Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

March 22, 2021

COVID-19 pandemic exposes how little we know about prison conditions globally

News

Coronavirus North America South America Europe Material conditions

“The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons“, novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

March 22, 2021

Italy: “political action is powerless"

Interview

Coronavirus Europe Health Protest Overcrowding Italy

The second wave of the pandemic hit prisons with overwhelming force. What can the authorities do?

March 18, 2021

Managing uncertainty in prison: diverse responses to COVID-19

Analysis Thematic paper

Africa Coronavirus Crises Central America and the Caribbean South America Asia Europe Material conditions Social ties

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 18, 2021

France: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Coronavirus Europe Material conditions Protest Activities Social ties France

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the French authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 18, 2021

Spain: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Coronavirus Europe Health Material conditions Protest Activities Social ties Spain

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Spanish authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 18, 2021

Ireland: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Coronavirus Europe Material conditions Activities Social ties Ireland

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Irish authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 18, 2021

Norway: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Coronavirus Europe Health Material conditions Activities Social ties Norway

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Norwegian authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 17, 2021

España: décadas sin respuesta a miles de denuncias de desaparición forzada, apropiación y/o sustitución de identidad de niños y niñas

News

Women Europe Access to legal rights Violence Spain

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

March 17, 2021

Polonia: la absolución de las mujeres del halo arcoíris pone en evidencia tácticas de intimidación contra activistas

News

Pre-trial detention Women Europe LGBTQI Access to legal rights Poland

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

March 1, 2021

Bielorrusia: las autoridades atacan a menores de edad para reprimir la disidencia

News

Pre-trial detention Europe Minors Protest Violence Belarus

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

February 25, 2021

UK: different sides of a shared story

Interview

Coronavirus Europe Mental health Material conditions Social ties United Kingdom

As the pandemic hit the UK, researchers were banned from entering prisons. The Prison Reform Trust remotely mobilised about 800 prisoners to share how the measures were affecting them. Prison Insider asked them three questions.

February 18, 2021

Switzerland: "in the evening, the shouting starts"

Testimonial

Europe Material conditions Work Switzerland

Georges was incarcerated for 12 months in the prison of Fribourg while awaiting sentencing. He recounts how a day in prison unfolds.

February 18, 2021

Ireland: prison service and HSE seek to put new supports in place to reduce self-harm in prisons

News

Europe Health Ireland

The National Office for Suicide Prevention and the Irish Prison Service want to implement new support services to address self-harming and suicidal behaviour in the country’s jails.

February 18, 2021

Ireland: €3.7m spent on medicine for prison inmates over the last two years

News

Europe Health Drugs Ireland

More than €3.7m has been spent by the Irish Prison Service on medications for inmates over the past two years. The bill at a single prison can be in excess of €50,000 a month, according to the data, with costs highest at the Midlands Prison in Co Laois. The Irish Prison Service said many of those s…

February 18, 2021

Ireland: prison service insists it is effectively dealing with potential crowding issues

News

Coronavirus Europe Overcrowding Ireland

The number of prisoners has been rising as more remand court cases and more trials are taking place.

February 17, 2021

Ireland: social distress in prison

Interview

Europe Discipline Mental health Material conditions Ireland

After a significant reform in Irish prisons, the CPT remains concerned about the conditions of detention in segregation cells and for mentally ill prisoners. A member of the monitoring body told us what she observed.

February 15, 2021

España: ”es injusto y desproporcionado que Pablo Hasél entre en la cárcel”

News

Europe Access to legal rights Justice Spain

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

February 10, 2021

Germany: unsuccessful constitutional complaint challenging electronic monitoring of persons released from prison (‘electronic tagging’)

News

Europe Access to legal rights Discipline Justice Germany

In an order published today, the Second Senate of the Federal Constitutional Court held that the statutory provisions on the electronic monitoring of persons released from prison are compatible with the Basic Law.

February 8, 2021

Luxembourg : quelle stratégie de vaccination pour les personnes en prison?

News

Coronavirus Europe Health Luxembourg

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

February 8, 2021

Italie: en prison avec des djihadistes, Cesare Battisti démarre une grève de la faim

News

Europe Discipline Material conditions Protest Italy

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

February 2, 2021

Luxembourg : vers l'élimination des drogues en prison

News

Europe Drugs Luxembourg

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

February 2, 2021

Luxembourg : "la prison reste le reflet de la société"

News

Europe Material conditions Overcrowding Social ties Alternatives Luxembourg

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

February 2, 2021

Lithuania: inside Vilnius prison during pandemic, "getting sick is inevitable"

News

Coronavirus Europe Health Lithuania

The coronavirus observes no walls – in Vilnius Penitentiary, the outbreak is difficult to control, as some inmates refuse to get tested, while facilities for quarantining infected people are limited.

February 2, 2021

Spain: prisons have lowest inmate population in 10 years

News

Europe Overcrowding Spain

Spanish prisons currently have the lowest number of inmates in ten years, thanks in part to legal reforms including the introduction of suspended sentences.