News
North America
Minors
Access to legal rights
Activities
United States
New court filings say that the city is violating an eight-year-old court order mandating access to education for people under 22.
Women
Asia
Rehabilitation
Malaysia
Charin Promwichit said the ‘Penjanaan Pendapatan Bagi Wanita Bangkit Bersasar’ (Webawa) programme will involve female detainees on parole and former female prisoners who are on licenced release, those undergoing prison programmes, former women ODP and OBB as well as wives of prison inmates.
North America
Facilities
Alternatives
United States
Gov. Gavin Newsom went far beyond the promise he made in his first year in office to close at least one California state prison. But now, he is resisting calls from criminal justice advocates and liberal state lawmakers to shutter five more penitentiaries.
North America
Access to legal rights
Social ties
United States
A pair of lawsuits filed this month claim that two county jails in Michigan banned in-person family visits for inmates several years ago as a way to boost county revenues from the increased number of phone calls and electronic messaging that resulted.
North America
Foreign prisoners
Justice
Canada
Newfoundland and Labrador has informed the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that it will no longer incarcerate people detained solely for immigration purposes in its provincial jails as of March 31, 2025, according to information obtained by Radio-Canada.
Women
Europe
Justice
Health
Social ties
United Kingdom
Pregnant women are now less likely to be sent to prison under new guidelines which will force courts to consider how jail time affects a woman who is either due to give birth or has recently had a baby.
Middle East
Health
Material conditions
Torture
Israel
Juma Abu Ghanima died five days after reports emerged that his health was seriously deteriorating, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Society Prisoners’ Club (PPS) said in an official statement.
Europe
Justice
Overcrowding
Alternatives
France
As the number of prisoners continues to soar, France has among Europe’s most overcrowded prisons. But with the range of imprisonable crimes also growing, Emmanuel Macron’s government shows little interest in rehabilitating convicts outside the cell walls.
Europe
Justice
Overcrowding
Alternatives
Netherlands
Due to the shortage of prison guards, outgoing Minister Franc Weerwind (Legal Protection) is taking two additional measures to reduce the pressure on prisons acutely. For instance, people who still have to serve a prison sentence of up to two months will have to do so at a later date.
Central America and the Caribbean
Facilities
Violence
Haiti
Haiti’s national penitentiary is on fire after a blaze broke out in the building on Thursday morning, according to Reuters. A video posted to social media reportedly showed black smoke coming out of the facility.