- 6/2/2025
Maranhão is one of Brazil's poorest states, with a per capita family income of just $130 a month. Poverty and unemployment have led to widespread drug use and crime, with over five murders reported daily. The São Luís prison complex on the outskirts of the capital houses the region's most dangerous criminals. Among its nine facilities is a high-security women's prison with 300 inmates, most convicted of murder, robbery, or drug trafficking. Keitiane, 36, has spent 12 years in a 14-square-meter cell shared with eight women. Convicted of murder, she learned to read and write in prison and now works in the bakery, hoping to continue this profession after her release.
New inmate Maria Eduarda, a sales clerk accused of kidnapping, faces a daunting first-time prison experience. Though the law requires her case to be heard within 30 days, chronic court backlogs often mean months of waiting. The prison also has a wing for pregnant women and mothers with children under two, currently housing five women, all convicted of drug- or gang-related crimes. Gang activity also poses risks to officers like Bruna, 30, who has faced threats but remains committed to her job despite the dangers.
New inmate Maria Eduarda, a sales clerk accused of kidnapping, faces a daunting first-time prison experience. Though the law requires her case to be heard within 30 days, chronic court backlogs often mean months of waiting. The prison also has a wing for pregnant women and mothers with children under two, currently housing five women, all convicted of drug- or gang-related crimes. Gang activity also poses risks to officers like Bruna, 30, who has faced threats but remains committed to her job despite the dangers.
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TVTranscript
00:00A different world, which only the strongest endure.
00:11I'm afraid of dying in here.
00:15Zero tolerance.
00:20We're looking for knives and sharp objects.
00:25All this behind bars.
00:30Gangs.
00:34Violence.
00:38Drugs.
00:42Harassment.
00:50A daily survival of the fittest.
00:55In the toughest prisons in the world.
01:00Brazil, the fifth largest country in the world.
01:04The South American nation is on its way to becoming one of the strongest economies.
01:10But at the same time, it has one of the highest crime rates in the world.
01:14More than 800,000 people are behind bars in Brazil.
01:24The state of Maranhão is located in the northeast of the country.
01:26It is slightly smaller than Germany.
01:28Some seven million people call it home.
01:30Maranhão is one of the poorest federal states.
01:34The per capita family income is the lowest in Brazil.
01:38The equivalent of just $130 per month.
01:42As a result, many take refuge from poverty and unemployment in drugs and crime.
01:50More than five murders take place in Maranhão every day.
01:54The most dangerous criminals end up here.
01:58In the Zao Luiz prison complex on the outskirts of the capital.
02:04The complex consists of nine different prisons.
02:07One of which is solely for women.
02:10Three hundred female criminals are serving their sentences here under the highest security measures.
02:19Most of them are here for crimes like murder, robbery or drug trafficking.
02:28Six o'clock in the morning, the prison is slowly coming to life.
02:33It's the start of the shift for guard Cassia and her colleagues.
02:39Everyone who enters the prison is thoroughly checked beforehand, including the guards.
02:45Absolutely no one should have the chance to smuggle drugs or weapons into the prison.
02:51I hope today goes without incident.
02:55That everything is calm and that there are no problems.
02:58Because you always have to expect them here.
03:02In addition to the metal detector, everyone must go through the body scanner,
03:09which detects weapons, drugs, liquids and even SIM cards.
03:15While men work at the security checkpoint, the guards inside the prison are all women.
03:22For security reasons, Cassia only puts on her uniform inside.
03:27Police and correction officers and court officials are popular targets with the gangs.
03:36The São Luís Women's Prison is part of a gigantic prison complex with a total of nearly 4,000 inmates.
03:44The women's prison has two main wings, each with 17 regular cells and 6 isolation cells.
03:54One wing is for sentence prisoners, the other for remand prisoners.
04:00Each wing has its own outdoor area for walks around the yard.
04:05There is also a special wing for pregnant women and mothers with children.
04:15Adjacent to it are a bakery, a sewing shop and a computer center where the prisoners work.
04:22A new day of duty begins for the day shift. The first stop is the armory.
04:36Bulletproof vests and CF gas are mandatory for everyone.
04:41After all, the majority of inmates are serving time for a violent crime.
04:46I've been working here in the prison for 10 months. So far, I've never had to use the gas.
04:51I try to talk first and solve problems that way.
04:58However, there is no assurance that this tactic always works.
05:0425 female guards are responsible for 300 inmates here.
05:09Cassia and her colleagues now have 12 hours of duty ahead of them.
05:14In the cell wings, prisoners are served breakfast under supervision.
05:20Dry bread rolls and black coffee. That's all there is.
05:25They eat in their cells.
05:27For security reasons, not even the doors are open for distribution.
05:32Before the first prisoners are allowed to leave their cells, the guards systematically search the inner courtyard.
05:53We check everything, every day. The courtyard, the classrooms, and the cell for inmate visits.
06:03The first thing the inmates do when they come into these areas is look and see if something illegal is hidden here.
06:09The guards look for anything that can be used as a weapon, drugs, but also notes with messages.
06:19Because in the worst case scenario, they could be used to incite a riot.
06:25The yard is clean.
06:28Next up is the classroom.
06:33Many of the inmates have never attended school and only learned to read and write here in prison.
06:39Apart from a pencil, the guards can't find anything here either.
06:46First, the prisoners who have a job go to their workplace.
06:50Some work in the sewing room.
06:52There are some who process data, and then there's the bakery.
06:56The prisoners from the bakery are the first to go to work.
07:00Eight to nine women share one cell.
07:09The cells are just 14 square meters in size.
07:14The cramped conditions provide plenty of potential for conflict.
07:21There is only one wash basin, as well as one shower and one toilet for nine prisoners.
07:39Using very simple means, inmates try to make the dreary cell at least a little home-like.
07:47Even the view from the small window is depressing.
07:50Inmates see nothing but the neighboring prison.
07:53For 36-year-old Keitiane, this has been everyday life for 12 years.
07:59The former prostitute was convicted of murder.
08:03I have adapted.
08:05You learn to live with all kinds of people here.
08:08You don't know where they come from, what their character is like.
08:12But you inevitably learn to live with them and to seek the positive in them.
08:17We are like a brotherhood here.
08:20We were nine women.
08:22One has recently been made redundant.
08:24Now there are only eight of us left.
08:27If one of us is unwell, the others are there for her.
08:32Privacy is non-existent here.
08:35The women keep their few belongings above their beds.
08:39Disputes mean trouble for everyone.
08:42Keitiane and her cellmates have developed some solid rules.
08:47In the bathroom, for example, priority is given to those who are working, whether brushing teeth, showering or going to the toilet.
08:56The same applies if you want to freshen up after work.
08:59There are three of us who go to work in the morning.
09:02So we're the first ones in the bathroom.
09:05Since I wake up early, I shower first.
09:08Vajirine comes after me.
09:10Pollyanna is always the last to shower because she's the slowest of us all.
09:13Then the others get a turn.
09:15That's how we organize ourselves here in the cell.
09:17Ketyiane works in the prison bakery.
09:23She goes to work every day at seven in the morning.
09:27Those who work either earn around 150 euros a month or can reduce their sentence through their job.
09:34The prison tries to give the inmates as many training opportunities as possible.
09:40Without training, they almost inevitably slip back into crime after prison.
09:51The bakery supplies all nine prisons in the complex with baked goods.
09:56Inmates bake more than 20,000 rolls, snacks and cakes every day.
10:02This is my workplace.
10:07I'll put on my apron and get started.
10:10I have everything I need right here.
10:16Ketyiane is responsible for the cakes.
10:19She learned to bake in prison.
10:22Before, she used to work as a prostitute to finance her drug addiction.
10:27The job is a chance for me.
10:33I get a lot of opportunities in here.
10:36In the beginning, I was a very rebellious inmate.
10:39I caused a lot of trouble.
10:41But today, thank God, it's different.
10:43I know that if I mess up, I'm only hurting myself.
10:46Then I'll have to spend even more time in here.
10:49And that means I'll be separated from my children even longer.
10:54Thanks to good behavior, Ketyane could soon be released.
10:58I'm thinking about starting a small business from home.
11:07I'll make breakfasts and snacks there and sell them as a takeaway.
11:11I'll also apply for a job at a bakery, depending on what job offerings there are.
11:17The problem is, when we apply for a job, we have a very hard time.
11:22People don't trust us.
11:27A vicious cycle.
11:29Without a job, drug dealing or prostitution are often the only way for many former prisoners to make a living.
11:41I love my work.
11:42Now I'm about to make new cakes.
11:45But first, it's time for a break.
11:47There are sweet rolls from the day before and coffee with milk.
11:51A little added advantage of the prison job.
11:56Fortunately, we can eat things that those who don't work can't.
12:01It adds a bit of variety.
12:03Sometimes I can even fry myself an egg or something.
12:08Ketyane stays at the bakery until the afternoon.
12:15Every month, 10 to 15 new inmates from all over the state arrive at the prison.
12:28They are first registered, like Maria Eduarda.
12:33Do you belong to a gang?
12:34No.
12:38Got your hygiene package?
12:39Yes.
12:40This is Maria Eduarda's first time in prison.
12:45It's a frightening situation for the sales clerk.
12:51I'm afraid of dying in here.
12:54Maria Eduarda is in custody because the police accuse her of being involved in a kidnapping.
13:03However, she denies the accusations.
13:06I was only accused because of my SIM card.
13:12I'd lost it.
13:14The kidnappers found it and used it.
13:17The police traced the chip to me.
13:21They then came to my house with an arrest warrant.
13:24A judge will decide whether she is guilty or not.
13:28Here in prison, she is treated like all the other inmates.
13:34This way.
13:36You have to walk along the side there.
13:39And over there if you're going in the other direction.
13:42Strict rules and monotony now govern Maria Eduarda's everyday life.
13:48According to the law, her case must be brought to court in 30 days at the latest.
13:53But in reality, prisoners often wait several months.
14:00This is because the courts are chronically backlogged.
14:04All newcomers are initially placed in an isolation cell until their admission procedure has been completed.
14:15The cell is small and shabby, but at least it offers some privacy.
14:26Maria Eduarda doesn't see it that way.
14:30Her thoughts are with her family.
14:32I miss my son. He's only two years old.
14:41And all because they arrested me for something I didn't do.
14:48If she is found guilty, she faces up to ten years in prison.
14:54Escape from this prison is virtually impossible.
15:03Two five-meter-high fences surround the entire prison.
15:08Barbed wire prevents anyone from attempting to climb over the fences.
15:12Several heavily armed guards secure the entrance area.
15:23And there are surveillance cameras in every corner of the prison.
15:29The guards keep an eye on the cameras around the clock from a central monitoring room.
15:34Much like in an airport tower, the guards take turns every few hours so that they are always fully focused on their task.
15:48We look for anything that is illegal and watch for quarrels and fights.
15:54Some prisoners are also mentally unstable and go crazy.
16:03We also look for drugs and objects that can be used as weapons.
16:09Video surveillance enables the guards to detect disputes and disturbances before they become dangerous.
16:16However, there is one thing that guard Samia has yet to experience.
16:19I haven't seen an escape attempt since I've been here.
16:28Our biggest problems come from prisoners who are disturbed.
16:33Or quarrels and fights among the women.
16:37And the trade of illicit goods.
16:42Then Samia discovers something suspicious.
16:45In a waiting cell, three women are behaving strangely.
16:54They're up to something here.
16:56They whisper and look around to see if anyone is coming.
17:01That kind of thing is highly suspicious.
17:04Copy, P3.
17:10P3?
17:12Bruna, what's going on in the waiting room?
17:17Everything looks okay.
17:19Because they're moving around.
17:21The one with the long hair.
17:25I think that was because one inmate was leaving.
17:28That's how it works.
17:29It was a false alarm this time, but things can get serious at any moment.
17:42In addition to the cameras, another security measure is the locking system.
17:46The doors to the corridors and cells can only be opened from the second floor.
17:53This reduces contact between guards and inmates to a minimum.
17:58And prevents the guards from being attacked.
18:01It's yard time.
18:04The women are allowed out into the courtyard and leave their cramped cells for three hours a day.
18:14But first, they are strip searched.
18:17For the prisoners, this means stripping down in front of the guards.
18:21We're looking for anything that could be used to hurt themselves.
18:28Be it a razor or other sharp objects.
18:32Sometimes, we also find drugs or messages.
18:36If we find anything like that, it is immediately confiscated.
18:41The greatest danger is when a prisoner manages to smuggle a knife or sharp object into the yard.
18:48It can end in a bloodbath.
18:58Only those who are clean are allowed outside.
19:07In the yard, prisoners are also closely monitored.
19:10Many of the women used to belong to rival gangs.
19:15And not all have abandoned them while doing their time in prison.
19:1842-year-old Giovanni used to be a gang leader.
19:25She has been sentenced to almost 30 years in prison for human trafficking and murder.
19:31My criminal career began when I was just 12 years old.
19:37I did a lot of things in my life that I absolutely detest.
19:41I was a gang leader.
19:42I was a gang leader.
19:43I commanded a whole army of men.
19:44And then I gradually climbed up the gang hierarchy.
19:45And then I gradually climbed up the gang hierarchy.
19:46I was a gang leader.
19:47I commanded a whole army of men.
19:48And then I gradually climbed up the gang hierarchy.
19:52While in prison, she has turned away from the gang and embraced her faith in God.
19:53A phenomenon that can often be observed.
19:55Faith is not a gang leader.
19:56I did a lot of things in my life.
19:57I did a lot of things in my life that I absolutely detest.
19:58I was a gang leader.
19:59I was a gang leader.
20:00I commanded a whole army of men.
20:01And then I gradually climbed up the gang hierarchy.
20:02While in prison, she has turned away from the gang and embraced her faith in God.
20:18A phenomenon that can often be observed.
20:21Faith in God gives prisoners stability and support.
20:25Crime finances your dreams, but in the end, it comes at a very high price.
20:33That price was extremely high for me.
20:35I paid for it with my son, who had nothing to do with it.
20:38He was not a criminal.
20:40My enemies took revenge on my son, and I have carried this pain with me ever since.
20:44But God has helped me and has comforted me.
20:49So, yes.
20:50Giovanni had been in custody for just a few days when her son was shot and killed.
20:57Presumably, an act of revenge against her.
21:00The perpetrator is still at large today.
21:07While the women enjoy the sun and fresh air, inside, Cassia and her colleagues set off
21:13to search the cells.
21:15Thorough cell searchers are conducted every day during yard time.
21:221-8 to 12, okay?
21:24The rules at the prison are strict.
21:27Hygiene articles, books, letters, photos, cigarettes, and prison clothing.
21:33The women are not allowed to own anything else.
21:37We look for anything that is not allowed.
21:41Drugs, of course, or objects that can be used as weapons.
21:46We check to see if they possess clothes that don't comply with the rules.
21:51This also applies to underwear.
21:54We also collect any surplus, bread, and check if someone has accumulated a lot of sweets.
22:00That way, the food can't be used for bartering.
22:04Here, there is no privacy. Guards scrutinize every corner of the cell.
22:11The cleanup has to be done by the inmates themselves.
22:15That way, they are well aware that their bed and belongings have been searched.
22:20It acts as a deterrence measure.
22:23Cell 12 is clean.
22:32At least two guards always carry out the search.
22:35This prevents anyone from later claiming that a guard planted something on them.
22:42In the next cell, Cassia discovers something suspicious under a mattress.
22:57They tear up their clothes and use the strings as clotheslines.
23:03We collect them because that's not allowed.
23:08Some prisoners also use it to tie things, too.
23:12They then throw the whole thing through the window to the next cell as a kind of postal service.
23:18That's how they exchange messages and other things.
23:22The home-made mail system is confiscated.
23:30Cassia and her colleagues now search this cell even more thoroughly than before.
23:35But, apart from the cord, they find nothing else.
23:56After an hour, the inspection is over.
23:59Cassia enters her find in the log.
24:03At least in this respect, inmates usually stick to the rules.
24:08Of course it happens, but we very rarely find anything, especially things like knives or other weapons.
24:15This is primarily due to the fact that we search the cells every day, and the inmates know that.
24:22Punishment ranges from a warning to 30 days in solitary confinement, depending on what is found.
24:33They get these sweets every day.
24:37Some collect them instead of eating them and hide them in their cell.
24:41They then use the sweets for bartering, like a currency.
24:45That is forbidden.
24:47That's why we collect them.
24:51This time, the owner gets away with just a warning.
24:58Guard Bruna's next task is guard duty.
25:02They take turns with all the different tasks.
25:05That way, there is no monotony, and it also makes them more attentive.
25:10Bruna is on duty at the sewing room.
25:13We watch the prisoners during guard duty, especially when they walk around.
25:30They have scissors and tweezers, which could be used to hurt each other.
25:37Recently, we had a fight here in the sewing room.
25:40I walk back and forth between the windows and watch what they do.
25:43Normally, that's enough to avoid a conflict.
25:47I'm responsible for this area and the workshop over there.
25:58The prison complex used to be notorious for bloody clashes and riots.
26:02Although this has since changed, it can still happen again at any time.
26:07I fully realize that one day I will have to shoot it at someone.
26:14I'm well prepared, because we train for exactly this kind of situation.
26:19I've had two courses in the last three months.
26:24The training includes shooting and also learning how to deal with critical situations.
26:31It's part of the job.
26:36Fortunately, things don't appear to be so critical today.
26:45It's lunchtime.
26:46The prison does not have its own kitchen.
26:49The food for the 300 inmates is outsourced, supplied by an off-site catering company.
26:57Like everything else, the guards x-ray the food.
27:01Again and again, gangs or relatives try to use the food delivery service as a smuggling channel.
27:14We mainly search for electronic devices, such as cell phones and for drugs.
27:20In prison, both are extremely valuable.
27:23Prisoners are prepared to pay several hundred dollars for a cheap cell phone.
27:27This is because it can be used to sell drugs and manage gang activities outside prison.
27:36These items are displayed here with a higher density because they have properties that distinguish them from organic substances.
27:45By organic, I mean food.
27:48The device can tell if there are drugs or electronics hidden in the food.
27:53Everything that is not food then appears much more prominently on the screen.
28:02As soon as the food has been thoroughly checked, it is distributed to the cell wings.
28:08This task is also done by the prisoners.
28:15Everyone gets the same.
28:18If you don't like it, it's just tough luck.
28:21Your name?
28:36Maria Eduarda.
28:42There is rice with beans and chicken.
28:48Maria Eduarda has to eat standing up.
28:51There are neither chairs nor a table.
28:54It tastes pretty good.
29:00But she's not really hungry.
29:03I feel terrible.
29:12This is an agonizing situation for me.
29:14I never thought I would end up here.
29:16That I would end up in prison.
29:18But unfortunately, that's how it is.
29:21There's nothing I can do about it right now.
29:28Most of her food remains untouched.
29:31Maria Eduarda shares the quarantine cell with another newcomer.
29:40We lie down.
29:42We read the things on the wall.
29:44Talk and try to clean up a bit.
29:48The walls are full of the worries and thoughts of many other prisoners.
29:53The hygienic conditions are a challenge for the prison newcomer.
29:57If one of us has to go to the toilet, the other goes out into the yard and closes the door.
30:04Sometimes we will go for a pee when the other one is inside.
30:08Sometimes there's just no other way.
30:10But even more worrying than being locked up and the hygienic conditions is the concern for her child.
30:19I have a two-year-old son and he needs me.
30:23I've already been away for a few days.
30:26I'm a single parent.
30:28I don't know at all where he is.
30:30My mother is working.
30:32My father is working.
30:33My sister is studying.
30:35They look after him, but not like I did.
30:37The worst thing, the thing that hurts the most, is that I'm innocent.
30:41But they arrested me anyway.
30:46It is uncertain when she will be able to be there for her son again.
30:54The prison has a separate wing for pregnant women and inmates with children.
30:59There, they are protected from attacks.
31:03The children are allowed to stay with their mothers until they are two years old.
31:08Five such women are currently imprisoned here.
31:11But not all of them want to reveal their fate.
31:20Inmate Denise had her baby in prison.
31:23She's in a gang and has been charged with murder.
31:29It's not easy to look after a baby in prison when you're locked up.
31:34Everything is much more complicated here than on the outside.
31:38We are very dependent on help from others, from strangers.
31:43We rely on churches to help us.
31:47Fortunately, these church organizations exist.
31:50Baby clothes, diapers, toys.
31:54The women are completely dependent on donations.
31:58The wing is much more comfortable and friendlier than the normal cells.
32:03For the sake of the children, it should appear unlike prison as possible.
32:08Denise has three other children.
32:10It's already her fourth time behind bars.
32:13Her husband is also in prison.
32:16I think about changing my life when I get out.
32:18Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't because I'm innocent.
32:22But so far I have no way of proving it.
32:25I have evidence but it's not enough.
32:27The justice system here is extremely slow.
32:30We're trying to fight it but it's not working.
32:33I started my previous prison sentences quietly because I knew I was arrested for the crime I committed.
32:38Now I'm in prison for something I didn't do.
32:40Nevertheless, I often think about a change for the sake of my four children.
32:49If the judge finds her guilty, she faces up to 20 years in prison.
32:54If I don't get out, if I'm actually convicted, I'll send him to his paternal grandmother when he's two.
33:05Until then he can stay with me.
33:08He'll live with his grandmother until I've served my sentence.
33:10I feel guilty.
33:13Her fellow inmate Fernanda has been sentenced to five years for drug trafficking.
33:19She only found out she was pregnant a few days before her arrest.
33:24Fernanda also has older children.
33:26I miss my children very much.
33:31I've realized that this is not a life for me.
33:35In prison, you start to think about your life and realize what you've done wrong.
33:41It's different on the outside.
33:44On the outside you think differently.
33:47I made good money.
33:49You don't think about the consequences, about death or prison, but once you're in here, it looks different.
34:00I've thought a lot about my life and realized that it's not worth it.
34:06It's really not worth it.
34:09In just over a month, Fernanda will give birth to her baby.
34:14Like any expecting mother, she is looking forward to the birth of her child.
34:19Despite the difficult circumstances.
34:29Her name will be Melinda.
34:32As it is her first offense, Fernanda has a good chance of being released to house arrest in a few months.
34:42I made a promise to God.
34:43I believe that if I hadn't moved from Brasilia to Maranhão, I wouldn't be here today.
34:50In Brasilia, I worked in a pizzeria.
34:53I enjoy cooking pasta, pizza and other dishes.
34:57I worked there for three years.
34:59If I had stayed there, everything would be different.
35:03I wouldn't have come into contact with the wrong people or with drugs.
35:06My family lives in Brasilia.
35:09When I get out of prison, I want to go back there because I have a house there.
35:14My daughter and my granddaughter live in Brasilia.
35:17There are more opportunities to find work there than in Maranhão.
35:20Whether the two women really manage to put their good intentions into practice is questionable.
35:30The power of the gangs is great.
35:33Only a few manage to get out.
35:35Quiet returns in the early afternoon.
35:43Most inmates are in their cells.
35:46The prison is well monitored by the cameras.
35:49Now the guards also have time for a lunch break.
36:10Cassia and Bruna have both only been on the job for a few months.
36:14When I decided to become a prison officer, it was mainly for financial reasons.
36:22I now find it personally fulfilling and even challenging.
36:27It is a challenge.
36:29When I applied to train as a prison officer, my family didn't know anything about it.
36:34When I told them, they were naturally scared.
36:38Afraid of the gangs.
36:40Afraid that something would happen to me.
36:41On the outside, you are bound to meet former inmates at some point who recognize you.
36:47They are afraid that one of them might do something to me.
36:51As a kind of revenge.
36:54The guards earn around $800 a month.
36:58Twice as much as the minimum wage.
37:00But an act of revenge is always an ever-present danger.
37:04On my front door, someone wrote that prison officers will die.
37:11My neighbors know that I work here.
37:15I don't think that was from inmates or former inmates.
37:19It's from the gangs.
37:21They don't approve of the job and hate anyone who does it.
37:26My family got very scared as a result.
37:32And we had to move to another neighborhood.
37:35That was a very bad situation.
37:39Because I had to give up my house.
37:41Everything I had built up there.
37:42I feel a bit uprooted.
37:47It really put a strain on me.
37:49It's still a very difficult situation for me today.
37:53Everyone here knows that such threats are often just the beginning.
38:02You become suspicious of everyone.
38:09We've become more cautious about everything.
38:14Not least because I have two daughters.
38:17I moved mainly because of them.
38:20But it was very difficult to get through it all.
38:26We are not to blame for anything.
38:28We are not to blame for what these gangs think, for what they do.
38:32We are here to do our job and, in the end, we will be punished for it.
38:44She still doesn't want to give up her job.
38:58The guards have shooting practice on a regular basis.
39:05The shooting range is located in the middle of the prison complex.
39:10The prisoners are supposed to hear them practicing.
39:14So they know that the guards are prepared.
39:21Today, the women are practicing putting down an uprising.
39:24Attention, troops. Let's go, let's go.
39:38What about your position?
39:40Align yourselves.
39:43Attention.
39:45Line it up. Get ready to shoot.
39:49Give me two shots.
39:50The shots have been fired now.
39:56Get the gun ready for the next shot.
39:58Immediately afterwards, you fire the next shot,
40:01and then you immediately have the gun ready, ready for the next shots.
40:05Just wait for the command.
40:07The instructor practices the procedures over and over again.
40:12If there is a riot, even the smallest mistake can be life-threatening.
40:23Criminals are always innovative.
40:26That's a fact.
40:28Unfortunately, that's also the reality.
40:31They continue to innovate every day.
40:33That's why we have to keep improving too.
40:37We have to train ourselves to keep up.
40:40Rigorous and intensive training like this is essential.
40:43Then, things get serious.
40:46The tactical retreat is also part of the training.
41:00The instructor is satisfied.
41:01The training builds self-confidence among the guards.
41:05I feel prepared for an emergency.
41:07I think I can handle situations like this.
41:09I'm trying to shoot.
41:11I'm trying to shoot.
41:13I'm trying to shoot.
41:14I'm trying to shoot.
41:15Even if she hopes, it never comes to that.
41:16A few meters further on in the women's prison,
41:17things are getting serious for newcomer Maria Eduarda.
41:18Maria Eduarda is satisfied.
41:20The training builds self-confidence among the guards.
41:23I feel prepared for an emergency.
41:25I feel prepared for an emergency.
41:27I think I can handle situations like this.
41:29Even if she hopes, it never comes to that.
41:34A few meters further on in the women's prison,
41:40things are getting serious for newcomer Maria Eduarda.
41:43Her admission procedure is complete,
41:48and she is now transferred from the quarantine cell
41:51to a normal cell.
41:54Your hygiene package.
42:04After talking to my lawyer,
42:05I'm hopeful that I'll get out of here soon.
42:08She said she will get me out of here in 15 days.
42:10For now, the harsh reality of prison awaits Maria Eduarda.
42:21From now on, she has to share a cell with drug dealers,
42:28murderers, and gang members.
42:30As a newcomer, she is at the bottom of the hierarchy.
42:36It's early evening.
42:38All the other prisoners are now in their cells too,
42:40trying to kill time as best they can.
42:41Trying to kill time as best they can.
42:46For Baker, Kaytiana, it's the worst part of the day.
42:49I'm always very busy in the morning.
42:50I get ready and go to work.
42:51Then time flies by.
42:52But from 5 o'clock in the afternoon until the next morning,
42:55time flies by.
42:56Time seems to stand still.
42:57Time seems to stand still.
42:58It just doesn't pass.
42:59No matter how hard you try to do something,
43:01the time flies by.
43:02Time seems to stand still.
43:03It just doesn't pass.
43:04No matter how hard you try to do something,
43:06to occupy yourself,
43:07Time passes slowly.
43:08In fact, the more you wish it to pass,
43:10the slower and tougher It feels.
43:11punks.
43:12I took that on.
43:13확인 to Rise.
43:14For peace.
43:15But from 5 o'clock in the afternoon until the next morning, time seems to stand still.
43:21It just doesn't pass.
43:23No matter how hard you try to do something to occupy yourself, time passes slowly.
43:29In fact, the more you wish it to pass, the slower and tougher it feels.
43:34It's a dynamic that we learn to live with.
43:36We get through together with others.
43:38We have no choice but to get used to it.
43:41Unfortunately, that is our reality.
43:45Smoking, talking, watching TV and reading, those are the options women have to keep themselves occupied and pass the time in their cells.
44:07I keep the things that are important to me here.
44:10At the beginning of the month, we can receive posts, photos and letters.
44:16This is a photo of my mother.
44:21She died and I couldn't say goodbye to her because I'm in here.
44:26She had an operation and died.
44:29The only personal belongings allowed in the cell are photos and letters.
44:32That's what we're allowed to have here.
44:40The loss of her mother and above all, the thought of what she is missing out on often makes Keitiane sad.
44:48But she still tries to find something positive in her prison life.
44:58If I had continued to be on the outside, I wouldn't have had a chance to make ends meet, to live.
45:12I wouldn't have had the chance to do a computer course.
45:15I wouldn't have had the chance to work in a sewing shop or a bakery or in a big workshop.
45:20I wouldn't have had the chance to learn to read and write.
45:24I probably wouldn't even have tried.
45:29My mother was very poor.
45:32We lived on a garbage dump.
45:34And my mother fed me and my siblings by collecting and selling recyclable materials.
45:38We lived on a garbage dump.
45:39We lived on a garbage dump.
45:40We lived on a garbage dump.
45:43Keitiane does not yet know what her future will look like outside these walls.
45:48But one thing is certain.
45:51She definitely wants to stay out of prison.
45:59Former gang leader Giovanni is also already making plans for her time after prison.
46:04When I get out, the first thing I'll do is look for a job.
46:12Either as a baker or a hairdresser.
46:15I learned both trades here in prison.
46:21But there's a much more important job than those two, which is to fulfill the mission of the Lord Jesus.
46:27I don't even know if I'll have time for the physical work.
46:32Because I definitely want to continue spreading the words of Jesus.
46:42However, it will be at least another 15 years before then.
46:50While Giovanni, Keitiane and other prisoners are facing a long night in their cramped cells,
46:56the guards are now off duty.
46:59The night shift takes over.
47:02The first thing I'll do when I get home is hug my daughters and tell them and my husband what it was like here.
47:13Then we'll have dinner.
47:15And afterwards I'll take a bath to relax.
47:20That's it.
47:23Then I'll rest.
47:24Because today was pretty exhausting.
47:26But it's gratifying for all of us.
47:29This marks the end of a long day in one of the toughest women's prisons in the country.
47:40For inmate Keitiane, by the way, her efforts have already paid off.
47:46She was released on parole a few months after the shooting of this film.
47:50After the shooting of this film gets called on facilitators.
47:53So for today, the fire is a great horn player who's the Ravens, she didn't want to.
47:54They're off to one of the most recently.
47:59So, for now we'll have daily support for all of us.
48:00I hope he's been greatly disappointed on that.
48:05But they're again here.
48:08You know what I
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