Imagine this: You just got released from prison. You have no money and no place to stay. You do not have a phone or a means of transportation. You do not even have a valid form of identification. On top of that, there is a whole world of professions and opportunities that are not open … read more
Incarceration
Carrying the System: The Cost of Being a Public Defender
By 9 a.m., she’s already met two new clients, each facing felony charges. By noon, she’s given her case in front of a judge, scrambled to finalize paperwork, and returned half a dozen voicemails from frantic family members. “Sometimes it feels like my client’s freedom depends on my fifth cup of coffee,” she said, chuckling. … read more
Bias Behind the Badge: How Officer Demographics Affect Arrest Escalation
Kemonte Hampton walked out of a gas station in Tulsa, Oklahoma and was told to get on the ground; he was being arrested for jaywalking. He complied, but was pushed over on his way down and handcuffed. In the arresting officer’s haste to get out of the car and apprehend Hampton, he forgot to put … 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.
Forward Thinking with Change in Mind
As a current college student, I have been fortunate enough to call both North Carolina and New York home: to be part of two unparalleled communities. And when I think about community, I instantly think of role models across the nation who play a formative role in engendering an atmosphere that nurtures and bolsters the … read more
Justice
Latin Roots The word justice is derived from the Latin words jungere (to bind, to tie together) and jus (a bond or tie), reflective of a conjoined notion that functions as a tool to organize people into groups and distribute each person his or her due share of rights and duties, rewards and punishments. The … read more
