Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

May 31, 2017

India: why death penalty is not the answer to sexual violence in India

News

Asia Violence India

The death penalty is a distraction from the real measures that India needs to take to protect women’s rights to safety, writes Gopika Bashi of Amnesty International. Earlier this month in the Rohtak district of India’s northern state of Haryana, two men were arrested after the body of a young Dalit…

Source — BBC

May 31, 2017

Taiwan: 19 inmates begin to work outside prison on Thursday under a correctional scheme

News

Asia Taiwan

Nineteen inmates will begin to work outside their prisons in the morning and return to their cells after work under a program designed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice (MOJ) to help inmates adapt to the society earlier.

Source — Taiwan News

May 30, 2017

Cyprus: bill to establish child-friendly justice system

News

Justice Cyprus

The best interests of the child will be taken into account in a new bill regulating issues of youngsters who are suspects that was presented on Tuesday by Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou.

Source — Cyprus Mail

May 30, 2017

Malaysia: prisoners’ access to healthcare and quality of care is bad, says Suhakam

News

Health Malaysia

Suhakam report, in detailing how inadequate healthcare is in prisons, notes insufficient sick bays, inadequately trained doctors and severely disproportionate number of doctors to prisoners.

Source — FMT News

May 27, 2017

USA: America’s prisons are failing. Here’s how to make them work

News

United States

Shirley Schmitt is no one’s idea of a dangerous criminal. She lived quietly on a farm in Iowa, raising horses and a daughter, until her husband died in 2006. Depressed and suffering from chronic pain, she started using methamphetamine.

Source — The Economist

May 27, 2017

Côte d'Ivoire : Décès et détention des prisonniers politiques , Georges Armand OUEGNIN met Ouattara face à ses responsabilités

News

Africa Violence Côte d’Ivoire

Le lundi 22 mai 2017, toute la Côte d’Ivoire s’est réveillée, triste de constater le décès, enchaîné sur un lit d’hôpital, du Maréchal des logis ASSI KOUATCHI, prisonnier politique incarcéré et détenu à la Maison d’Arrêt et de Correction d’Abidjan (MACA), depuis 2012, pour « atteinte à la sure…

Source — Le Débat Ivoirien

May 27, 2017

France to scrap prison terms for cannabis users

News

Europe France

France will introduce a law by year’s end that will end prison terms for cannabis use, although consuming the drug will remain a criminal offence, a government spokesman said on Friday.

Source — The Local

May 26, 2017

Morocco needs more prisons to accommodate soaring number of inmates, official says

News

Morocco

Prisons in Morocco no longer have the capacity to accommodate the soaring number of inmates, Mohamed Saleh Tamek, the Delegate General of the Penitentiary and Reintegration Administration, has said.

Source — Morocco World News

May 26, 2017

Brésil : 91 détenus s’évadent par un tunnel de la prison de Parnamirim

News

South America Protest Brazil

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

Source — Le Monde

May 26, 2017

UK: prison officer risks endangering lives of inmates, says coroner

News

United Kingdom

Concerns raised about ‘understanding of safety procedures’ after evidence at inquest into suicide of inmate at HMP Foston Hall

Source — The Guardian

May 26, 2017

How an icon of Venezuelan architecture became a prison

News

South America Venezuela

The Helicoide was going to be the world’s first drive-through mall. Now it is a prison that former inmates describe as hellish.

Source — Citylab

May 26, 2017

Almost 100 inmates escape through a 90 foot tunnel and strip off their prison clothes... before eight are recaptured and paraded naked in Brazil

News

Brazil

More than 90 crawled through 90ft tunnel under Parnamirim State Penitentiary Prisoners discarded their jail uniforms before changing into civilian clothes Eight were recaptured before being stripped and handcuffed by Brazilian guards

Source — Daily Mail

May 26, 2017

How an icon of Venezuelan architecture became a prison

News

South America Venezuela

The Helicoide was going to be the world’s first drive-through mall. Now it is a prison that former inmates describe as hellish.

Source — Citylab

May 26, 2017

Violation des droits de l’Homme au Burkina faso : l’ODDH tire à boulets rouges sur les Haute cour de justice et le Tribunal militaire

News

Africa Access to legal rights Burkina Faso

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

Source — Le Pays

May 25, 2017

Iran: 333% increase of prison populace in 30 years

News

Middle East Overcrowding Iran

Iran’s penitentiary chief refers to a 333 percentage increase in prisoner figures between 1985 and 2017. Accordingto Tasnim agency, Asghar Jahangiri said on Monday that Iran holds the second place for prison population among Islamic countries and 6th among Asian countries. Saying that Iran’s world…

Source — Iran Focus

May 25, 2017

New Zealand's bulging prison population 'unprecedented'

News

New Zealand

The growth of the prison population is “unprecedented” and “unanticipated”, according to the Budget released on Thursday by Finance Minister Steven Joyce.

Source — Stuff

May 25, 2017

Ireland: penal reform group concerned over increased parole ineligibility for life prisoners

News

Justice Ireland

A penal reform group has raised concerns after the Oireachtas justice committee voted to amend the Parole Bill 2016 to raise the period of ineligibility for parole for life-sentenced prisoners from eight to 12 years.

Source — Irish Legal News

May 25, 2017

USA: security is not safety gendered harms in women’s prisons

News

Women United States

My experience in women’s prisons has led me to question this dynamic for imprisoned women: does security create safety?

Source — Penal Reform International

May 25, 2017

Inside the Hungarian closed camp

News

Hungary

“I have spent three months stateside in the past year. The rest of my time has been split between Greece and Serbia where I have been volunteering with refugees. During this time, I have had the privilege of meeting some of the strongest, most resilient people I have ever met. The friends and conne…

Source — Medium

May 24, 2017

Philippines : face à la menace terroriste, Rodrigo Duterte impose la loi martiale

News

Asia Justice Philippines

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

Source — Courrier International

May 24, 2017

India : law panel for cut in undertrials’ jail time

News

Asia India

The Law Commission is ready to submit to the Centre a set of recommendations intended to bring in revolutionary changes in bail jurisprudence which, if implemented, would help the release of the poor among the over 2.38 lakh undertrial prisoners languishing in jails for years.

Source — The Times of India

May 24, 2017

Indigenous prison overrepresentation costs Australia $7.9bn a year, data shows

News

Oceania Australia

PriceWaterhouseCoopers modelling recommends national justice targets and greater investment in diversionary and post-release programs to reduce rates

Source — The Guardian

May 24, 2017

Suisse : prison à vie, internement à vie, internement ordinaire, quelles sont les différences ?

News

Europe Justice Switzerland

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

Source — Tribune de Genève

May 23, 2017

Peru: productive prisons generate US$30 million

News

South America Peru

Peru’s Carceles Productivas (Productive Prisons) program generates US$30 million a year in sales of products crafted by inmates, the National Penitentiary Institute (Inpe) reported.

Source — Andina 36