Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

June 6, 2019

United Kingdom: decline in prison safety standards and lack of staffing "seriously hampering" inmate rehabilitation, report finds

News

Europe United Kingdom

“Perfect storm” of staffing issues, increased use of psychoactive substances and crumbling infrastructure across prison estate could be jeopardising public safety, expert warns.

June 6, 2019

Mexico: autogobierno, la crisis en las cárceles

News

Central America and the Caribbean Mexico

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

June 6, 2019

Japan: time is money

Testimonial

Asia Japan

Geoffrey is incarcerated in Osaka prison. He describes, for Prison Insider, one working day.

June 5, 2019

United Kingdom: 'inhumane' : damning report on English and Welsh prisons

News

Europe Torture United Kingdom

Decline in safety, conditions and social needs still apparent says monitoring boards’ chair.

June 5, 2019

Syria: "Palmyre", chasser les fantômes

News

Middle East Syria

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

June 4, 2019

Serbia: prisonniers et chiens s'offrent une deuxième chance

News

Europe Serbia

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

June 4, 2019

France: en Prison, le théâtre pour s’évader

News

Culture Europe France

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

June 3, 2019

United States: how secret languages thrive behind bars?

News

North America United States

On a now-private Facebook page, a prison guard in Texas casually joked last month about wanting to “gas” prisoners (throw urine or feces at them). Others in Georgia and Missouri posted about putting inmates in “the box” or “the hole” (slang for sending them to disciplinary confinement).

June 3, 2019

United States: the latest YouTube craze, videos that show you what it’s like to live in prison

News

North America United States

Prison channels on YouTube have more than 2.1 million subscribers.

May 31, 2019

Indonésia: Mathias Echène détenu à Bali

News

Asia Indonesia

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

May 28, 2019

France: plongée dans la seule prison pour mineurs d'Île-de-France

News

Europe France

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

May 28, 2019

Belgium: un détenu fait condamner la Belgique devant la Cour européenne des droits de l’Homme

News

Europe Belgium

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

May 28, 2019

Spain: catorce cárceles acogerán cursos de verano para presos y ciudadanos libres

News

Europe Spain

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

May 28, 2019

Brazil: 55 inmates killed in spate of prison riots

News

South America Violence Brazil

Fifty-five inmates have died in gang-related riots at four prisons in western Brazil, according to authorities. Fifteen prisoners were found dead Sunday and 40 more Monday in the city of Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas, the region’s Governor Wilson Lima said.

May 27, 2019

France: le casse-tête de l’administration pénitentiaire

News

Europe France

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

May 27, 2019

Russia: inmate dies in Russia after being tortured in "De Facto Murder," asctivists say

News

Asia Europe Torture Russia

An inmate has died in a Russian prison as a result of torture, activists have reported, in what they say was a “de facto murder.” Several leaked videos showing prisoner abuse over the past year have led to a mass outcry over torture and nationwide inspections to root out violence.

May 27, 2019

France: une forte participation aux élections Européennes en prison et des résultats surprenants

News

Europe France

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

May 27, 2019

Ethiopie: l'ancien directeur d'une prison arrêté pour torture

News

Africa Torture Ethiopia

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

May 27, 2019

Venezuela: la verdad detrás de la “masacre en Acarigua”

News

South America Venezuela

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

May 27, 2019

United States: commissioner says Alabama prison system culture must change

News

North America United States

Much has been reported about the scarcity of staff, overcrowding, and crumbling physical conditions in Alabama’s prisons.

May 27, 2019

USA: a San Quentin prison culinary program and its restaurant-ready inmates

News

North America United States

The scent of brown butter and toasted pine nuts wafts from the H Unit kitchen of the oldest prison in California, where eight inmates are learning to make gnocchi. Outside, the building is surrounded by guards and razor wire. But inside save for the knives chained to the work stations this could be…

May 27, 2019

Nicaragua: gobierno afirma que 142 opositores y periodistas guardan prisión

News

Central America and the Caribbean Nicaragua

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

May 26, 2019

Tajikistan: activist gives rare glimpse of Tajik prison where deadly violence occurred

News

Violence Tajikistan

Azamat Shambilov is one of few outsiders to have visited Tajikistan’s Kirpichniy prison before it became the scene of a deadly riot this week.

May 26, 2019

United Kingdom: how teaching art to women in prison changed their outlook

News

Women Europe United Kingdom

Mim Skinner spent two years teaching prisoners. Now she’s written a book, Jailbirds, to change our view of incarcerated women and how we can support them on the outside