What Maryland is missing from the recidivism puzzle: mandatory minimum sentencing

Dec 10, 2015 No Comments

Maryland incarceration rates have been steadily growing in recent years, as has the average sentence length. In response, The Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Council, made up of judges, lawyers, law enforcement, and lawmakers, was struck earlier this year to explore the reasons behind the booming prison population, and they are set to put forth a number of

The Fine Arts of prison education

Dec 10, 2015 No Comments

Slowly but surely, it feels like change is coming when it comes to prison education. Indeed, it can feel like an uphill battle many days, but that’s why it’s so important to enjoy stories like these. Ten years ago, prison reform wasn’t even on most legislators’ radars, let alone the public’s. Fast forward to today,

Prison Legal News battles DOC censorship of important information on sexual violence in prisons

Dec 3, 2015 No Comments

Prison Legal News has launched an important lawsuit against Arizona’s Department of Corrections over the withholding of their publication from prisoners. The editions in question discuss documented cases of rape and sexual violence perpetrated by prison staff against inmates—one of which took place in an Arizona prison and was heard in federal court. Many inmates

From the streets to programming tweets

Dec 3, 2015 No Comments

By Christopher Zoukis One of the biggest obstacles we face in prison education programs these days, is the outpacing of technology in terms of both course content and equipment. Technological development has occurred at breakneck speed in the last ten years, yet instruction in those areas is largely absent in the bulk of penal institutions.

Aramark’s Correctional Food Services: Meals, Maggots, and Misconduct

Dec 2, 2015 No Comments

Prison food service vendor Aramark was included among 132 businesses in 21 countries that were named the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2015 by Ethisphere Institute, a self-described “global leader” in defining standards for ethical corporate practices. According to the Institute’s website, the designation bestowed upon Aramark “recognizes companies that truly go beyond making statements

When will we finally hit the tipping point in transgender prisoner rights?

Nov 26, 2015 No Comments

This past week, a UK transgender woman incarcerated in a men’s prison in Bath took her life. The warning signs from Vicky Thompson were far from subtle: she had repeatedly told family, friends, and prison officials that she would kill herself were she to find herself in a men’s prison. Yet those warnings went unheeded,

The JPay giveth, while the JPay taketh away.

Nov 26, 2015 No Comments

News about the JPAY tablet seems to be making the rounds again, even hitting the BuzzFeed wire. The articles have been focused on the special tablets they’ve created to be used in the prison setting (see initial coverage here). We wrote about this critical innovation in prison education some time ago because there’s little doubt

Australian program seeks to break the recidivism cycle through education

Nov 19, 2015 No Comments

Prisoners in the state of Victoria, Australia, will be part of new plans designed to try and meet prisoners’ educational needs immediately upon entry into the system. The $78 million (AUD) program aims to dramatically improve prisoner access to instruction from a variety of universities, colleges, and institutes across the region. Of particular note is the

Russia’s “Sadists’ Law” threatens to legitimize torture and violence of prisoners

Nov 19, 2015 No Comments

In an alarming reminder of how closely some industrialized countries teeter on the edge of Draconian, the State Duma of Russia has introduced a law that effectively sanctions the abuse and killing of inmates. The “sadists’ law,” as it’s come to be known, has passed the preliminary stage, and would “allow prison guards to ‘use

Healthcare settlement for California’s dangerously overcrowded county jails

Nov 12, 2015 No Comments

Litigation over healthcare concerns in Riverside County (California) jails was settled in the last week of October, with a view of dramatically improving an ailing system. A lengthy list of complainants on the suit, brought to the courts by Prison Law Office, The settlement has yet to be approved by the courts, but details include increased

News

What Maryland is missing from the recidivism puzzle: mandatory minimum sentencing

The Fine Arts of prison education

Prison Legal News battles DOC censorship of important information on sexual violence in prisons

From the streets to programming tweets

Aramark’s Correctional Food Services: Meals, Maggots, and Misconduct

When will we finally hit the tipping point in transgender prisoner rights?

The JPay giveth, while the JPay taketh away.

Australian program seeks to break the recidivism cycle through education

Russia’s “Sadists’ Law” threatens to legitimize torture and violence of prisoners

Healthcare settlement for California’s dangerously overcrowded county jails

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