Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

September 23, 2021

Suisse : Anne-Catherine Menétrey-Savary, «Ce qui me révolte le plus, c'est l'enfermement sans limite et sans perspective»

Europe Switzerland

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

September 16, 2021

España : el último insumiso civil entra en prisión

News

Europe Spain

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

September 9, 2021

Belgium: “prison isn’t a place for care”

Interview

Europe Mental health Belgium

Incarcerated people are often in worse physical and mental health than the general population. I.Care has been visiting prisons since 2015.

September 7, 2021

France: a deceptive protection

Interview

Women Europe Justice Violence France

The proliferation of surveillance systems and an increased reliance on incarceration are meant to curb violence. But what are the implications of this kind of security? Françoise Vergès is a feminist, anti-racist author. Her most recent work, entitled Une théorie féministe de la violence. Pour une…

August 5, 2021

North Macedonia: cramped prison conditions, detainee ill treatment and opaque prison management among longstanding concerns for anti-torture committee

News

Europe Torture Violence North Macedonia

Despite minor improvements including the renovation of one wing of the remand section of Skopje Prison and the closure of three problematic wings of Idrizovo Prison, most longstanding concerns with respect to living conditions in prisons persist, concludes the latest report on North Macedonia publi…

July 27, 2021

España: la violencia de género, tercera causa de ingreso en prisión

News

Women Europe Violence Spain

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

July 15, 2021

Malta: Prime minister has full faith In prison director after inmate’s death

News

Europe Health Mental health Drugs Malta

Prime Minister Robert Abela insists he has full faith in Prison Director Alex Dalli in the wake of yet another death inside the Corradino Correctional Facility.

July 1, 2021

Italia: Italia investigará sus cárceles tras la difusión de un vídeo que exhibe las palizas de oficiales a los presos

News

Europe Torture Violence Italy

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

July 1, 2021

España: la Comunitat tendrá el mayor psiquiátrico penitenciario de España, con 500 internos

News

Europe Mental health Material conditions Facilities Spain

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

June 29, 2021

Italia: 52 warders arrested over prison lockdown violence

News

Coronavirus Europe Protest Torture Italy

Italian police on Monday arrested 52 prison officers on suspicion of mistreating prisoners in quelling a riot sparked by a case of COVID-19 among inmates in the middle of the first virus lockdown last year. Naples police sent in special penitentiary police forces after the April 6 riot at the jail…

June 15, 2021

England and Wales: short prison sentences, directions for future reform

Analysis Opinion

Europe Long-term prisoners Justice Overcrowding Social ties Rehabilitation United Kingdom

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’. Helen Mills discusses the vexed problem of short prison sentences.

June 14, 2021

Life imprisonment: a sentence in dire need of reform

Analysis Opinion

Africa Asia Elderly prisoners Europe Oceania Long-term prisoners Justice Health Mental health Drugs Overcrowding

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’. In this piece, Olivia Rope, Executive Director of Penal Reform International (PRI), discusses life sentences, a key p…

June 10, 2021

Considering penal abolitionism

Interview

North America Europe Discipline Justice Alternatives

The abolitionist movement is not well-known in France. Three texts, recently translated into French, have been assembled into one book on the subject.

June 10, 2021

Turkey: seen in the press / 2021

News

Europe Turkey

Violence, acts of protest, prison conditions, justice reforms: find out what is new about prisons and justice in this country. Prison Insider monitors the press on a regular basis.

June 10, 2021

Malta: Faculty for Social Wellbeing dean calls for end to solitary confinement in Malta’s prison

News

Europe Mental health Material conditions Rehabilitation Malta

A position paper issued by the Office of the Dean of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing argues solitary confinement leads to worsening rates of recidivism

June 10, 2021

Rusia: justicia rusa decreta prisión preventiva para Pivovarov a la espera de que se celebre el juicio en su contra

News

Pre-trial detention Asia Europe Access to legal rights Russia

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

June 9, 2021

France : en prison, on se suicide dans l’indifférence

News

Europe Mental health Suicide Violence France

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

June 9, 2021

Europe: towards a binding legal framework for places of detention

Analysis Opinion

Coronavirus Europe Access to legal rights Justice

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’. Saskia Bricmont focuses on European justice.

June 9, 2021

Europe: the long road to human dignity

Analysis Opinion

Pre-trial detention Europe Justice Material conditions Overcrowding Activities Social ties

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’. Here, Maïté de Rue discusses the overuse of pre-trial detention in Europe and its consequences.

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.

June 8, 2021

Rehumanising pretrial justice

Analysis Opinion

Africa North America Pre-trial detention Europe Access to legal rights

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’. Jago Russell focuses on the impact of pretrial defence

June 2, 2021

Understanding and reducing the use of imprisonment in ten countries

Thematic paper

Africa Crises Pre-trial detention Asia Elderly prisoners Europe Access to legal rights Health Mental health Drugs Material conditions Overcrowding Social ties

An international research and policy project carried out by the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck, University of London

May 28, 2021

France: women in prison and gender-based violence

Interview

Women Europe Long-term prisoners France

As of January 2020, women represent 3.6% of the total incarcerated population. Across 187 French correctional facilities, only three exclusively house women. Yet more women than men are sentenced to prison terms exceeding ten years. What role does gender-based violence play in the incarceration of…

May 27, 2021

España: La única cárcel para curas del mundo estaba en Zamora: celdas de 5m², torturas y el método del gusano

News

Europe Material conditions Torture Religion Spain

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