The notion of human rights gained importance and global acknowledgement largely during the past few decades. Perhaps it has been one of the most precious legacies of the contemporary human thought and has justifiably gained the attention of people worldwide. While there is an increasingly widespread concern for universal respect and observance of human rights, gross violations of norms in that regard continue unabated in almost all parts of the world. It seems that human dignity as the essence of human rights remains to being ignored or undermined despite an occasional vocal lip service to its value by the so called world leaders. While we hate to start this book on a pessimistic note, it is evident that violations of peoples human and well deserved rights continue to exist in todays so-called modern world at large. Studies after studies in social sciences keep recognizing facts about pervasive inequalities, and outright denials of the most basic economic, social, political and civil rights of humans on this planet. The challenge in this regard is global and embraces all of mankind, with minor and occasional exceptions in a few societies.

And then on top of that, how do we address human rights of people who are in prisons and have obviously lost basic rights and freedom? However, there seems to be consensus in both the social sciences and the public at large that despite the fact that criminals lose rights and freedom of movement being behind bars, they retain some dignity as human beings and deserve to be treated fairly and rationally as required by civilized laws, Although these laws and practices providing prisoners rights vary from country to country, there appears to be a general agreement that prisoners need to be protected and given a humane treatment by the prison authorities.

And then there is the issue whether we should be more careful in treating female prisoners or if they should be provided certain types of additional protection and care, such as provisions of special female needs and safeguards against any type of abuse. That does not mean that legal immunities or privileges could be based mainly on genders of prisoners. It is just that societies need to be relatively extra sensitive or careful in handling female prisoners.

The main objective of the present study is to analyze and assess the conditions pertaining to human rights of female prisoners in local jails and state prisons. It will attempt to identify issues concerning any possible violation of those rights in particular reference to India and the United States. Every country perhaps violates human rights of male and female prisoners in one way or another, but in certain cases the violation of human rights may be so pervasive that it requires attention. This study is an attempt to bring into focus the violation of human rights of women prisoners in significant ways as perceived and reported by female prisoners themselves. Studies like this may at least create a sense of awareness and moral consciousness of possible rights of female prisoners.....