Category Archives: Prison Conditions

Dead Under the “Custody and Care” of…

There are many ways to die in the “custody and care” of the criminal justice system.  We see it seemingly every day in America.  Whether it is an NYPD shooting or an Orleans Parish Prison (OPP) shanking, clearly the government … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary, Prison Conditions, Prisoner Health | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

National Occupy Day in Support of Prisoners: Feb. 20th

A proposal passed yesterday by the General Assembly of Occupy Oakland is to generate a national day of action that will call attention to prisons across America.  While presidential candidates take to their stumps, one might be unaware that America … Continue reading

Posted in Actions, Political Prisoners, Prison Conditions | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Out of L.A.- FICPM Will Register 1 Million Voters Opposed to Mass Incarceration

When a young woman from Arizona asked how she could get her voting rights restored, she heard a blunt reply:  “We don’t need you to get your rights restored.  We need you to get together with other folks and work … Continue reading

Posted in Actions, Drug Policy, Prison Conditions, prison economics, Voting Rights | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Troy, Hunger Strikes, and Law School: The Movement for Self Empowerment

These are busy times in the era of mass incarceration.  The execution of Troy Davis sparked the largest public opposition to the death penalty in American history.  Vigils and protests arose throughout the nation, horrified that someone can be put … Continue reading

Posted in Innocence, Prison Conditions, Rehabilitation | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

From Narragansett Bay to Pelican Bay, People Stand in Solidarity for Human Rights

On July 1st, 2011, prisoners in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) in Pelican Bay State Prison, CA went on indefinite hunger strike to protest conditions that have been characterized by the UN as “inhumane and degrading.”  Over nearly three weeks … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary, Political Prisoners, Prison Conditions, Rehabilitation, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Prison Town Economics 101: Pelican Bay (Crescent City, CA)

With prisoners in Pelican Bay willing to die rather than endure what is being done to them in the name of “the People of California”, we should pause to consider some basic math.  The following example is a broad illustration … Continue reading

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Dying for Human Rights: Prisoners Begin Hunger Strike Tomorrow

What exactly is a hunger strike?  It is when someone, or a group of people, will choose death over their current living conditions.  But not an unknown pointless death; instead, they will commit a long, grueling, public death designed to … Continue reading

Posted in Actions, Commentary, Prison Conditions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Governor Chaffee Signs Two Laws Supporting Civil and Human Rights in RI

Governor Lincoln Chaffee recently signed two important prison reform bills: the Healthy Pregnancies Act, (to unshackle pregnant prisoners), and another which would create a task force to develop procedures for recording interrogations in serious cases.   Neither are radical changes to existing … Continue reading

Posted in Innocence, Legislation, Prison Conditions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How I Expect California to NOT Release Prisoners… If We Let Them

By now, every activist is aware that the US Supreme Court “ordered California to reduce its prison population to 137.5%of design capacity within two years. Finding that the prison population would have to be reduced if capacity could not be … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary, Prison Conditions, prison economics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Unshackled Pregnancies: Idaho, Nevada, Rhode Island…

UPDATE: By a vote of 48-16, the Rhode Island House of Representatives passed H 5257, echoing passage of the same bill by the Senate several weeks ago. The bill should end up on Governor Lincoln Chaffee’s desk within a few … Continue reading

Posted in Courts, Prison Conditions, Prisoner Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments