Sexuality and Prison. Emotional Despair and Restrained Desires

How do the 60,000 people incarcerated in France experience their sexuality? If it seems unthinkable today not to care for and feed prisoners, it will no doubt seem incomprehensible that the prison of the 21st century has not been able to integrate respect for the right to intimacy as an essential element of human dignity. The deprivation and control of sexual relations in prison represents an additional punishment for prisoners and their families, who feel the injustice of it all. An ambitious study was needed to go beyond stereotypes, particularly when it comes to prostitution, rape and homosexuality within prison walls. In prison, it's hard to avoid regression to a solitary, pornographic sexuality. Marital sexuality is furtive and humiliating, stolen from the gaze of prison guards. A general situation that runs counter to the State's stated ambitions in terms of rehabilitation and the fight against recidivism. This groundbreaking sociological document is also a fascinating human investigation. Sixty men and women detained in France were interviewed on a regular basis. Testimonies were gathered from several foreign countries. The author was also able to interview prison and medical-social staff. He then questions the nature and use of confinement, putting it into perspective with a justice system that is all too often misunderstood.