“There she gooooes… Miss Pen-i-ten-tia-ry….”

Good. Teach them that you can find your place in society through irrelevance. Really.

The sweltering heat inside the Carandiru women’s detention center was only made worse by the dozens of hair dryers working overtime, but the 40 contestants from 10 prisons around Sao Paulo didn’t seem to mind.

The women, serving sentences for everything from armed robbery to drug trafficking, were vying to be named Miss Penitentiary 2005 a title that brings a 350-real (US$160, euro135) prize and a break from dreary routine.

“Afterward, we’re going to be able to talk to people from (fashion) magazines,” said a clearly nervous Goncalves, who is serving five years and four months for assault with a deadly weapon.

Last year’s winner, Fernanda Maria de Jesus, gained early release months after her victory, but prison officials insist the shortened sentence had nothing to do with her winning the title.