Nov 28 Watch 6:10 American prisons are hell. For women, they’re even worse The U.S. incarcerates more people than any other country--over two million. Roughly 200,000 of them are female. But existing American prisons are often ill-equipped to handle the specific needs of women and girls. Amna Nawaz talks to Andrea James, a… Continue watching
Sep 23 Watch 8:37 Architects designing for prisons confront ethical questions By PBS News Hour The number of prisons in the U.S. has exploded from nearly 500 in the 1970s to almost 2,000 today, becoming a source of business for the architects who design them. But some in the profession are urging fellow architects to… Continue watching
Jul 13 Watch 3:14 Why I’m starting the world’s first prison law school By PBS News Hour "Each of us has much more to offer than the worst thing we’ve done," says Alexander McLean, an activist and attorney who has been working in prisons since he was 18. McLean, founder of the African Prisons Project, shares the… Continue watching
Feb 26 Sessions’ tough on crime talk could lead to fuller prisons By Eric Tucker, Associated Press The federal prison population is on the decline, but a new attorney general who talks tough on drugs and crime seems poised to usher in a reversal of that trend. Continue reading
Feb 23 U.S. will continue use of privately run prisons, Attorney General says By Eric Tucker, Associated Press Jeff Sessions says a plan to phase out privately run facilities "impaired the Bureau's ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional system."… Continue reading
Feb 02 1 guard dead after hourslong prison takeover in Delaware By Alison Thoet A guard at a Delaware prison was killed sometime during a nearly 24-hour standoff that began Wednesday between prisoners and police, authorities said today. Continue reading
Jan 08 Prison strike organizers to protest food giant Aramark By Kamala Kelkar The people who organized the country’s biggest prison strike against what they call modern-day slavery have planned a protest of corporate food service company Aramark. Continue reading
Dec 03 ‘Everybody wants to be seen’ — exhibit showcases LGBTQ artists in prison By Corinne Segal “On the Inside,” an exhibition at the Abrons Art Center in New York City, showcases work produced by LGBTQ prisoners. Continue reading
Aug 18 Watch 6:25 News Wrap: California wildfire advances; horrors reported in Syrian prisons By PBS News Hour In our news wrap Thursday, the fast-moving fire just 60 miles east of Los Angeles flared even more; 1500 firefighters are battling flames only 4 percent contained. The inferno has charred nearly 50 square miles since Tuesday and forced 82,000… Continue watching
Apr 08 Watch 9:29 Violent, overcrowded Alabama prisons hit a breaking point By Frank Carlson Alabama has the most overcrowded prison system in the nation: More than 24,000 inmates are housed in a system designed for half that number. The violence, overcrowding and actions taken by the federal government pushed state government to action, passing… Continue watching