Matilde Hernandez, founder of Dare 2 Lift It, has released a new book, Beyond These Walls, which combines her personal journey through incarceration with a healing guide to help others reclaim their power and rewrite their stories.
The ACLU of Oklahoma and other organizations have successfully advocated for the end of indefinite solitary confinement for most people sentenced to death at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, resulting in improved living conditions and increased access to programs and social interaction.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2027 budget has been criticized for not adequately addressing the high costs and human consequences of incarcerating a growing elderly prison population, as the state prison system increasingly functions as a de facto nursing home.
A new report from Solitary Watch details systemic abuse in New York prisons, citing physical violence, deprivation of basic resources, and widespread solitary confinement, and calls for urgent and sweeping reforms to ensure humane conditions for incarcerated individuals.
Incarcerated individuals face long periods of hard work for minimal pay, and are forced to spend their earnings on expensive commissary items, making it difficult to maintain basic hygiene and nutrition.
Solitary confinement, or “the hole,” is a costly and unregulated practice that violates human rights, increases mental health diagnoses, and disproportionately affects people of color, with many arguing it should be banned.
The California Policy Lab and the Committee on the Revision of the Penal Code have released the California Prison Population Data Dashboards, a public resource providing interactive access to ten years of data about California’s state prison population, including detailed breakdowns by race, gender, age, offense type, and county of conviction.
The California Prison Population Data Dashboards provide detailed information about the current prison population, admissions, and releases, allowing the public and policymakers to explore specific trends and disparities in sentencing.
Advocates and families are urging the FCC to maintain affordable prison communication rates, as the FCC is set to consider weakening rate caps established in 2024 under a 2023 federal law.
The Federal Prison Oversight Act was passed to increase transparency and accountability in the nation’s largest prison system, giving the DOJ inspector general new authority to inspect federal prisons and allowing for an independent party to investigate claims made by incarcerated people, their families and prison staff.
Adam Clausen, after being sentenced to 213 years in federal prison, has emerged as a national leader advocating for justice reform and second chances, using his story to inspire change and promote a justice system focused on restoration.
Humans of San Quentin hosted its first-ever “Graduation and Celebration” at San Quentin State Prison, honoring the voices of incarcerated people and introducing new participants to its mission, with music, rap, poetry, and other performances showcasing the humanity and creativity inside the prison.
Several U.S. states are looking to European-style prisons, which prioritize rehabilitation over punishment, to improve prison conditions in America, despite facing political and financial barriers.
We have officially wrapped up the 2023-2024 legislative session, one of the most challenging for criminal justice…
For years, San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and Mule Creek State Prison have been the only carceral communities…
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Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons By Laurel Spear SAN QUENTIN, CA— California Governor…
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