경찰서 여성전용 유치실의 인권 개선을 위한 정책과제

Abstract

In this study, we observe the following 4 plans for improving the conditions of detention houses for women based on the problems with the pilot operation of the same institutes at the national 5 police offices conducted by the National Police Agency since the last June, 2005. The four improvement plans are on (1) appointing and dividing the detention houses for women (2) the restroom conditions in those institutes; (3) their environments (4) securing and reinforcing the rights of inmates. The study aims to identify the political implications of these plans and suggest better approaches to relevant issues by conducting personal interview on the woman inmates at the detention houses in Sangju, Gyengsan and Gumi police offices in the jurisdiction of Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency in order to find out how those inmates perceive these plans. We reached following conclusions as a result of applying these procedures and methods. First, it might be desirable to add a number of prisons to the existing ones for the purpose of raising the current level of system divided between male and female to the next level differentiated between the detention houses for women, men, the disabled and youthful offenders the way administrated in advanced countries. In addition, we need to deploy guards to every detention house of the police station to protect female inmates partly in an effort to minimize their sexual embarrassments and dilemmas. Second, the facilities related with the restroom in detention institutes must be maintained clean for more thorough management; in addition, the installation, and consistent management and efficient use of etiquette bell in the restroom is estimated to be effective for minimizing the abashment of those inmates. Third, we need to check periodically the cooling and warming systems to be appropriately operated while securing enough windows to receive natural light facilitating a human-right-friendly lighting as well as ventilate the outside air into the houses; the floor spaces should be taken into consideration when supplementing the air purifiers or ventilation systems. Last, we urgently need to secure the budget to support those improvement tasks. The blankets, bed clothes, clothes for physical check-up, etc., must be washed regularly for continuous sanitary management. Besides, the systems including for training associated with the guards' duties of inmates need to be reinforced so that the guards respond to the female inmates who are fragile in the nature of gender compared to the male counterpart in a more amiable and friendly manner; the physical check-ups by woman police officers should be avoided in terms of any close examinations which have a high possibility to infringe the human right, rather enforcing cuticle or other simplified tests.