ) s.ho acc untcd for M importAn! pcrccntagc of thc pri on population. T he 0\'Cr-rcpr~nlation o{ thi · profe ~ion in thc prisons i~ not ~urpr~ing whcn one rccfllb that policc n:cord' how that mo ·t women arr~ted for theft were dome::,tic er­vantS, a profc ional category pcrccived by criminologi tS a onc of the mo. t "dangerou.o;. "7·~ Almo. t none of the inmate. wa~ cta. ified <U

indw trial worker. ll might scem surpri. ing that relatively few pro~ti ­tutes were . cnt to prison. Givcn thc l>tigma attached to th is profe. ion, which was legal until 1934, it i likely that th is figure unde r tate the numbcr of inmate, who actually practiced pro titution, as they may

.~ Th~ porul1111on o f dorm~h4lf}' "''Ofke n 1~ e\t n:mel~· h rll to tdcniJ() actUr.ald)·. bec.:lusc of lht: Wlclt-ar ckrmall<xl u! l~ar prufc~.:Jaunw ·~:tC\' uoo llm\:. ano.cll :u al ..... u "-llb t h.:u p.-r~ hom.: "'i>sk. ~~~~ lla,· catc¡;wy " v. tthuut psul\.',).ló~" umJou.bt~~J)' m.a>kc:d man' ol ~~ wuc· poned homc • 'Orkcn . ..., bll''<= grou~ Iba c.~IC(tO(Y v.11h thnt o( WU.))CCÍficd dome:stic v.ork en· On thc mc: thodolttj~JQI probkm1to 1tkntif)· anfon11.1l r~aw~ ,.,.~al ~urk~rs. )t:«-': ~ban:.l.l, 1 c~rme FCIJOO. " l. .. u lub.J¡~o:lllo portdi.b a Ct.llrucn:.I.O!> do..• ~·~lu", an J.)l..:b'U A:IUit). cd_ Mundu mlx»tet y ctt((tlfQ pupt•l:Jr · t.JtatdJOj dt Jlb!Otld so~{a/ A~nla"" (~UtOOJ Alrcs: Sudamcn :AIUI,

lWO), p ~1 Scc aleo: A<uncaóo ~vnn. Wnmm, ftntiJUfTtl cnd S« flll Chtr~~(c m At!(tnfma. CJut,, cr.d Um~tw:y (l.ancor., and London: llni\'CN1ty or ".:br.t.1k:s l":.:).."· 199.5), p. 72.

:J Buenn} Auc:~ tC\1~·). Hulclin de oUJdi•tk o.': dtfit~ m ~ncral: udctdio. ccdd~nre~ " ('()rttr4·

1<11Cff)ltt1 dfi~T as (19/4-19-U) CoiT1l'-10() J<Xé! R~. 'Profc:J.lOn~ rci~J!'Wl~S El )(:MCJO do mé~uc.-u." Arc.hi•·u~ de P'llqlllttlrl~t. C:nmvtlllu •fa y CrmciJ.l A,fu:t~· {VI. 19U7). '71

stor.org/ action/ showPu blication ?journaiC o de= americas

LtLA M. Ci\tMARt 1~7

ha e declared another profe ion. till, the figure are very low when we con ider the hundreru of pro. ti tute who were arre ted annually by the pohce on lesser charge . such as "public candar·. and the fact that state lea.ders perceived the.~e women a.(\ a threat to the moral standards of the cuy of Buenos Aires. Oesplte all the rhetoric about the danger that th e "bad womcn .. rcprc cntcd. pro titute d1d not cem to fit thc profile of the average inmatc of the Corrcctional House for Women. Thc paradox. ho' cver. is a superficial onc: if prostitutes sel­dom cmlcd up in pri~on it was not becauM! they were not percei\·ed as a thrc.at to ociety. On thc contrary. because they were seen a.~ posmg uch 3 thrcat. they werc bcmg clo ely monitored by thc state by means

of a battery of medical and policc control . lndecd. the ability to monitor had bccn preci cly onc of the main purpo es of the legaliza­tion of thc prof · ·-. ion.

The pro file of the in mates of the Correctional 1 fou~c m ay hclp u to situate the ~tate's lack of mtere.~t in their tran.;fonnntion in a broadcr contcxt: this population of domestic servant. , home work.cfb antl thc poor unemploycd wa al·o sgnored by Congr~ in tcrm · of lcgi lation to hmit the length of their work da y orto givc tht:m Sunday off. \\'hile thcir countcrparts m the industrial . ector- who were numerically much less important -were ' rongly percei ed A thc m t vulnerable cctor of fcmale workers and were granted these rights ·incc 1907. thc

more trJdJtional female professions would remain untlcrn;JX>rl(A.) and unprotccted for many year to come.zo

Another ob iOU.\ r~on for thc opcn indifference of the state ' a~ the relatively . mall numbcr of fcmalc convicts. a fact which seemcd to confirm well-accepted ide;¡ nb<lut women' le ·ser pro livit to commit crimes. The census of pr i~on. undcrtakcn by BaUvé in 1906 showed a population of 8.011 peoplc. of whom only 270 were women, most of them hou ed at the Corre<.:tional Housc of Buenos Aires.2' Howe\'er. a ccnsus i a particularly inaccuratc indicator of thc female pri on population beca~ e it ho' only thc numbcr of inmat at a givt!n momenl. Because of the nature of Lhe crimc thcy wcre accu ed of. most of the e criminals were concternned to ·hort tcrms. usually le s

=• On tiTe: m•c.pcrccptlon o( ft m lt ~~t oe l. '~'J'úl lcd •n offici;al oen'u' scc:. Morfa del e rm~n t-·~o .JOO. -Ls~ lrJ~:lJ:td(lr.L<." S¡:e nt,o· 116rtN Rtcn~. /tfuj't' • wr.J~eiun~~ d~ uda, de trabaJO \ $alud (Buenos A 1rt: Centro &hto: de A mellCol L,t inn. lQ93). p 14. Doona Ouy. · Lowcr ('IJ..~'

rmhc:" Women 8nd tbe L v. •n ' u\e htcnth Cc:ntur~ J\l'f.CntinJ ' Jw mal of f M itly HIJtoty 10:3 (fall 1%..5). pp. JIH-' 31.

r l: v~t, Ct:mU.ol.,p,ia, p. X

19

1900 1915 1932

Wuo E CRIMI. ALS ARE THES '/

PRI~ONP.RS AND MI~ORS AT THF ORRECTIO. AL HOU E OF

RtrF.NO.~ AIRE

Prt:.!Jru.•r) Mtn!Jr~'

A tlmru l<wu. F•ll5 Tr>l•t!•• Fttt:.

402 334 68 965 432 330 102 1 S7 501 412 9 1244 1267

- -- --- ---• 1 he: n!parl" <!o nu t mclu•.k tuU!I:< fm rmnon¡ hnw.ed 1n the in\tltUlJoo :11 .1 gJ\>en llmc:. '" Totíil ol pn:;onerS :,t the mom.:nt 01 lhe r~rort

than a year. The majority of them left the prison just a fcw months after arriving. Thus. the floating populaúon of thc prison was much larger than the number of residents at any one time: if in an average year thl.! offictal annual repon talked about 100 prisoners bcing housed. the reality' a that bct\vcen 400 and 500 womcn had pa cd throug,h the inst itution during that ycar.u In addition. thcsc numbcr did not include juvenile delinquents. who wcrc countcd with thc mi­nors. The figures of the floating population of the lattcr. who ap¡x;arco m the reports without having bccn assigned to categoric · (orphan • abandoned. delinquents. mentally di turbed, etc.). wcrc much higher: an average of 1.000 pcr ycar by 1900. with latcr pcaks closc to 2,000.2<>

By 1915, twenty-five years a(ter the Good Shcphcrd took. ovcr thc; in. titution. over 30.<XX> people (prisoners and minorl>) hao bt;cn houscd in the instimtion. Furthennore. other catcgorics of criminal wc:rt: be­ing ~ent to maller but equally overwhelmed institution : by 1923. over 38,000 contravemoras had bccn scnt to thc Asylum an Miguel, a l$0 administered by the Good Shcphcrd.

Thc prcmi ·e tiHH the J)Opulatlon of a prison is a lcss aocumte indi­c~ttor of real criminality than tt i a revealing sign of offtcial attitude toward criminality eem5> to be borne out by anothcr a ·pcct of th ftl te of female of(ende : records both of the penal and pcnitcntiary na­tional . y. tems of this period how an obvioul> rcluctancc of the Late to imprison women. The awful conditions of tbc Corrcctional liou e, as well n. the non-existence of fe maJe pri on · in m st provinces, led many

~ Atcordint coche: :mrul~ or thc: onJc:r. bct"-ecn lb90 a nd JY2) lhc Hoo<e rcoc:" 'Cd Ut6'29 prisone r'i ;md .>s,62.3 nunon. boem. fl Butn PtUfOI, vol 111. p 139 ~ rb<~ OgurtS arr IC(If'CCCnl<l T\VC: IIOIÍI 19.'1\. whcn .;rh yOun .:r lltSD lb) ' lth Old " 'CfC plo cd

10 tDr Pnfr ruuttn di ÚJ lr~fanria.

LILA ~t. CAIMA!tl 199

judges LO choo e either not to end thcsc condcmncd womcn to pri on. or to send rhem to serve their tcrms in othcr ··rcspcctablc ·· institution . frequently asylum run by religious orders.JO II thc House of Buenos Aires was full. which was often the case. women in thc provinces who were condemned to pri on had no place to ervc thcir lcrms. ancJ werc

ntcnccd ot hcrwi c. Record ccm to how that thcrc wcrc a many womcn condcmncd to prison as thcrc wcrc bcd availablc at thc or­rcctional Housc for Womcn in Buenos Aire ·. Be ·idcs. tbc co­habitation of prboncrs of all catcgorics incrcasccJ thc dangcr of cor­rupting primary dclinquent ·. Thc efficacy of kecping fe maJe crirninals away from pri on could be argued by a prc ·tigiou a criminologi t a Jo é lngeniero~ who. refcrring to widc prcad but hardly dangerou remate criminnlity, advi~ed emptying pri~on~ of womcn ·crving ·hort rerms, ince the .. woulct only he tnrget of corruption.1 ' Tiu; Penal

1

ode · nctioued in 1921 partially formalizw tbi · practicc. rticlc 10 tated that when a prison ~nt~ncc did not e cee<J i months, ''honest

women and people older than 60 or ick" could crvc thcir ·cntcnce · in their own how e . . 32 Thi law wa. par1 of a br ader tcndcncy to reduce prison penatries hy npplying the enlence of hou. e arre ·t whcn­ever possihle. Although the enforcement of thi ~ Article i · ·till to tx: tudied, it i clear that it reinforood thc tcndcncy to kccp non­

dangcrou criminals away from pri on . A n~w law ue~ling with pro­bation gavc furthcr legittmacy to thi. practice. Probation (condena condicional) consisted of the conditional . uspension of the ~nalty, a · long a · the criminal in question was a firs1 time offender an(l had becn ·entcnccd toa tcrm horter than two years." The use of probHlic>n in the ·entencing of women was widespread: hi torically. nearly 80 pcr-

'" AlthousJ'l lhcu: 1s u~o yc:t oo body o( cmpl1lC8.. wo:k on JUdia&l so.Jrct <Mt which ro rcly, .:XJ~llo~ u:~:uch dc.uly cunfH11\~ lhlli lcndcncy nuc: lO che 1 e of fiiCihliCS lll PIOVIIIC.SI pmo ns. many JUd ~~COl ()Of\\ 'IClCd WOntCII l O lht Corr~ horul lfOUJC: m nue~ Aires '\f 1 !\ o 7,

· Un.~ inllltccn dclicti '41 co como del amor > la se uahdW ( 1 tmtorio N:~cion:t d e l.:t P:tmp.l. ~~~1905):· in Kncdu:r ;a.nd Phnnia cd". J..n mJtttd, pp. l2~J2b. On the " def>O)thn .. o f'llo'Omc::n U\ I~IUIII\'e •n~lJ lUIIOIT> l-eC KniJm Rup,C'je ro. ··Wi\·~ on ·Dcp<»at' lJltCiútn~nt .l.nd tbc Prc:s crvauon o( Husband>' HoctOf in l..31e Ninclccnth C.entury RuenCK Aire<- .. Jwunul uf F(lmll)' llú tory 1 7-:'1 ( 1992), pp. 2."3·270

l fbl'o .Ugun\CI'Il .l¡1fl1!3rcd :¡(, f~ QOOCIUc..iOn Of hL~ fC\ iew Of .1 bool On (ctn.llc dehnqucncy 10

nplcs: ArdliWIS tú l 'slqmatrfD.. l .'Tinur.nlngUJ ~ Cmti'NJ( A{htl>\ (J. 1002) 100 ,z Thc PCflal Cock of 1 bb6 airead)' 1t1duded :s ~mil:tr pro\ i»nn •..-c.:lk or Slcl. ~o. 011001~.

p.:opl.: ol~r lh.ln f!l) .l'nd ~·omcn who v.~ré! condema.:d IQ •~•d "''Urk cQuld l-ef'~ uulder S~Cn­l ~ (art. 62). CI'Sdi~ 1'~11n/ d.· In Rrpuhlvn A~t'lltlfltt, t'IT '-rJ;tm 1a d<-stl~ d 1 de mJJr,o dt 1887 (Bueno AJees: t-el1.\ llsJOU.!.ne. 19'72). Jl· 11 6. Jnr~ 6c IR R\U, Cixlt~u Puwl Af'1¡'C'ntinu (Bu .:n o> r\ire": l.crncr Edicione • 1912). p 116: l..c!y no . 11 17'9, Códi¡o Pcnn) de lt1 K iOo ~OCIOO&do en 1921. m <.'Mr¡:n.< dr lo Rr{l:íbltro Ar>tt'tlfWl (Buer)()) Aun: Rudtigue.c (i tlo. l~) p. 3(16

' ' U) 11 I'N. C6die,o r cn:tl cie l;¡ K:~cióo \Anci .laJ I) en 1Y21. 111 Códcgt.u. A d•~~oo on

200 WHOSt::: CIUMI. AL~ AlU: THt:::~t:?

ccnt of womcn condemned to pri on erved their entences in this way. whilc only about 40 pcrccnt of mcn wcrc grantcd this privilcgc. •"

Hou e arre t sccmcd to be cspcciall_ wcll- uttcd to womcn. beca use it did not cntail cclu ion. con idcrcd particu1arly damaging for fcmalc sensibililies .. ~s ~fore imponantl ·. in this wa ' ' omen could continue to fulfiU their roles in their families. relieving the state or private chari­tablc in ·titution · (rom thc rcspon ·ibility of taking carc of abandoncd childrcn. Homc and family. and not prison . wcrc perccivcd a thc kcy in ·trumcnt by mean of wbich lo ·t and marginal criminal.. could be tnm formcd into r · · pcct~bl · womcn. lt wfls hy r ·turning womc;n to thcir hom~. <ind nol by Jocking thcm up in pri on ... thal tat · leadcr~ intendcd to control thc rcproduccion and lran (ormation of "danger­ou cla cs ...

lll. THF P TRO A rn nF. R r.oumA fi Y l. mr: RA !>AS A:--~ o n 11· O m:~ 110

OF \ VORK

lt i nol with lcwc. wilh kindnc -~ or w1th chari ty. that thmg; gct done . \Ve nccd intclligcncc. will. and a scientific orientation. There is always an cnd to cvcry road. omc ha"e chosen the ideal of the ex_piation of sin fui sout . ·or other . thc goal i thc adaptat ion of criminals Lo . ocial lifc. Pra}·cr for m ~ mandstory work for othc:r.; .• uch are the clc:ments of acti n."

BoletEn del Potronnto de J<erlmdas y Lrbt'rudtr~. Editorial. March 1935.

In o"·cmtx:r 1932, rhc prestigiou. penallawyer and criminologist Eu­sebio Gómcz took a group of fe mate . tudent to visit the Correctional Housc for \Vomcn.36 J Javing found the inmates in a sh cking tate of ncglcct, thcy decided lo create a Patronato of ccludcd and Rclca~cd Womcn (Parro11aJo de Recluida y Liberadas. or PRL). officialty found d m \lfay 1933.

probal oo tD Robcno PII"Y· UberUJd CCNldiC'ilNial ); Cund~m• C.()lldK'' O""' Ptn,(!'r()'f dr 1;-y • o.posic:()lr dt mumVJ1 (81t::ot>~ Auc> Talktc> Gtáli ~ rgrnlin<'lc; ctr r- J Rms.a y Ci3 .. 192<1). p. 1 •

" Argtnune R~bhc. ca-cu\11 d: EJ ,teJo y J'*1tci.1. R~ulr<J Nr.oclMt.Ú ele- Rtin rdt't•cfo ,. l-'$1adúN~J Cmtt MI r (orafnl"fa (192 ~nd .;;s.) •

• Thi~ ·'~ITntnl ~·~l aJ\.allC\..cl b) <..rulUJl 1 JOO e Anemio t<'lrcnO nnfnjn drl PalroTWtO clr RtV"Iuu!Ju y 1 rbrra.J(J.S (1. 00 l. 1~3J). p 1<>.

'" 11 ~ c)()t unrommoo (or LJ\ll>' prof<:~n~ co ·u~t ¡xrulcnt.:uy tu~ luhOJlS ~Ltb e cu ,;tucfcnloc:. A ILSl oi oll \ ' l"'torf; to the CCinecltun:sl 1 lu~c tU A>ak> Com.: tOO..:tl <k Mujer e~. Viriuu r 111 (/)('(! mnr . A long wilh Jur ~ 1:.. CoU. Qs~.-aJdo Ptn.cro nd JuRn P. Rameb. Eu).tbto Góc:n ·z w ooe o r lhc matO populattl'trs o f po-.itivi:-1 ¡xnall.sw :ti ti~ UtUY\..1)11. o. 8 001)06 ir~~ Ahel.udo Levo~i lltwma (/('/ dr:tfthn l'~m:l Al)(tntv;u ( Bucoo> Allc.s Perr04 197R) p. 2m.

LILA M. C.-\1\ti\JU 201

he gene 1 of this in tltutlon eem linked to change m the scien tific ficld. rather than to any particular deterioratton of the situation at thc orrcctional Hou ·c. which. in any ca c. had never in the past bccn a cau e ·nough lo atlntcl pubJic attcntion. By thc bcginning 1f thc 1930s. largc numbcrl> of women had access to professions such as law or medicine. although the mate populat10n was still ovcrwhelmmgly dominant. ror thc fir ·t time, therc cxi tcd a population which was both specificAIIy interc, tcd in womcn' · problcm ·• and traincd to takc sca­entific approache~ to the. e prohleml), u~ing intcllcctual kili acquircd at the Cniversity. Such wa\ thc pro(ilc of thc mcmbcrs of thc PRL. c!Xclu.sivcly run by J awyc~ or htw l>tudcnls. sorne of whom would go on to brilliant care::er . Certain m~mbc~ al o dcvclopcd clo e tie · wilh other organi7ation. dedicated to the legal protcction of women. such as the " Female Law Office" at the ational ouncil for \Vomcn. u he instatU(ion arose from within thc e tabli'ihment of penal law and crimi nology: Eusehio Ciómez him. elf wa. appointcd honorary prcsidcnt. and the member~ of thc PR bclongcd to all the most important profc sional a ocialionl>. ~nding de::h:gation to many congrcs es on tbe question.

Onc of the main purpose, of the PR wa to legitimare thc cicntific l>htdy of female crimmality. and 10 re-introduce it into thc política! debate. From the heginning. the "activ ·" mcmbcn> (about one hun­drcd) couJd oount on the support of thc mo l rccogniL.Cd penallawyers and cnmanologists, mo l of wh m bccamc " protector" membcrs and pubJi hcd articles in the bull~tin of the imtitution.- These 1ntellectual lcadcrs of the legal establi hment al participotcd in thc conference organized b • tbe PRL. where is~ue relating 10 fcmalc criminality and rchabilitation were dL~cu~sed . Ry visiting authoritics. scnding leuers to

' ' Al m~ Cinmr2 Pllz ~Who .,.Vtlkl ~·lb~: fn. ,,<J., nl or lh<: PRL lor milO\' rcars. V.'OU d 1 ter h •. 1 \<t

:; bnlhant dipl~tic cnreer. Aloog wub Lulcma lhttn~J JJ"Id Lucil:a d<: (irce.ono l....l\<it. ~e faueht COUJc,e) OCl"W o iDI:O lk.rocc: k ¡Qshauon . llllhc actooaJ CoullOI ro r W o men . Tclm.l Rcc.1 who WM O(ll An JtctÍ\ 'C tnCOJ~I of IIJ~ I)RL bcc:tU"i: ~e "'':! 001 a 141'01'\'Ct, but v.ho participatod in the :~divitie~ o f che Jruhtuhoo .. publulft:d oltcn .n Pfl!q l~11<o ~entiftt ¡oorn 1 on tbc úbJ~'d

oí j u, .:mle dclinquc:ncy. R~' ltf tlil Co~¡o dé Mujurr dt' ÚJ Rrpuhilr4l 1\t~(ll lt rw (JuJ~ · ~('(lt('mbl't 1~. XXXVIII, uu 133). p 23.

'-4 ;\ moog ti)C lcttct~ oí :~.UfJpull f11r thc: <.n;¡nfln of che PRL .,.,~, e tbcs~: ot Oodonuro 7.a,·.ahn, IX.w or Thc Lnw School Ol tbe UOI\ CC'lill~ (.'1( Hu~na-. Aire.'' Cion7ill(l Ro;( • Ou\.'t10r uf lb~ H«.pac•<> ck l:n Mcroedc:,. M d Profc or o f P5}-cb auy a t th e Mc:diiCll Sd!ool or rhc lí01vuw1 o! RueM~S 1\ue . LW> G.t11.ú. C.'btd or Pc>li~·c ol thc C'uy of Bueno Aue:s.. .md ArtcmJO M01cnC1, C riminal Jud~c Oll~ Catyof H~~ Am:~. A mf)n• 1~ v.t:n()n(llub uh .. d watb \1./l&.: -.:• wc:re thc fulur~ M.ani,.ter o r Ju<lk'c a.od Publ.tc IMtruction. Eduardo C"oll, ;¡!l~J the Ouc"'O• Ol fcnlil l ll.lli HH~. P.u A udJuu. n.a.

202 WHOSt:: CRJMINA LS AlU: TI IESE?

Congre . and panicipating in thc elaborauon of projec[S fo r new pri. ­on~. lhe PRL al o lricd to generate some con enstu in o fficial phe rel. ahotll lhc nced for changc in thc penitentiary policies for women.

Howcvcr. thc main purpo e of lbc organizalion was to wo rk directly witb thc .. losl '' and criminal womcn. These young lawyers and sludents want~d lo apply lo this complcx populalion lhe principies of crime prevcntion and rchabilitation prcscribed by modern criminology. rhe ·ame principie whosc apphcation they had studied and adnured in E uropcan and orth American prisons. In this huge task. rhc fi rst focu · of a ttcotion for the PRL would be tho e womcn who lcfl prison undcr thc nc w '}'stcm o( p~rolc . Thc Penal Codc o( 1921 had intro· duccd thi · ncw provision. anolhcr e!fon to individualize the e nforce mént of prison pcnaltics. Sincc the law giving parole to prisoners im· po ·cd a series o f condition . il wa nccc ·sa ry lO crea te an in ·titution that would makc surc that thcsc condilions wc rc rcspcctcd lQ Likc thc Pmronoro de Recluidos y Liberados (Cor meo). thc PRL wa · n priviHc cnlcrpri ·c. aod claimcd nol lO cxpcct anythiog from lhc ·tate o thcr thao cncourag~mcnl and ·omc vcry limitcd material b~lp. Th~rc wa a broad conscosu · lhat thc la ·k of mora lization and r<.:habiJita tion could not be accompli hed by the cate bureaucracy. and thal the term oí parolc wcre le" tra umalic for released convict if they were admini, ­tcrcd withoul lhc involvcmcot of thc policc. Thus. patrono/os had ~ p~rt ic.:uhu ·uHu ·: while lcc.:hnicJtlly the 'Hile gavc thcm liccn e to work outsidc thc p<.:nitcnliarics. thcy could not havt: accc~· lO the pri oner or havc any informalion about tbcm unlc · lbe, worked with Lhe~e in ' ti tution . In the ca e o f the PRL, thj forced it member. 10 be in con ·tanl contact wilh the order in charg.e of the administration of fcmalc prison . Thc de ·irc for independence that had led these orga-

N Thc tdc.l o( ¡ntnxf~:ons: parol~ in pciUII lt:'11nlauun w~ ,._.,~. oh.J. but rur Vll t tUu:. rco~c.. p~~ rormallttcmpu ha<liSJicd. h .nall . aruct 13 of tbc P~.:nal Co.k of 1922 introduced thL< po lblltt) fOt thosc convtcts who bad Krvcd a poJIJon of th<:ir flCI'\IIhy. The ru llcle ~liJKif;¡ ted tb:Jt the OOllVICt fCspccl thc folJOWIO~ cor>dJ tion~ 1) lO IC~Ik in th~ place dl.'l~t muu:d b} lh t• JU!lgt: 10

the documcnt of n:k~~e: 2) co ob:>::r"«: thl! :uJci> of an:.pccllon IIXcd 10 too Sa.tllC doc:umcot. e~rtcially thMc ronccrn1n"' ti)C lntcrdJCtton ot dnruang olcohot: 3) to lldopt n prof~~n or :m empiO)ment 1f oo otller means of ubtsistcncc ruc n\'ntloblc; 4) n<>t ca commit .any crimc> • .S) tu subj«t hiro•elfJhcr<clr to th<: carc of a PmrmtCJt>; Ley 11 119. <:<~lit~> ~rul do.;.~ t .. Nuctóo. ~andon11dn en 1921 in ('Mip.n.~. fl· .'lGñ Sc:e the dc:b:ne on p3r<>le tn J>.lt ty. I.Abu;acl Conthdc~~al rautH1a4/l.{ for Rcle&:.ed Men. "tlo~ porposc was 10 hclp fonncr pn)jOncr to r<:JOm w..'icty by l10dios tlturo ,obs and resourocs fOt thc firq d3)~ of freedam. v.cre trutituhnn' th!st I!XC:Slcd an a.JI cououlC~ t~r h~d :~dorreli r-unle nw: fi"c h11d b.:en ~:reated In Plllladclpbla (1776) rmd fmnc:.: (1819). In A~ntinll.. thc tltscl'a:rollltro dt Ubf,r.dM bnd bccn crc:¡,~tccJ in 191 in ;mt.ictpuleun of thc immroeot introducuon of che: <)'5tcm oC p~rok.

LILA M . 'AIMAKI 203

nization to eek a private status, combincd witb thcir tinks to thc ecde ia ticat and governmental authoritie . left them in an ill-defincd position. As we shall see. this ambivalence would be the cause of much friction.

Thc work of thc PRL with parolcd womcn would involvc not only control ovcr tbc tcrm:> of thc law. but would al:>o cntail both material and p ·ychologicaJ support. Once thc prisoncr was relea ·e d. thc PRL appointcd a visuadora ' bo would attcmpt to downplay thc rclation­·hip of "COntrollcr-controlled'' by making an cffort to gain thc tru ' l and affc.ction of thc cx-convict. Thi rclationship could manifcst itsclf matcrially (i.~. lending moncy or providing housing for tbc woman in qu~ ·tion during th~ fin>t day of frccxlom). In addition. thc ncwly n;Jea ·c:d women werc also immcdiatdy givcn medica! and psychologi­cal exam that would provkle information for individualiled trcatmcnt. Tile first task of the vi: itadf>ra was to makc sure that the woman had heen re-integrated into a fulfilling home lifc. hclicving that for womcn. • ·norm~l life tt lmo t ~lway mean · homc lifc."40 Thc most difficuJt task wa , howevcr, to find work ~ r thO:>c who n~dcd it. It wouJd tx.: difficult to exaggerate the importanct: that the PRL attachcd to work as a source of prevention and rehabilitation for criminal . an idea that was a direct result of their . upport of the pootulate of po itivi ·t crimi­nology.-=• 'llle ideal of thi. group wn~ to "lurn cAch pri ·on into a tradc school. using work a an element of puni hmcnt , di~ciplinc and rcform. insttlhng in prisoners the ha bit of hone. t acLivity which would givc hcr uscful lool in the truggle of life."42 Decause tbcy couJd see that rclcascd women almosl never found dignified job ·, thc lawycr · of thc PRL bcgan putting pressure on the Good • hephcrd to Jet thcm havc acccss to the inmates in order to teach them a skill:•' Hcrc. thc PRL had lO dcal with the well-known reluclance of th~ ordcr lo aJJow

.... Te lm:1 Rea, "Oircctiv.1~ pMa la Of(!..<\OJ7 :fÓtl de UJL3 éitc.-~ de :nuJeres...'' Rcn\l.o tk Cnnu· r.oltJIJ(.o. l ':.!quilttrÚl ., ,\frdir:inn l .r.p,cl (19\'i) 7'19

.. , In h1s wcU·known book l:.lmdioo Prni:rn.narm.r (Bueno~ Aire · T111lcr~ Grltli~~ d..> u PcmtenCI(tr1'a ·aciooal. IQ06). p. 3-1. EW<wu Oóm~1. :suw "b) rc¡tulnnns thoc ps)"Cbolos•col and org::,nic lile tlf inm.'ltc-t, v.'<lrk rerrro;ent\ rhc tl\051 unponeotu»:uu~n~ u0<nt tb"t an be: u.: ed m tbc Struule <>1 )()C1ety :.pini.l cnmc"; sec ;~l~ h~ nrriclc " Tc.lNJO C.lri.XIIll lu." Buk:ln tld I'RI. (1. 00 " ) p 11

-4.: llnnenq.1 Yu~dm .. f l P:\trOMto de Reduul:t,) y l.Jbcr:uJu~: · Bolct!r: (11. no . .1, March 1935). 2J

.. , Thc t>RL h d bed tbe mi ntion or p¡rl iQplltin~ in ·~ ln~IJuctton of thc IOmates lrllm th~ vc.-ry ~:In, wf'lich ulCpl ·~ tbl!' nunw P..slrunutu de Rulw 'ias )' LlNrlldO opposcd to Patrorwto dt' 1 .Jht-nufM.

204 WHOSF CRIMTNAI.S •\Rr Tm:sr'!

out, ide interference in their work: the Mother upenor Sor Maria del Sacramento ncver a11owcd the PRL into the Correctional llouse to work with the e oon to be relea cd inmatc . l or would ·he acccpt thc manual work that the PRL wanted to suppl ' the inmatcs witb.4 4 OC e ur~ e, the e long- tanding reservation. were in this case encouraged by tbc fact thal thc PRL wa compol)Cd of won1en who were foreign to the Catholic world. Altcrnativcly <tg_grcssivc or patcrmsli tic, thc [it-,t refereuce. of the. e students and lawyers to the work of thc Good Shcpbcn.l wcrc dccidedly negati\le: the ·•sweet nuns." totall}' "dissoci­ated from thc strcam of thc ccntury" could not ktt!p up with the needs of the umes.'' i\aturaJiy. thc obJcchon wcnt bcyond the Good hep­hcrd: ~a rule. the PRL wa agamst giving thc admini tration of pri ·­on · to mm ·, and i memher were quite vocal in tbeir vicw tbat rcli­gion wa not relevant to the ta. k of reforming and rehabilitaling crimi­nal ·. The empha,i. on the u. ele. sness of relig.¡on in the reform of womcn is cvcn more intere. ting when one recallC\ that these aniclc.s wcn; bcing publi 'hcd ata time ~ hen Argcntine society was cntcring a pbase o( "Catholit.ation" in educational and political culture. with a syrnbolic turning-point being the Euchari tic Congrcss of 1934. Not onl)' did the PRJ. avoid memioning the event. but that s¡imc ycar thcir bullctin published nrticles dealing with the advantagcs of cugcnc ic abortion. u ·ing the example of rhe Sovtel nion.to Naturally. thcir politc skcptici~m about the regenerauve powers of religjon barely di -gui ·cd (i trong anti -dcrical i m. undoubtedly pcrccivcd by thc nun of thc Good Shepherd. According 10 Eus~bio Gómcz. advi or and pro­tector of the PRL, religion was not onl · uselc~s in thc moral rcgcn­cration of pri. oncr. , it was also dangerous. becausc it tended to basc morality and r · ·pcct for aurhoriry only on religiou · grounds. not ci"il grounds. F r Gómez, reltgion was al o at thc root of hypocrit ical or fcarful pc~onalitie , and generatcd tbc ort of wcak nature. thar were more inclincd to commit crimes.4 '

44 A nli\ Gómt:Y. P~t. "C\m~~r,;:1Jldo evo Sor Mor~ dd S :T41memo, ' flnlr1i11 d~l rRI. {l. no l . Occemher 19l3\. Z.Uicma Br.t.n~ . • lnau~J,Ición de Ul\ll mlle'tr.a de lnb!IJO ru:~t..ud tll l3 e " Corrccelooal de MuJeres: Qqlrrl11 (l. no. 3. 0~1obcr 1934). S

•( Luci&a de G~orio L.;~. ·• Reeduc-.t~-.óll pzáctl""'l d..· l.,) hb\.nld $. Bol•·m1 {1 t>by 193~). 9 .. , JlHtl . 1, no 2 M;,)· 19:U p. :U. <>n th roocpuoo ot c~Dl tn u tm Amcnc:a. see '3ncy L..

tep311. The 1/our oJ l.'ufft"ÍCJ Ra<:t, G(lldV or:d ¡\ 'ut:on 11'1 l.DIIrl Amtrl<o lti131C41 C'«ncll Um\t:Nil' ' Pe"'». JOQI)

' ' (;()~1·., 'l<"'-"" on the ele re.>· <A ere no Mll~r: lh~ " p31 SliC~ of supcn.lltioo · we rc tolcr..1tt d onl)' hcc;¡u e C.ómc1 txpC((cd lbcU comp{ctc c :«anc.1"->IL l .sru.dit» Pf'nilrr.ccat t()), r -45. I n " :Aitt

' 'ida p. 215.

LILA 1. CAJ~fARl 205

For thc PRL. thc trcatmcnt of thc e womcn nccdcd to be in secular h~nd ·. just as it was for mcn.4

.. lf thi · was not pos ·iblc. (thc Jack of trained femalt: ta(f continucd to be a problt:m) i~titutions of reba­bilitatioo for womco ·bou1d éil ka ., be oirtcled by secular-minded pcoplc: nun · could participatc. a · long a thcy did ·o a · individual ·. and not a mcmbc of an ordcr capablc of re ·i ting thc in truction of thc ndministrntion:"" Acc rding to the PRL. thc cxi ting tcm vio­lated e .. ~ery principie of modero penal thoory. lndividmtl c.mforccment of penalti ~ was ignorCll: thc nun · wcrc complctcly ovcrwhclmcd by their ta k , and the movement of inmate wa ' O rapid that ther~ w ' no hope of familiari7ing them el ve with each ca c. In tcad of cndcav­oring to rehabilitare through indh~duaJ trcatmcnt. inmatc wcrc col­lectively suhjected to endle~, u. ele~. religiou-; ~peech~ thtH forc ·d them to see t he ir ca ime. in ter m. of ~in ;uld forgivcnc · • complctcly dissociated from the rcality around them.

The instruction given to the pri oners wa also qu~tionable: thc:: fir ·t and seoond grade el a e were tailored to teach ba ·ic notion · of rcad­ing and writing. aod did not include any of the practica! knowlcdge thcsc womcn would need in the future, such as dome ric economy. nutrition. hygiene. child care, etc."n ln order ro adct ~ome vnriety 10 thi · curriculum, thc P}{L donated nearly one hundred hooks covea ing cv­crything from world and national literature, Lo prae~ical books on cooking and hyg•cnc. a wcll as primary and econdary textbooks. No religious tcxt · wcrc includcd in this library. lronically, thi initiative givc u · ~n cxéimplc of thc PRL's inability to exert any influcncc on the e inmat~: when thcy tried to organize a reading come t to rnAkc ure the material wa bcing u cd. thc ~lother Superior ucce ~rully

oppo. ed the idea. arguing that it would be a so urce of jealousy and envy nmong inmAtc ·.

Of oll the PRI :. ohjcction to thc Corrcctional Hou e, the m t important involved the Jack of any kind of work di. cipline. Fir. t, 1 he absence of such work '' iolc.~tw thc Penal Code. which called for mnn-

01 Lct W l::C\!p in miod th:!l the rcf:UI:uioo-c rt)r che 'N(Umr\AI PN\tt ~llll Jy. I."Ult>Mkn:od lh(! mudc:l tnstitutioo foc thc re·CdUC"atJon ot m&l~ crimin11b. h.-Id nnt complc:tely cllmtn.lt~\1 r •JJ.&too. l1M!re wen: orftci.tl chnpi~IM wf'IO UlU~ht C holte rdlgiCKl .mcJ rnor~ educuhon. bul OOI> (or tbOlC WbO ssked ror rL. and lht\ grour (eemo; ro h:wc hcet1 -<mlll nd Ulu:nlhU>Jtl.)lic. All ochcr reh,oou propn~rtoda w banne<l HoJrtín dr la Dihlin:«o Ncdmral tlr C11ntuwl<1 •/{A y Cit'nciw A{ v:r,\ (1 . OC). l. Jul)· 1926). 1S

-'" T~lm.t Rea., ··nircctivAt pMo 1~ Olf,Afbt ct<Jcr ... ''

1 /:J<Jirt/n ( 11. no. 4 . M:treh 191S)

206 WHO E CRIMI. A ARE '1 HI.~Str/

datory work for a ll inmates flnct the ac.x:umulation of sorne moncy to help the prisoner aftcr 1hcir rclcasc. More imponantly: the PRL ob· jected bt:.cause thc lack of work was rcturning to society women who were ill-prepar~d t0 fcnd for th~m~lves, and thcrefore Jikcly to com­mit crime again. E erything con ·pi red again ·t work in this prison: the lack of pace for work. hop. , rhe lack of intcre ·t of tate authoritic in investing in an appropriate huilding. rhe non~coopcration of thc mm • rhe mixed narure of the f)()pulation of tbc io ·titution. cte.

Thc manual work lbc prisoncrs werc giveo was also the object of ·everc (."fi tici~m: at bcst. thc e women would become domestic ser vanb. E ven iC thcy had bcen propcrly trained for this purpose. the PRL had lrouble fi nding fa mili • · willing to acccpt them. de pite thc effons of thc ational Ocpartmcnt of Labor. whcrc formcr convict undcr thc control of thc PRL wcrc givcn priority in thc domcst ic serviec labor mar k el.

The demands of the PRL to build a new prison in the suburhs. with a scction for workshops, much like the Penitentiary. never received mueh interest from the authorities.' 1 Oesplte partial suocesses, at was clear that the work of the PRL had had limit d result . Thc impossi· bility of having any accc to thc inmatc . onc rcsult of thc ten ion with the nuns. was a maJor obstacle in tbeir work as a Patronato Bcsidcs. cven undcr more favorable condition~. thcir work with womcn on parole would havc little impact beca use thc short pcnaltit: · and thc high level of recidivt m made fcmale comrict ineligiblc for parolc. To maximize it influencc. the PRL extended it cn.·icc to othcr former com'icts and to tbcir farrulics . tiU. thc numbcr of pcoplc under thcir aegis rcmaincd limitcd.

Ay the end of the 1930s, it was clear that narionaJ state lcadcrs bad not altered rheir basic approach to the problem of the rehabilitation o! r~male crime. Furthermore. thei r policies were now imitatcd by thc go ernment of the Province of Buenos Aires, which in 1936 handcd the new female pri on of Olmos to the Good hcphcrd. Thc ob tacle

' 1 In 193 • howl!,~r. tht ~w Uutctor ot PCJ'IaJ l•m•tuuons. José M. Paz Aochorcnn hnltcd to tht! PRL )Uppó:tt d the oomtr\JCtlon 01 two -a'Ork~~ nt thc CorrecnoMI llou:cc. o nc ror tu...'dlo< 1\ICtll -a lll~ ,,nd an04htt fM non hindmg. Thir. rcp~cnt\ t.he fin.l 311t n lpt lO UaJO ll~ inmlltet' in joiK ochcr th:1n thcxc that ·we~ "'tnctly OOmc)t)C l l'IBI ;ame )'C<lr lhc Mimstc:r o( Ju ~ ttee. E. CoU. :mothcr :~uppoctt:r or th PRL. Íu\.81 docJCkd en rc:mO\'C PJ~ un\Jc:r 18 from the Hou . 1 • \1 1~ only rb()';C herii'CCn IR ~nd 22. In addihnn. l ht: >1:1 W..u re 'Ol.C\1 ltlc Good Sh~crrt·~ k-~1 ñ ht~ cwcr rhc~ •o11ng womtn.

II.A M. CAf'iARI 207

that tbe PRL met scem linked to tbe mi verccption o( itS young rnem­ber~ about thcir place in the )Cientific debate, as well a the dimen ion of thc problcm thcy werc dcaling with.

First, in order (O promote A dchatc on femnle criminality among ·pechtli ·ts. lhe PRL should have actively solicitcd thc regular parli<.,.;­pation of profcs ion al wornen in field~ ucb a mc!Uicinc and p ·ychia­try. The exclusive definiti n of thc in:-,titution as a lawyer's organiza­tion limited it vi ibility and kept the focu and the upport too de­pendent on the legal world.

&cond. and more importantly. it sccms clcar that thc PRL failcd to convt::>' il · vicw o( ft::malc criminality to statc lcadcrs and thc bureau­cracy of the penitentiary y tem. Despite all the thcorcticaJ and intci­Jectual ·upport found in official sphcrc . no national govcrnmcnt ·cerned to con ·idcr controlling thc rchabilitation of thcsc eriminaJs a pr'iority. For one thing: pri ·on · werc simply oot sccn as thc rigbt place for this rchabilitation. A · womcn. t b~; place of thcsc criminaJs was in the home. And i( they were ent to prison. it was not lo be traincd in a trade that could prepare them lO join the rank of tbe new indu ·trial working el a. s , hut to receive n.:ligious coun ·ding and lea m o me me­ni al work that would keep them Al homc. cithcr a domiciliary workcrs or dom~ tic , e rvants. The approach of ·1a tc authoritics to thc problcm o( female criminali ty ·ec:m · to httvc been deeply dctcrmincd by tradi tional ideas about gender, crime and work , rather than by positivisl criminologicaJ theory.' 2 Modem crirninotogical theory had providcd a framework for many change in the perccption of malc erimc and rehahilitation. Tilec¡e idea . • howc:vcr, had not bccn equally dcveloped e1ther to interpret female crimc or lO pr~<:..-ribc in detall how women criminals might be rehabilitatcd. Thi~ dilic.:rcncc; allhe thcoretieallevel wa cvc n more striking \ hen the e principie were cnforccd, cvcn aftcr thc PRL had generated a broad con eo u in the scientific com­munity about the need for sueh change. Thi gap i yct another re· rnindcr of the complexiry of any a<;se. ment of thc influcncc of scicncc on an official agenda. E ven where 1 he. e govcrnmcnts are supposed to havc bccn decply influenced by the !otCientiüc devclopmcnts of their time. thc u ·e of •·ncw ideas" in official initiative i · dctcrmincd by a eomplcx wcb of factors. Limited material re. o urce • combincd with

'12 E\cn a;oa 1 rdorotC I") 1tkc Bi.&Jcc Mas$é rcj...aed "10'(\-nen·~ pnrticipat)()n rn mdustr\', Ot even obj ccted lO the idcOl o f W()Jl)CD 'AOduag at u. Uonns ( j U)', .. Wamen. reon:~te nd fnd'u6tr&a1· J~t ion: Argcnll~. 1 10.19 1.$.'' lAJrm Amtl ('(In I<N~QrCh l<~''ltw (16. no. 3, 19Rl) M-&9.

20 Wuo r. RIMTNA AR THEse?

domimmt oonccption about gcodcr. crimc. and work sccm to ha ve con pircd again ·e applying che ncw <:riminological approach to thc que ·tion of female crimc. Indec:d. tht.: i · ·u e wa ~ placed at the bottom of the H t of prioritie of ub equent go emment . The project of rehabil i tation adv~nced by thc ood hcpherd was clo~er to . tate lcadcr's cxpcctation than it ·cerned al tir t glanoc, ~md it · mcager (jnanciAI dcmand madc it cvcn more auractjvc.

lt can al o he argued that the official indifference toward the prob­lem was madc possiblc by the fact that tbese women wcre not con ·id­cred a major threat to the project of the modern Argcntinc tate. The late and abrupt change in the official a ttitudc sccms linkcd to thc arrival of a new politically active population to thcsc prisons: in thc early 1970s, hundreds of yOlmg womcn accused of bcing aclivi~ls in suhversive polittcal movements flooded the prbons of thc Good Shcp­herd. In ju t a fcw year , most femalc corr«lional in titution were placed undcr the oontrol of thc tate .

. Merey Col/ege Ln M. CMMARI

Dobbs Ferry. ew York