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13 Women conveys the personal accounts of women in prison, spanning three decades and taking place in Canada, the United States and Brazil. Most of the women in these pages, as is true for the majority of imprisoned women, were incarcerated for offences related to drugs and theft. Several were involved in violent incidents. Three of the contributors - Betty Krawczyk, Ann Hansen and Christine Lamont — did time for political activities that received international media attention. Karlene Faith’s work as a long-time prisoners’ rights activist has given her deep insight into the politics of punishment. The commentary and reflections she and co-editor Anne Near contribute to the book raise provocative questions about personal accountability, the state’s uses and abuses of power, and the broad social challenges women face.