"Every man needs a mother", but not everyone deserves one: care in news about the penitentiary system of Minas Gerais

Abstract

While the literature on caregiving tends to ignore its possible imbrications with violence and activities executed out of households, studies on prisons tend to underestimate care as part of the daily life of these institutions. In this motto, we analyze the content of news about the prison system in Minas Gerais published online by the newspaper “O Tempo” during the period from 2005 to 2019 to understand the meanings, protagonists, relationships and exchanges that are proper of care into the prison system. Based on the concept “circuits of care”, in this paper, we seek to demonstrate that, in the context of deprivation of liberty, caring and being cared are fulfilled only when there is some “deserving” from both sides“”.

Keywords:
Caregiving; Gender; Penitentiary System; News.