Nov 16 Durbin calls for removal of federal prisons director amid ‘mounting crises’ By Michael Balsamo, Associated Press Sen. Dick Durbin's demand came two days after the AP revealed that more than 100 Bureau of Prisons workers have been arrested, convicted or sentenced for crimes since the start of 2019. Continue reading
Aug 04 Watch 4:10 This advocate says justice system is our failure to imagine anything besides punishment Jorge Antonio Renaud says that the United States is enamored with the idea that certain individuals are just “crime prone.” At 20, he was arrested and put in jail, where he survived a traumatic attack. Feeling lost led him to… Continue watching
Aug 01 Watch 6:16 Exhibition sheds light on Kalief Browder’s years in solitary confinement By Ivette Feliciano, Laura Fong Sixteen-year-old Kalief Browder spent three years inside New York City's Rikers Island without being convicted of a crime, enduring two of those years in solitary confinement. He subsequently struggled with his mental health and eventually took his own life. A… Continue watching
May 13 Watch 4:28 A former prisoner’s Brief But Spectacular take on second chances Ryan Ramnarace got a second chance at life when he was released from federal prison. After serving 14 years, he decided he wanted to be a positive presence for his family and community. He tells us about his progress in… Continue watching
Apr 07 The U.S. spends billions to lock people up, but very little to help them once they’re released By Casey Kuhn “600,000 people are released from correctional facilities every year, but it’s a part of the criminal justice system that’s being funded at no guarantee,” said Jennifer Ortiz, an assistant professor of criminal justice at Indiana University Southeast who studies reentry… Continue reading
Apr 02 Watch 7:21 New Mexico inmates connect with Ernest Hemingway’s life and work By Jeffrey Brown A new documentary series by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick called "Hemingway" premieres Monday on PBS. It's about one of America’s most famous and influential writers. In New Mexico, an unusual audience is watching, reading, and writing along. Jeffrey Brown… Continue watching
Feb 16 Watch 8:32 How obtaining identification can complicate the road from prison By William Brangham, Mike Fritz, Gretchen Frazee For men and women coming out of prison every year, one of the first steps to re-entering society can be one of the most difficult: simply getting a valid ID. William Brangham reports on the many hurdles returning citizens often… Continue watching
Feb 06 Inmates at St. Louis jail set fires, break out windows By Heather Hollingsworth, Associated Press Inmates at a St. Louis jail set fires, broke out windows and threw things from fourth-floor windows Saturday in the latest disturbance over concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions that have limited visits and stalled court proceedings, officials said. Continue reading
Jan 13 U.S. carries out its 1st execution of female inmate since 1953 By Associated Press She was the 11th prisoner to receive a lethal injection there since July when President Donald Trump, an ardent supporter of capital punishment, resumed federal executions following 17 years without one. Continue reading
Dec 31 Leaving prison without a government ID can block access to housing, jobs and help By Cat Wise When people are incarcerated, the government ID they had when entering prison may no longer be valid when they are released. Yet this small piece of plastic is needed for many of life's basic necessities like housing, employment, medical care,… Continue reading