Joy Richardson covers stories about successful parolees and other prison-related subjects throughout the state. Gail Brown and Vanessa Nelson have been actively involved in prison reform for over 10 years, and have loved ones inside. Brown’s husband … [Read more...]
Georgia Prison Inmates on Strike
GEORGIA – Inmates in at least six Georgia prisons went on strike since December 9, 2010. An advocate said the inmates want better conditions and compensation. In a demonstration that has transcended racial and gang boundaries, thousands of inmates … [Read more...]
State Supreme Court to Review Marcy’s Law
The California Supreme Court will decide two issues that are critical for lifers appearing before the Board of Parole Hearings. The court will decide whether the provisions of Marsy’s Law, which sets the minimum parole denial period at three years … [Read more...]
San Francisco Reviewing Legislation to End Offender Discrimination
San Francisco and the federal government are grappling with the question of whether private employers should have the right to discriminate against job applicants with criminal records. The Reentry Council is urging San Francisco to bar private … [Read more...]
Centerforce Summit to Examine Incarceration
Centerforce’s National Inside/Out Summit on incarceration will focus on “The Faces of Change: People and Strategies That Make a Difference” within the prison system and its impact on communities October 22-25, 2011, at the Westin San Francisco … [Read more...]
Prison Time May Extend Life
Black men are half as likely to die in prison than if they aren’t, a recent study of North Carolina inmates suggests. The black prisoners appeared to be especially protected against alcohol and drug-related deaths, as well as lethal accidents, … [Read more...]
Prison Population Reduction Plan Begins October 1
California prison officials project they will meet a federal court mandate to trim the state’s prison occupancy by 33,000 over the next 24 months, according to a recent Associated Press article. Local sheriffs and county probation departments will … [Read more...]
Assembly Revises Juvenile Bill
A bill approved by the State Senate to give juveniles sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole a second chance was revived after being defeated in the Assembly. SB 9 by Sen. Leland Yee’s, D-San Francisco, would offer some … [Read more...]
2011-12 Budget Woes
California’s prison system remains under pressure by the courts to curb overcrowding and to shut the revolving door of its prison gates, but without much success, budget and administration figures show. Gov. Jerry Brown’s 2011-2012 budget specifies … [Read more...]
Court Shaves Back The Miranda Ruling
In a stunning legal upheaval, the U.S. Supreme Court has removed one of the mainstay protections of the Miranda v. Arizona rule for citizens of the United States. Last June the U.S. Supreme Court stripped Miranda’s 44-year-long standing rule that … [Read more...]