Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

January 2, 2020

Jamaica: judges still tossing children "behind bars" for uncontrollable behaviour, years after efforts started to end practice

News

Central America and the Caribbean Minors Jamaica

Human rights advocacy group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) has raised concerns that the practice has re-emerged and provided The Sunday Gleaner with statistics which suggest that in 2018, some 413 children (211 males and 203 girls) appeared before court, not for committing an offence but for exhibitin…

January 2, 2020

India: Shivamogga central prison to soon get digital library

News

Culture Asia India

The Central Prison in Shivamogga will soon have a digital library on its campus. The jail is already home to a library which has a collection of over 10,000 books.

January 2, 2020

Ireland: almost 60 prisoners on temporary release from Cork as the new prison surpasses capacity again

News

Europe Overcrowding Ireland

Close to 60 inmates of Cork prison were on the streets temporarily in recent days in a bid to alleviate overcrowding in the jail.

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

New Zealand: prison-grown fresh veggies feeding families in need

News

Activities Work New Zealand

Fresh vegetables can be expensive at Christmas time, but needy Auckland families will be able to get some for free this year courtesy of New Zealand’s toughest prison. Boxes filled with fresh prison-grown veggies have been donated to the Salvation Army to distribute among families and individuals.

December 27, 2019

France: les surveillants pénitentiaires vont pouvoir utiliser des caméras-piéton

News

Europe Violence France

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

December 27, 2019

USA: no place like prison

News

North America Foreign prisoners Justice United States

Jamaican citizens account for more than half the total number of Caribbean citizens now incarcerated in United States (US) prisons.

December 27, 2019

China: inside Christmas card, a girl finds plea from Chinese prison laborers

News

Asia Torture Work China

A 6-year-old found the note in London while writing Christmas cards to her classmates. “Forced to work against our will,” the message read.

December 27, 2019

USA: life after prison

News

North America Women United States

The Reentry Initiative is one of two programs in the state that helps women parolees. Additionally, the program works with women before and after their release and men after their release. Roughly 250 to 285 people are released through Longmont parole.

December 27, 2019

Honduras: gang fight in Honduran prison leaves at least 18 inmates dead

News

South America Violence Honduras

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - At least 18 inmates were killed and 16 wounded during a fight between rival gangs in a Honduran penitentiary on Friday, authorities said, in one of the worst recent outbreaks of prison violence in the country.

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: prisons neglect pregnant women in their healthcare policies

News

North America Women United States

Our 50-state survey finds that in spite of national standards, most states lack important policies on prenatal care and nutrition for pregnant women.

December 27, 2019

France: la prison, une épreuve aussi pour les familles (podcast)

News

Europe Justice Social ties France

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

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

USA: governor halts policy after prison guards strip-search girl

News

North America Women Violence United States

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Friday that he’s suspended a policy that allowed prison officials to strip search an 8-year-old girl who was visiting her father.

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 27, 2019

Nepal: Banke District Prison in sorry state

News

Asia Overcrowding Nepal

Banke District Prison in Nepalgunj sub-metropolis is in a sorry state for want of sound management and amenities. The physical infrastructure of the prison which was established in 1943, leaves much to be desired. The buildings and the walls of the prison are very old and the environment of the pri…

December 27, 2019

USA: a Guantánamo Bay detainee's drawings show the brutal CIA torture he endured at a secret US-run prison in Thailand

News

North America Torture United States

Abu Zubaydah was captured by US forces after a gun fight in Faisalabad, Pakistan, in March 2002. US officials incorrectly believed the Saudi Arabian citizen was a member of al-Qaida and transported him to a secret US-run prison, known as a black site, in Thailand.

December 19, 2019

Belgium: la surpopulation carcérale atteint un niveau alarmant (vidéo)

News

Europe Overcrowding Belgium

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

December 19, 2019

Belgium: la grève des gardiens de prison continue: "Le gouvernement a réduit le personnel de 10%"(vidéo)

News

Europe Work Belgium

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

December 19, 2019

USA: quand la prison fait payer aux détenus la lecture d’ebooks dans le domaine public

News

Culture North America United States

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

December 19, 2019

France: la surpopulation, premier facteur des violences en milieu carcéral

News

Europe Overcrowding Violence France

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

December 19, 2019

France: auteurs et victimes : en prison, les violences sont interchangeables

News

Europe Violence France

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