Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

October 9, 2020

United Kingdom: lockdown conditions leave prisoners at risk of serving longer sentences

News

Pre-trial detention Europe Access to legal rights Justice Activities Rehabilitation Work United Kingdom

Lockdown conditions in prisons have effectively ended opportunities for prisoners to take part in rehabilitation activities and progress in their sentences. For the nearly 11,000 prisoners serving indeterminate sentences (9,000 unreleased; 2,000 recalled), this could lead to them spending significa…

September 29, 2020

France: "escaping the prison diktat"

Interview

Europe Justice Material conditions Overcrowding Activities Alternatives Rehabilitation France

The number of prisoners is increasing, short sentences are numerous, the recidivism rate is high. How can the entire prison system be rethought?

September 29, 2020

Afghanistan: life in prison, looking to the future from behind bars

News

Middle East Activities Rehabilitation Work Afghanistan

For many people, prison is only a place where criminals serve their sentence. But there are also prisoners who are transformed during their imprisonment, deciding to abandon their past and change their future. Recently the directorate of prisons initiated a new program called “Prisoners’ Literacy a…

September 23, 2020

Australia: prisoner advocates call for abolition of 'discriminatory' voting restrictions as inmates prepare to cast vote in state election for the first time

News

Coronavirus Pre-trial detention Oceania Access to legal rights Health Material conditions Overcrowding Rehabilitation Australia

For the first time in Queensland’s history, thousands of inmates in correctional centres across the state will be given the right to vote in the upcoming october state election.

September 7, 2020

Tunisia: prisons reforms through international influence

Interview

Africa Access to legal rights Justice Protest Rehabilitation Tunisia

Better conditions of imprisonment, effective prison administration and security: a new face for Tunisian prisons. Yasmine Bouagga, sociologist, answers our questions.

July 29, 2020

UK: more than 140 freed inmates housed in hotels and B&Bs in lockdown

News

Coronavirus Europe Social ties Rehabilitation United Kingdom

MoJ says hotels used as last resort to prevent homelessness and reduce coronavirus risk.

July 24, 2020

Uruguay: Salud sexual y reproductiva en cárceles: papanicolau, colposcopía, mamografía, anticoncepción y asesoramiento de IVE

News

South America Women Mental health Rehabilitation Work Uruguay

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

July 16, 2020

Argentina: cómo es el modelo de cárceles sin rejas que proponen aplicar en Santa Fe

News

South America Facilities Overcrowding Alternatives Rehabilitation Argentina

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

June 17, 2020

USA: criminal convicts face many restrictions even after leaving prison

News

North America Rehabilitation United States

People in the US who have been convicted of felonies and misdemeanors face more than 40,000 restrictions, most of which are imposed by states.

June 17, 2020

France: "J’étais directrice pénitentiaire d’insertion et de probation, j’ai démissionné. Voilà pourquoi"

News

Europe Justice Rehabilitation Work France

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

June 4, 2020

Argentina: la Provincia firmará un convenio con Naciones Unidas para mejorar las cárceles bonaerenses

News

South America Violence Rehabilitation Work Argentina

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

April 30, 2020

France: "They’ve put us back in prison"

Testimonial

Coronavirus Europe Health Rehabilitation Work France

Samy is detained on partial release in the west of France, in Le Mans. It is normally possible for these prisoners to go out during the week, notably to seek employment. Faced with the coronavirus pandemic and to limit social contact, those who are on partial release have been placed in detention.…

April 30, 2020

Cyprus: released inmates ask to go back to prison

News

Coronavirus Europe Rehabilitation Work Cyprus

Four prisoners who were released from prison earlier this month have asked to be brought back because they have no place to go. Nicosia central prisons director Anna Aristotelous said on Wednesday that two of the four prisoners were part of the early release of 130 inmates in early April as part of…

April 30, 2020

Belgium: locked-up outside

Investigations Testimonial

Europe Long-term prisoners Rehabilitation Belgium

How does someone truly become free? Marcus spent his childhood in a children’s home before serving more than 20 years in prison. He has never known anything other than confinement.

April 9, 2020

France: de la prison au confinement, une sortie "surréaliste"

News

Coronavirus Europe Health Rehabilitation Work France

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

March 12, 2020

France: reintegration is everyone’s business

Analysis Interview

Europe Justice Overcrowding Alternatives Rehabilitation France

With more and more prisoners and a substantial recidivism rate, prison does not succeed in protecting society. Although reintegration is one of the missions of the prison administration, it is not considered to be of vital importance. Why?

March 11, 2020

France: aux élections municipales, les détenus ne pourront pas voter en prison

News

Europe Access to legal rights Activities Rehabilitation France

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

March 5, 2020

France: les détenus de la prison de Bois-d’Arcy lancent leur propre chaîne de télé

News

Culture Europe Activities Rehabilitation France

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

February 28, 2020

USA: reading comes at a cost

Insights Opinion

Culture North America Justice Activities Alternatives Rehabilitation United States

At the age of seventeen, Chris Wilson is sentenced to life without parole. In prison, he formulates what he calls a “master plan”. The document sets his project for self-improvement and draws the way to changing his life. He serves 16 years before being freed. And reading books was a great deal.

February 27, 2020

UK: women released from prison nearly three times less likely to be in employment on release than men

News

Women Europe Rehabilitation United Kingdom

A new briefing, Working It Out, published today by the Prison Reform Trust and Working Chance, reveals that fewer than one in 20 women (4%) were in employment six weeks after release from prison, compared with over one in 10 men (11%).

February 27, 2020

South Africa: prisons are the 'worst places', offer 'no rehab', says fees must fall activist Kanya Cekeshe

News

Africa Rehabilitation South Africa

But Fees Must Fall activist Kanya Cekeshe says he hopes to empower prisoners and help them gain more rights.

February 27, 2020

USA: proposals to ease post-prison transitions en route to lawmakers this session

News

North America Justice Rehabilitation United States

Members of a task force studying how people’s criminal records negatively impact their lives after prison have produced dozens of recommendations for mitigating this harm, including remedies for housing and employment discrimination.

February 26, 2020

France: Arras: une nouvelle prison basée sur la réinsertion par le travail

News

Europe Rehabilitation Work France

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

February 19, 2020

France: le suivi des "longues peines" qui ont commis des infractions sexuelles

News

Europe Long-term prisoners Justice Rehabilitation France

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