Material conditions
Europe
Justice
Material conditions
Facilities
Poland
A delegation of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) carried out a periodic visit to Poland from 21 March to 1 April 2022. It was the Committee’s seventh periodic visit to this country.
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
United Kingdom
England and Wales are two constituent countries of the United Kingdom. While their health, justice and prison policies fall under common legislation, their prison health services differ.
Switzerland: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Switzerland
In Switzerland, people declared not criminally responsible are subject to therapeutic measures. In 2018, there were nearly 960 people subject to therapeutic measures. Nearly 60% of people subject to in-patient treatment are placed in prison.
Spain: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Spain
There are 17 autonomous communities in Spain. Criminal legislation applies to the entire country. The Catalonia region is responsible for managing its own prisons. Thus, two different government administrations oversee the penitentiary system.
Netherlands: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Netherlands
Both in its European and overseas territories, care in prisons is administered by the Ministry of Justice. Around 60% of prisoners present with at least one mental disorder. Prisoners suffering from severe disorders have to be placed in Extra Care Facilities (Extra Zorgvoorziening, EZV) present in…
Italy: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Italy
The Ministry of Justice oversees the prison system. The organisation of health care in prisons has been the responsibility of the National Health System (Servizio sanitario nazionale, SNS) since 2008. There are many prisoners with mental health problems.
Belgium: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Belgium
Belgium is a federal state. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for prison administration and prison healthcare. People suffering from mental illness who commit a crime are subject to a psychiatric assessment.
Germany: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Germany
Germany is a federal republic divided into 16 Länder. The Ministry of Justice oversees prison health care. Federal law does not provide for any mental health care in prison. The Länder implement treatment measures. Significant variations have been observed from one territory and facility to another…
France: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
France
France has 187 prisons. Since 1994, prison health care falls under the authority of the Ministry of Health. Prison mental healthcare was the subject of a major reform in 2002.
Walling up madness
Analysis
Thematic paper
Europe
Access to legal rights
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Suicide
More than 40 % of prisoners in Italy suffer from at least one mental disorder, about 30% in Spain, 35% in England, and 60% in the Netherlands. Does prison make you go mad? This is no doubt true for some. Prison Insider provides an overview of practices in eight countries.
Kenya: un "marais artificiel" purifie les eaux usées fétides d'une prison
News
Africa
Material conditions
Kenya
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French
Sunny Jacobs: Life Inside
Testimonial
North America
Mental health
Material conditions
Death penalty
Activities
United States
What is daily life on death row like? Sunny Jacobs was sentenced to death and spent seventeen years in detention for a crime she did not commit. She tells Prison Insider about her detention conditions and the burden of complete isolation.
Niger : Les autorités doivent garantir les droits des détenus
News
Africa
Material conditions
Niger
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French
Belgium: prison within prison
Interview
Europe
Discipline
Mental health
Material conditions
Belgium
When can someone be sent to solitary confinement? A new report strongly criticises the use of solitary confinement and the conditions of detention observed there. Interview.
Senegal: out of step, outlawed
Interview
Africa
LGBTQI
Justice
Material conditions
Violence
Senegal
A new bill is looking to toughen punishment for homosexuality. There are serious concerns about detention conditions for LGBTI people. Interview.
Asia
Access to legal rights
Justice
Material conditions
Death penalty
Japan
Death penalty is an ongoing issue despite international criticism. What is the current situation in Japan regarding the death penalty?
Uruguay: The straw that broke the camel’s back
Investigations
Interview
South America
Material conditions
Protest
Violence
Uruguay
Riots provoked changes in prison.
France: poor prisons
Interview
Central America and the Caribbean
Material conditions
Antigua & Barbuda
Long-awaited better housing facilities for prison inmates are a step closer with the completion of the first phase of major upgrades.
Coronavirus
Pre-trial detention
Minors
Mental health
Material conditions
Overcrowding
France
The Controller-General for Places of Deprivation of Liberty feels ‘useful everywhere’. One year after taking office, Dominique Simonnot responds to our questions in a candid interview.
Chile: Estudio del INDH sobre cárceles chilenas revela la cruda realidad de los reos
News
South America
Material conditions
Chile
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish
Years in the Row
Analysis
Thematic paper
Africa
Women
Asia
Europe
Minors
Foreign prisoners
Discipline
Health
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Overcrowding
Death penalty
Torture
Some people fear death every morning. Others are sentenced to death in countries that no longer carry out executions. At least 483 executions were documented in 2020. Prison Insider publishes an overview of practices in nine countries that have not abolished the death penalty.
Asia
Access to legal rights
Material conditions
Death penalty
Torture
Social ties
Pakistan
In 2015, Pakistan accounted for 20% of executions worldwide. However, 2020 saw a suspension of executions and a decline in sentences. Currently, there are more than 4,000 prisoners sentenced to death awaiting execution.