Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

October 26, 2023

France: immersed in a prison cell

Testimonial

Culture Europe Material conditions France

In 2016, Djibril Siby penned My Life in Prison, a play in which he shares his experience of life in detention. The success of the play has inspired Siby to return to the stage today. Testimonial.

June 13, 2023

France: breaking the silence, challenging the abuse

Opinion

Culture Justice Health Material conditions France

Antoine Lazarus’ dedication to protecting the rights of incarcerated individuals is immeasurable. This year, he chairs the 2023 edition of Concertina: Coming together to explore imprisonment. He sat down with Prison Insider to discuss his experience as a doctor, activist, and silence-breaker. Op-ed…

November 7, 2022

Narratives of mass incarceration around the globe

Interview

Africa Culture Asia Europe Middle East Access to legal rights Justice Health Drugs Overcrowding Rehabilitation

Dr. Dreisinger is the founder of the Incarceration Nations Network (INN), an international community that works to support, instigate and popularize prison reform efforts around the world. Prison Insider met her in Lyon during a joint screening of the docuseries. We asked her three questions in a v…

October 6, 2022

"Abolishing the death penalty is a universal fight”

Interview

Culture LGBTQI Death penalty Germany

The fight to end capital punishment is far from over but progress continues to be made. Over a thousand attendees are expected to converge on the German capital in November 2022 for the 8th World Congress against the Death Penalty. The assembly aims to unite individuals around the global issue of a…

June 27, 2022

France: Concertina, the second edition uses escapes as its theme

Interview

Culture Europe Justice France

How can we talk about imprisonment at convivial summer gatherings? That is the challenge of Concertina, the annual event that brings together people from near and far to discuss the many issues raised by freedom deprivation. Interview.

June 20, 2022

Lebanon: using theatre as therapy in prison

Testimonial

Culture Women Middle East Mental health Activities Lebanon

Theatre comes to Lebanese prisons. Catharsis is an organisation that offers drama therapy workshops in prisons. Its director Zeina Daccache produced documentaries about three such projects that took place in prisons.

June 10, 2022

UK: finding an outlet

Testimonial

Culture Activities Rehabilitation United Kingdom

Noel Smith learned to read and write while serving time in prison. Today, he is an author and editor for Inside Time, a newspaper published for prisoners that also serves as a platform for them to speak out. He shared with us his story.

March 23, 2022

España: La realidad de la reinserción social llega al Teatro Principal de Vitoria

News

Culture Europe Spain

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

February 24, 2022

España: La cárcel desde la mirada del Cine

News

Culture Europe Spain

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

February 21, 2022

Brazil: Reading books can reduce prison sentence

News

Culture South America Activities Brazil

Brazil has a unique way of reducing the prison term of the inmates.

January 6, 2022

Italie : En prison, “la génération de mafiosi la plus cultivée de tous les temps”

News

Culture Europe Long-term prisoners Activities Italy

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

December 23, 2021

Netherlands: Why the Dutch are closing prisons – and what they’re doing with empty ones

News

Culture Europe Facilities Netherlands

The Netherlands has reduced its prison population to such a degree that it’s now turning old prisons into socially useful buildings, such as schools and refugee centres. What went right?

June 17, 2021

The Netherlands: "Going Dutch" – taking care of forensic mental healthcare

Analysis Opinion

Culture Justice Mental health Material conditions Netherlands

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’. Michiel van de Wolf discusses the Dutch approach for dealing with those considered as mentally disordered offenders.

June 8, 2021

France: Concertina, coming together to explore imprisonment

Interview

Coronavirus Culture Europe Justice France

Concertina’s goal is to convene people from various backgrounds and disciplines, all motivated by detention and incarceration.

April 20, 2021

Ireland: prison university project to "bring third-level to those furthest away from it"

News

Culture Europe Activities Rehabilitation Work Ireland

A programme to support prisoners to go to university, and “bring third-level education to those furthest away from it” will be unveiled by minister for Justice Helen McEntee and her colleague, minister for Higher Education Simon Harris.

April 14, 2021

No longer the product of my crime (but of my creativity)

Testimonial

Culture Europe Long-term prisoners Activities United Kingdom

“Being encased within steel and mortar shouldn’t alter the fundamental essence of a human being. Amid the brutality and apathy of the prison system, some find the ability to be creative” (Steeldoorstudios exposes the challenges of the creative process in prison.)

March 1, 2021

Syria: the greater jail, the politics of prison

News

Culture Middle East Facilities Syria

In a talk co-organized by the assassinated activist Lokman Slim, former Syrian political prisoner Yassin al-Haj Saleh argues that “the politics of prison” are central to understanding the “politicide” of the Syrian people at the Assad regime’s hands.

February 15, 2021

India: after 70 years, Rajasthan amends prison manual that sanctioned caste-based labour

News

Culture Asia Access to legal rights Justice Activities Religion India

The move comes nearly two months after The Wire’s report had exposed conditions of institutionalised casteism in prisons of Rajasthan and several other states in India.

February 12, 2021

Salvador: inside a prison cell for gay former gang members

News

Culture Central America and the Caribbean LGBTQI Drugs Violence Religion El Salvador

“It was completely unheard of“. “Because in the gangs, if there’s even the suspicion that you’re gay, you pay for it with your life.”

January 7, 2021

France: mon Noël en prison, au temps de la Covid-19

News

Coronavirus Culture Women Europe Material conditions Social ties France

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

December 22, 2020

India: from segregation to labour, Manu’s caste law governs the prison system

News

Culture Women Asia Access to legal rights Justice Religion Work India

In several states, prison manuals still dictate that labour within the prison should be assigned on the basis of caste.

December 11, 2020

France : en Bretagne, des protections gratuites dans les prisons contre la précarité menstruelle

News

Culture Women Europe Access to legal rights Justice Health Material conditions France

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

December 11, 2020

Belgique : "on est revenu en pleine seconde vague à un taux de surpopulation assez élevé"

News

Coronavirus Culture Europe Access to legal rights Discipline Justice Health Mental health Overcrowding Activities Social ties Belgium

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

November 30, 2020

France : journées nationales prison 2020

News

Culture Europe Alternatives France

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