Therapy through Art
Article Categorty: Prisons & Incarceration
Christmas in Prison
Impartial just received this Christmas card from a prison artist we have been working with in 2024. Very cool! For most inmates, holidays like Christmas—or even birthdays—are some of the hardest times to endure behind bars. But during the past few months, I had the privilege of meeting a local sheriff who approaches his work … read more
Prison Stories: Kyle
Kyle’s Story of his road to incarceration Prison Culture When I was living my life on the outside, coming to prison was the furthest thing on my mind, even though I was living a life that would inevitably lead to my incarceration. And the one aspect that would have helped me transition and better acclimate … read more
Waiting and Decision Making
The Mental Competency Process On December 24, 2009, 24-year old Victor Carrero ran into two people on the corner of Central and Jefferson Avenues in Brooklyn. He proceeded to knock one of them to the ground, stabbing them in their head and shoulder before running away. Al Jazeera America reported that Carrero was later charged … read more
The Fight to Stop Solitary Confinement in Connecticut
The fight to end solitary confinement in Connecticut has taken decades. The PROTECT Act passed in 2022, but still awaits full implementation. We examine the progress that’s been made, and how much further there is to go.
Fiscal Mismanagement, Natural Disasters Push Puerto Rico’s Prison System to the Brink
Fiscal mismanagement by Puerto Rico’s government, followed by a pair of devastating natural disasters in Hurricanes Irma and Maria have pushed the island’s prisons to the brink. A debt crisis, exacerbated by FEMA shortfalls and bills passed by the US congress, continues to impact living conditions for inmates, and any kind of prison reform.
Prisoner Education Offers a Way Out
The power of education programs for prisoners is illustrated by the story of Juan Lopez, a teacher in Argentine prisons, and contrasted with the struggle to fund and implement consistent prison education in America.
Prisoner Reintegration: Lessons From Norway
Norway’s focus on successful prisoner reentry to society, rather than solely punishment results in dramatically better outcomes for everyone. Improved public safety, world’s lowest recidivism rates, higher rates of employment on release are just a few of the beneficial lessons America can learn from Norway’s success.
Addressing the Injustices Incarcerated Women Face
Academia has a duty to shed light on the voices of micro audiences, especially those stripped of humanity as a result of a system that neglects to balance punishment with the opportunity for redemption. Let’s delve into the deplorable reality incarcerated women are subject to given that they are the fastest growing segment of the prison population increasing at approximately double the rate of men since 1985. Research on female imprisonment is crucial to understanding the comprehensive reverberations of mass incarceration and to disentangling the practices that precede criminalization. From an absolutionist perspective, policy that works to reduce and ostensibly eradicate the repercussions that the carceral system reaps on our society can no longer deem this augmenting population irrelevant. Drawing attention to the necessity of research surrounding female incarceration is designed to underscore the shadow system of laws and regulations that dehumanize those behind bars and profit off the misfortune of their loved ones utilizing mandatory sentencing laws and restrictions on prison visitations.
Privatization in the Incarceration System
Given the incarceration epidemic in our nation, it is critical to be cognizant of the stark difference between a public and private prison. Let’s start with public prisons, since this is where 92 percent of inmates are kept. Public prisons are non-profit prisons owned and operated by the state and federal governments. In public prisons, … read more
My First Letter From An Inmate
Usually you will find me writing each week for the last few months about the criminal case that I endured many years ago. Today, I am writing because I reached out to an inmate a couple of weeks ago and he wrote me back. I shouldn’t be surprised that he wrote me back, I guess, … read more
