Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

March 5, 2020

USA: el confinamiento en solitario prolongado en las cárceles equivale a tortura psicológica

News

North America Discipline Health Mental health Torture United States

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

February 27, 2020

China: prison virus loopholes sound alarm to society

News

Coronavirus Asia Health China

On Friday, a prison in Rencheng, Shandong Province, reported 200 new cases of novel coronavirus infection. Another 27 were reported in Shilifeng prison in Zhejiang Province. These new cases added to a sudden uptick in the nation’s overall number of infected cases, which shouldn’t have happened at a…

February 27, 2020

USA: deaths in state prisons are on the rise, new data shows. What can be done?

News

North America Health United States

A new Bureau of Justice Statistics report released yesterday shows that from 2015 to 2016, the number of deaths in U.S. state prisons increased from 296 to 303 per 100,000 people. What accounts for these deaths?

February 27, 2020

UK: psychoactive drugs linked to 95% of jail's ambulance callouts

News

Europe Health Drugs United Kingdom

Paramedics were called 200 times in six months to a prison in West Yorkshire to deal with medical incidents linked to drugs like spice, an inspection has revealed.

February 27, 2020

USA: new BJS report reveals staggering number of preventable deaths in local jails

News

North America Health Suicide United States

A new Bureau of Justice Statistics report reveals that over 1,000 people died in local jails in 2016, underscoring the dangers of jail incarceration. Most troublingly, the report finds at least half of these deaths are preventable, with suicide remaining the leading cause of death.

February 26, 2020

Mexico: el 80 por ciento de cárceles yucatecas carece de médicos

News

Central America and the Caribbean Health Mexico

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

February 25, 2020

France: la justice ordonne des travaux d’urgence à Nouméa, où la "situation est alarmante"

News

Europe Justice Health Overcrowding France

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

February 12, 2020

Changing the prison system: the role of information

Interview

Africa Minors Health Overcrowding

It can be difficult to collect data on prisons. Few people have direct access to it. Carole Berrih explains the necessity of access to quality information.

February 12, 2020

Syria: dans une prison avec les jihadistes

News

Middle East Foreign prisoners Health Overcrowding

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

February 10, 2020

France: femmes détenues et inégalités dans la population carcérale

News

North America Women Europe Minors Health France

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

February 5, 2020

India: prison system needs urgent reform

News

Women Asia Foreign prisoners Health Overcrowding India

The 2018 statistics on prison must spur the criminal justice system to assess, evaluate and take affirmative steps.

February 5, 2020

Egypt: "Someone is sick guard", leaked audio

News

Africa Middle East Health Egypt

Inmates are kept in overcrowded, dirty cells without ventilation and are given insufficient food.

January 31, 2020

Canada: “prisoners' health is public health”

Interview

North America Health Canada

Incarcerated persons are at substantially higher risk of getting infected with HIV and HCV. The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network develops actions to prevent these infections inside and outside of prison. PI asked them three questions.

January 21, 2020

Democratic Republic of Congo: 11 morts en une semaine dans la plus grande prison de Kinshasa

News

Africa Health Overcrowding Violence Congo - Kinshasa

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

January 20, 2020

Asia: coronavirus, prison fever / 2021

News

Coronavirus Asia Health Material conditions Protest

The Covid-19 has not stopped at prison gates. What measures are taken to guarantee the safety of all prisoners and prison staff? What are the consequences of the pandemic on the living conditions in prisons? — Update 31/12/2021

January 15, 2020

Democratic Republic of Congo: à Kinshasa, onze morts dans l’enfer de la prison de Makala

News

Africa Health Violence Congo - Kinshasa

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

January 1, 2020

Coronavirus: Prison Fever / 2021

News Thematic paper

Africa Coronavirus North America Central America and the Caribbean South America Asia Elderly prisoners Europe Middle East Oceania Health Mental health Material conditions Activities Social ties

The virus has not stopped at prison gates. What measures are taken to guarantee the safety of all prisoners and prison staff? What are the consequences of the pandemic on the living conditions in prisons? Here is an overview. — Update 31/12/2021

December 27, 2019

USA: prison system faces federal lawsuit over opioid treatment limits

News

North America Health United States

Massachusetts’ prison system faces a federal lawsuit challenging how it provides inmates with opioid addiction medications.

December 27, 2019

Zimbabwe : water, power woes dog prison

News

Africa Health Material conditions Zimbabwe

INMATES and officers at Marondera Prison are sitting on a ticking health time bomb, as they have gone for close to two weeks drinking water from unprotected sources after a pump broke down.

December 27, 2019

USA: Trump makes the most important anti-hunger programm harder to access for people leaving prison

News

North America Access to legal rights Justice Health United States

Under a new rule announced yesterday, the Trump administration expects to slash 688,000 from the rolls of people receiving short-term food assistance.

December 27, 2019

Ireland: case of brain-damaged man in prison "far from rare"

News

Europe Health Ireland

The Director of the Central Mental Hospital has said the case of a brain-damaged homeless man in prison is “far from rare”. Professor Harry Kennedy said there is a caseload of around 250 people in the prisons with severe mental illnesses or disorders. Yesterday, the President of the High Court, M…

December 18, 2019

USA: many issues in Delaware's prison health system remain unaddressed, report says

News

North America Health United States

Despite years of recommendations focusing on problems in the Delaware Department of Correction’s healthcare system, a report issued Thursday by the state’s largest private healthcare provider found that many have not been addressed. Take a recommendation from the Pew Charitable Trusts in 2017 that…

December 18, 2019

Malaysia: eight AIDS-related deaths recorded in Kajang Prison as of October, says deputy director

News

Asia Health Malaysia

Eight AIDS-related deaths have been recorded involving male inmates of Kajang Prison as of October this year, said its superintendent Shollehin Dahari.

December 12, 2019

USA: prison health care costs are higher than ever in Texas. Many point to an aging prison population.

News

North America Health United States

Although there are fewer people in prison than there were a decade ago, costs have surged along with the share of inmates who are older — and sicker.