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Pageant for 'model' prisoners


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Comely convict Caroline Goncalves gets ready to strut her stuff in a Sao Paulo prison for Brazil's Miss Penitentiary 2005 pageant.

Goncalves, 25, who is serving five years and four months for assault with a deadly weapon, was one of 40 preening jailbirds from 10 prisons in Brazil's largest city vying for the title and a $160 prize.

She said she hoped a victory would launch her modeling career - and maybe shave some time off her sentence.

"This will put me a little closer to getting out of here," Goncalves said.

But Angelica Mazua, 23, an accused Angolan drug smuggler, took the crown.

The contest, begun last year to boost inmates' self-confidence, is more than just a beauty pageant.

Judges include celebrities, soccer players and journalists, and there are prizes in three other categories - writing, public speaking and congeniality.

Copyright 2004 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

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