Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is plagued by staff shortages that are having damaging effects on female prisoners’ care and critical services, re- ported Jeff Mordock of The Washington Times. The BOP is experiencing a shortfall of trained staff nationwide. This shortage has prompted the Justice Department’s Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz to call for an increase in trained prison employees because it has been restricting the access of female prisoners to necessary care and services. “The lack of sufficient staff is most noticeable at larger … [Read more...] about Damaging effects on female prisoners’ care and critical services
Criminal Justice
Former female prisoners fighting for the ones they left behind
The voices of formerly incarcerated women are rising as they mobilize around the nation to change prison conditions for the women prisoners they left behind. “Twenty States by 2020” is a campaign to help pass the “Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act” across the nation. The campaign is being led by the #Cut50 organization and its campaign director, Topeka Sam, who was formerly incarcerated. Sam served time in federal facilities on the East Coast. The campaign has been successful in passing the legislation in seven states, including California, … [Read more...] about Former female prisoners fighting for the ones they left behind
Colorado Department of Corrections to spend $41 million for hep-C treatment
Colorado has agreed to provide medical treatment to cure hepatitis C among 2,200 prisoners. The action came in the settlement of a lawsuit against the Colorado Department of Corrections. The prison system said it would spend $41 million over the next two years to finance the treatments, according to a Sept. 12 Westword story. The lawsuit was brought by the American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) and the Fox Rothschild law firm. “The funding and policy changes in the settlement will help solve an immense public health crisis in Colorado’s … [Read more...] about Colorado Department of Corrections to spend $41 million for hep-C treatment
Accidental overdoses prosecuted as felony-murder under new laws
Two months after her fiancé’s funeral, Kimberly Elkins pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Elkins, now 49, used fentanyl to deal with chronic pain. One day, she shared a fentanyl patch with her fiancé, Aaron Rost, and they overdosed. She woke up that night, but he didn’t. She was sentenced to four years in prison in Minnesota for his death, according to the New York Times. “I struggle really hard with this...trying to find my responsibility in it,” says Elkins as she sits in prison for sharing the fentanyl with him. The cases are more common … [Read more...] about Accidental overdoses prosecuted as felony-murder under new laws
Unfulfilled promises of prison improvement anger inmates in Canada
Renovations at Burnside jail (Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility) in Canada have sparked wide- spread anger among inmates. Inmates were promised programs and new amenities—promises that they said were unfulfilled. In- stead, they spent most of their day in lockdown with poor living conditions, including toilets that didn’t flush, according to the Halifax Examiner. Part of the renovation was the installation of body scanners, which prison officials hope will reduce contraband by 90 percent. The body scanners provide X-ray images, which … [Read more...] about Unfulfilled promises of prison improvement anger inmates in Canada
Illinois shut down prison debate team after successful public event
After a successful public debate on reforming, the Illinois parole system, prison officials shut down the Stateville Debate Team in April. The goal of the team was to use debate as a tool to “connect prisoners to the broader debate community” and provide an opportunity to learn and practice the principles of debate, said Katrina Burlet, director of the Justice Debate League (JDL) and coach of the Stateville Debate Team. JDL hosted a public debate on reforming the Illinois parole system with an audience of about 75 people “including state … [Read more...] about Illinois shut down prison debate team after successful public event
Amnesty International urges death penalty repeal
“Two wrongs don’t make a right. The death penalty is no way to impart justice,” says Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International. In 2016, the US Supreme Court in Hurst v. Florida ruled that Florida’s capital sentencing law was unconstitutional. Yet, despite the ruling, Florida still has the second-largest death row in the nation and is fourth in the number of executions since 1976. Amnesty International wants Florida to abolish their death penalty but it’s an uphill battle. A new report released by Amnesty … [Read more...] about Amnesty International urges death penalty repeal
NC introduces bill prohibiting shackling during childbirth
North Carolina’s Democratic legislators have introduced a bill that would prohibit the shackling of incarcerated women while they give birth. After a story came out about two women who gave birth at a Triangle region hospital with their hands and feet shackled, advocates complained to prison officials about the practice, according to a North Carolina Health News article. “When someone is handcuffed to a bed, they can’t roll over, can’t get up and walk freely,” Sarah Gillooly, with North Carolina’s American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) told … [Read more...] about NC introduces bill prohibiting shackling during childbirth
Pennsylvania prisons ban printed books
Pennsylvania prisons have banned printed books, turning to electronic books instead, according to an op-ed in The Washington Post. Prisoners must buy a tablet for $147 from a private company to read a limited number of titles, according to the opinion piece by Jodi Lincoln, co-chair of Book ‘Em, a Pittsburgh nonprofit organization that sends books free to incarcerated people and prison libraries. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PDOC) eliminated donations from Book ‘Em. The PDOC explained that the change is designed to stop … [Read more...] about Pennsylvania prisons ban printed books
Inert gas asphyxiation the new method of execution
Alabama lawmakers in March voted to authorize a method of execution that has never been used before—inert gas asphyxiation. Lawmakers say this alternative method is a more humane way to carry out capital punishment. It works by directing the inmate to breathe inert gas as opposed to oxygen. Examples of such gases include helium, methane and nitrogen. The Associated Press reported that inhaling nitrogen gas is “like dying on a plane that depressurizes in flight, swiftly killing all aboard.” Perhaps that’s why 51 of Alabama’s 180 death row … [Read more...] about Inert gas asphyxiation the new method of execution