Discipline
France: beyond the stigma
Interview
Europe
Discipline
Health
Mental health
Drugs
France
They are banned, but present nonetheless; denying the presence of illicit substances inside prison walls is dangerous from a medical and health point of view. Doctors of the World explained its approach.
Read more
France: drugs in prison, an open secret
Interview
Madagascar: "everything is heavy and dark here"
Testimonial
Africa
Discipline
Material conditions
Overcrowding
Madagascar
Paul Rafanoharana Maillot writes to us from Tsiafahy prison, a facility notorious for its overcrowding and inhumane conditions. He has been incarcerated since 4 August 2021 and is being kept in solitary confinement. He tells us about the “prison within the prison”.
Read more
Paraguay: abren investigación por fuga de reclusos de la principal cárcel de Paraguay
News
South America
Discipline
Paraguay
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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…
Read more
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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…
Read more
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
Years in the Row
Analysis
Comparative study
Africa
Women
Asia
Minors
Europe
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.
Read more
Russia: “They’re killing us!”
News
Investigations
Mexique : La criminalisation des manifestations autochtones
News
North America
Discipline
Protest
Mexico
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French
Ecuador: un enfrentamiento entre bandas rivales en una cárcel de Ecuador deja al menos 24 muertos
News
South America
Discipline
Violence
Ecuador
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish
Ecuador: Guillermo Lasso decreta cuatro medidas urgentes para combatir la violencia en las cárceles
News
South America
Discipline
Violence
Ecuador
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish
Africa: informal governance and healthcare access in prison
Analysis
Opinion
Africa
Discipline
Health
Mental health
Material conditions
Facilities
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’. Carole Berrih, a lawyer specialising in public law, focuses on the role of prisoners in the maintenance of order in N…
Read more
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.
Read more
Asia
Discipline
Facilities
North Korea
The North Korean authorities have reportedly ordered the expansion of political prison camps in the country. A source told Daily NK that North Korea, having declared war on the so-called “anti-socialist and non-socialist phenomenon” during the recent Eighth Party Congress, intends to overhaul its i…
Source — Daily NK
Read more
Ireland: social distress in prison
Interview
Europe
Discipline
Mental health
Material conditions
Ireland
After a significant reform in Irish prisons, the CPT remains concerned about the conditions of detention in segregation cells and for mentally ill prisoners. A member of the monitoring body told us what she observed.
Read more
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Justice
Germany
While such electronic monitoring constitutes a very intrusive interference with fundamental rights, in particular with the fundamental right to informational self-determination and the general right of personality following from Art. 2(1) in conjunction with Art. 1(1) of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz…
Source — Bundesverfassungsgericht
Read more Italie: en prison avec des djihadistes, Cesare Battisti démarre une grève de la faim
News
Europe
Discipline
Material conditions
Protest
Italy
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French