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Crowded prisons endanger workers, union says
from Joe Davidson's column in the Washington Post:
"BOP prisons have become increasingly dangerous places to work, primarily because of serious correctional officer understaffing and prison inmate overcrowding problems," Phil Glover, a union official, told a congressional panel Tuesday.
The inmate-to-staff ratio is more than one-third greater than it was in 1997, federal figures show.
Footpaths to pathways
Tony Mulder is the Police Commissioner/Alderman of Bellerive, Tasmania, Australia. He writes in his blog:
Alderman Tony Mulder has called for a change to Community Service Orders (CSO) for young offenders.
Alderman Mulder’s call was prompted by his apprehension of two youths in the act of vandalising the bus shelter near Rosny College on Sunday night.
“I’ve given the matter some thought”, Ald Mulder said “and current CSO tasks like painting out graffiti do not provide a pathway toward social re-engagement.” Instead, Ald Mulder suggests compulsory attendance at a pre-apprenticeship TAFE course. “If they don’t engage, it is no different to a CSO, but if they commit, they gain a pre-apprenticeship qualification and important employment and life skills.”
Jul 20, 2009 Diversion, Country:Australia, Prison, Community Service
Dominican Republic: Losing freedom but not dignity
from Elizabeth Eames Roebling's article at IPS.org:
There are 236 women here [new model women's prison in Najayo, Dominican Republic], part of a plan to convert the entire penal system in the Dominican Republic to correctional centres of restorative justice.
That concept is broadly defined as institutionalising peaceful approaches to harm, problem-solving and violations of legal and human rights. These range from international tribunals like the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission to innovations within the criminal and juvenile justice systems, schools, social services and communities.
Jul 17, 2009 Country:Dominican Republic, Transformation, Region: North America and Caribbean, Prison
Three-year research project on mediation and restorative justice in prison settings
from the flyer announcing the project:
The Mediation and Restorative Justice in Prison Settings Project is a three year international exchange project funded by the European Commission, between the counties of Germany, Hungary and the UK.
The project will identify, exchange and develop best practice for the use of restorative justice (“RJ”) with the most serious crimes, particularly those against persons and property attracting a custodial sentence. Research suggests that RJ can have the biggest impact on the lives of victims and offenders where such serious crimes have been committed.
Jul 14, 2009 Country:Hungary, Dialogue, Country:England&Wales, Offender, Country:Germany, Region:Europe, Victim, Prison, Report, Evaluation
Restorative justice process helps prisoners, victims
From Phil Haslanger's article in the Capital Times: Each of the 18 grads spoke a bit as they came forward to accept their diplomas from Sue Heneman, a Madison volunteer who was one of the teachers in the program along with Diana Shaw. What was striking was how many of them talked about becoming aware for the first time of the consequences their actions had on their victims, on the community. These men were here for big-time crimes - murder, sexual assault, running prostitution rings.
Do Better Do Less: The report of the Commission on English Prisons Today
From the Executive Summary: England and Wales has become a jurisdiction which punishes excessively, harshly and with little attention paid to the relationship between legislation and impact on prison numbers. Prison has become the defining tool of the punishment process and we now imprison more of our population than almost any other country in western Europe.
Jul 06, 2009 Court, Diversion, Region: Europe, Prison, Policy, Politics, Country:England&Wales
