Tag Archives: Prison

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

California Prisoners on Lockdown in Mississippi

Another reminder that the holiday season is not a global love-fest: this report from All of Us or None: “I was contacted by a number of family members whose loved ones are incarcerated in Tutwiler, Mississippi.  They informed me that … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

California to End Funding of Child Prisons: A Window of Opportunity

In 1989, California was spending $600 million to supervise the 23,000 children under the control of California Youth Authority (CYA).  Two thirds of those children were taken from the home and placed in a variety of scenarios, from group homes … Continue reading

Posted in prison economics, Rehabilitation | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 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

An Open Letter to Our Allies

To Our Friends, Comrades, Families, and Allies: No matter how you refer to yourselves, you are the ones who kept us going when we needed support.  Although you may not have stood before the judge and had your name called … Continue reading

Posted in Actions, Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Prisoners and the Formerly Incarcerated, to Educate or Not?

PBS Newshour recently profiled the well-known Bard Prison Initiative in five New York state penitentiaries.  157 Prisoners have earned B.A. degrees over the past six years, with some going beyond that.  Does it please more people than infuriates?  It has … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary, Rehabilitation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

So You Want to Be A Legislator? A Few Tips Involving Prisons

Those wanting to know more can go to http://www.PrisonersOfTheCensus.org and get the latest on this tactic in all 50 states.

Posted in Commentary, Legislation, Voting Rights | 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

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