Analysis
United States: there’s an aging crisis in New York’s prisons and we need to solve it
Analysis
Opinion
North America
Elderly prisoners
Long-term prisoners
Access to legal rights
Health
United States
ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. Rodney Holcombe, New York State Director for Criminal Justice Reform, addresses the New York prison system and the it…
United States: surge in life sentences
Analysis
Opinion
North America
Long-term prisoners
Justice
Death penalty
United States
Ashley Nellis, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Analyst at the Washington DC-based NGO, The Sentencing Project, which has been active in the struggle to reform American law and practice on life sentences. Here, Ashley discusses America’s now commonplace use of life sentences and calls for bolder approach…
Europe
Long-term prisoners
Justice
Overcrowding
Social ties
Rehabilitation
United Kingdom
ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. Helen Mills discusses the vexed problem of short prison sentences.
Africa: a regional campaign to decriminalise petty offences
Analysis
Opinion
Africa
Access to legal rights
Justice
Overcrowding
ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. Louise Edwards reflects on the works and challenges of the regional campaign to decriminalise petty offences.
Life imprisonment: a sentence in dire need of reform
Analysis
Opinion
Africa
Asia
Elderly prisoners
Europe
Oceania
Long-term prisoners
Justice
Health
Mental health
Drugs
Overcrowding
ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. In this piece, Olivia Rope, Executive Director of Penal Reform International (PRI), discusses life sentences, a key p…
Europe: towards a binding legal framework for places of detention
Analysis
Opinion
Europe: the long road to human dignity
Analysis
Opinion
Pre-trial detention
Europe
Justice
Material conditions
Overcrowding
Activities
Social ties
ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. Here, Maïté de Rue discusses the overuse of pre-trial detention in Europe and its consequences.
Rehumanising pretrial justice
Analysis
Opinion
Africa
North America
Pre-trial detention
Europe
Access to legal rights
ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. Jago Russell focuses on the impact of pretrial defence
India: remote hearings and the rights of accused persons
Analysis
Opinion
Coronavirus
Asia
Access to legal rights
India
ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. Madhurima Dhanuka discusses the impact of remote hearings on fair trials.
Kenya: finding Kafka in the criminal justice system
Analysis
Opinion
Africa
Pre-trial detention
Access to legal rights
Justice
Kenya
ICPR and Prison Insider asked several experts worldwide to share their insights in the framework of the project ‘Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in 10 countries’. Gilbert M. Omware, Defence lawyer and criminal justice researcher, discusses the injustices faced by vulnerable group…
North America
South America
Women
Long-term prisoners
Drugs
Brazil
Brazil and the United States are amongst the countries that incarcerate the highest numbers of women. What policies and practices do these countries have in common?
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?
Argentina: managing uncertainty
Analysis
Coronavirus
South America
Material conditions
Activities
Social ties
Argentina
As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Argentinian 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?
Chile : Managing uncertainty
Analysis
Coronavirus
South America
Health
Material conditions
Protest
Activities
Social ties
Work
Chile
As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Chilean 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?
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?
New Zealand: managing uncertainty
Analysis
Coronavirus
Oceania
Material conditions
Activities
Social ties
Work
New Zealand
As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the New Zealand 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?
Costa Rica: managing uncertainty
Analysis
Coronavirus
South America
Material conditions
Activities
Social ties
Costa Rica
As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Costa Rican 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?
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?
South Africa: managing uncertainty
Analysis
Africa
Coronavirus
Health
Material conditions
Protest
Overcrowding
Activities
Social ties
South Africa
As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the South African 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?
Thailand: managing uncertainty
Analysis
Coronavirus
Asia
Health
Material conditions
Overcrowding
Activities
Social ties
Work
Thailand
As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Thai 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?
Brazil: managing uncertainty
Analysis
Coronavirus
South America
Material conditions
Activities
Social ties
Brazil
As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Brazilian 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?
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?
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?