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.<br /><br />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.
