Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

October 6, 2019

USA: inmate recorded horrid prison conditions using cameras hidden in Bible, oversize glasses

News

North America Material conditions United States

A prisoner at the Martin Correctional Institution spent years recording life at the Florida facility, detailing horrid conditions and neglect from staff, according to The Miami Herald.

October 5, 2019

India: an oasis of knowledge within Tihar prison walls

News

Asia India

From computer applications to English, inmates are learning and imparting new skills to each other at an institute opened recently on jail premises

October 5, 2019

USA: the economics of prison gangs

News

North America United States

Prison gangs have not always been present in the American penal system so understanding the factors that have given rise to their growth is key to seeing prisoners as rational actors.

October 5, 2019

Gambia: des conditions de détention qui tardent à changer

News

Africa Material conditions Gambia

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

October 4, 2019

Ireland: 23 pregnant women have been in custody in prison this year

News

Women Europe Ireland

A total of 23 pregnant women have been in custody in the country’s two female prisons so far this year, new figures have revealed.

October 4, 2019

UK: baby dies in prison after inmate "gives birth alone in cell"

News

Europe United Kingdom

Police are investigating the death of a baby in Britain’s largest female prison after an inmate gave birth alone in her cell at night.

October 4, 2019

Philippines: more than 5,000 inmates die at this prison every year

News

Asia Philippines

One in five detainees at the Philippines’ national penitentiary die every year, officials at the prison hospital have revealed.

October 4, 2019

USA: study shows link between restrictive housing and increased risk of mortality after release from prison

News

North America Violence United States

A new study led by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found that being held in restrictive housing (i.e., solitary confinement) is associated with an increased risk of death after a person is released from prison.

October 3, 2019

Russia: new report offers government think-tank perspective on reforming the prison system

News

Asia Europe Russia

Russia has too many prisoners — more than 543,000, the largest imprisoned population per capita in Europe. Twenty-eight percent of Russian prisoners are behind bars for drug-related crimes, more than those imprisoned for either robbery or murder. Most of those individuals are drug users, not drug d…

October 3, 2019

Philippines: 5,000 prisoners at NBP die yearly

News

Asia Philippines

At least 5,000 prisoners at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City die every year, said an official from the Bureau of Corrections.

October 2, 2019

Czech Republic: terapias para reducir la reincidencia entre la población expresidiaria

News

Europe Czechia

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

October 2, 2019

USA: Sheriffs release sick people from jail to avoid paying hospital bills

News

North America Violence United States

Michael Tidwell’s blood sugar reading was at least 15 times his normal level when sheriff’s deputies took him to the hospital. But before they loaded the inmate into the back of a car, deputies propped up his slumping body and handed him a pen so he could sign a release from the Washington County J…

October 2, 2019

Saudi Arabia: un journaliste détenu 56 jours dans une prison saoudienne: "je me suis souvenu de Khashoggi et de la scie"

News

Middle East Saudi Arabia

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

October 1, 2019

France: "Ils se sont vus mourir" : après l'incendie de Rouen, des détenus de la maison d'arrêt vont porter plainte

News

Europe France

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

October 1, 2019

Madagascar: the children in prison for stealing vanilla

News

Africa Madagascar

Children accused of stealing vanilla beans in Madagascar can spend nearly three years in prison without trial.

October 1, 2019

Spain: denuncian el "colapso sanitario" en las cárceles

News

Europe Spain

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

September 30, 2019

Venezuela: detenidos enfermos en calabozos no tienen quien vele por su salud

News

South America Venezuela

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

September 27, 2019

USA: prison book bans called ‘arbitrary and irrational’

News

North America United States

A report from PEN America says some restrictions targeted books by authors including Barack Obama, John Updike and Joyce Carol Oates.

September 25, 2019

Australia: atados y amordazados, la realidad de los menores en las cárceles

News

Oceania Australia

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

September 25, 2019

France: À Fleury-Mérogis, la première crèche en prison

News

Europe France

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

September 24, 2019

France : à la prison de Riom, "le savoir permet de casser les murs"

News

Europe France

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

September 24, 2019

Brazil: Lula préfère la prison à un aménagement de peine

News

South America Brazil

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

September 23, 2019

South Africa: transgender inmate wins right to express her gender in male prison

News

LGBTQI South Africa

The Equality Court sitting in the Western Cape ordered that the Department of Correctional Services had to respect September’s wishes to be treated as a woman.

September 23, 2019

Mexico: cárceles de Tamaulipas, peligro para niños y niñas

News

Central America and the Caribbean Mexico

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