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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 8:36 pm
Time: 8:36 pm
Results for prison policy
5 results foundAuthor: Raher, Stephen Title: You've Got Mail: the promise of cyber communication in prisons and the need for regulation Summary: Ideally, electronic messaging - which is often referred to as "email for prisoners" - should provide incarcerated people and their families a faster and more convenient way to communicate over extreme distances. But our January 2016 report finds that electronic messaging has very little in common with email services available to free-world users. Some electronic messaging systems only allow for inbound electronic communication, and, unlike mainstream email, sending messages costs anywhere from 5cents to $1.25 per message. But it's not too late to transform electronic messaging from a poorly designed and expensive technology to a fair and reasonable tool for communication. The Federal Communications Commission requested comments on advanced communication services in prisons and jails, and we've responded with our analysis of the current state of electronic messaging. The report addresses critical questions that range from how many companies provide electronic messaging in prisons and jails to what are some of the abusive terms of service that are common in this industry. Details: Northampton, MA: Prison Policy Initiative, 2016. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 7, 2016 at: http://www.prisonpolicy.org/messaging/report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.prisonpolicy.org/messaging/report.pdf Shelf Number: 138597 Keywords: Electronic CommunicationsPrison PolicyPrisoners Mail |
Author: Williams, Claire Title: Extending NZ Prison Smoking Bans: Should We Quit While We're Ahead? Summary: Smoking is directly correlated to adverse health effects including heart disease, cancer, chronic pulmonary diseases, nuclear cataract, hip fractures. According to the latest NZ health statistics, of the 8469 prison population, 67.1% smoke which equates to 5674 people. Each smoker in prison costs the NZ taxpayer $20,000 per annum in associated healthcare costs. A total smoking ban in NZ prisons could therefore potentially save the New Zealand economy over $113 million dollars annually. 1 in every 2 smokers will die a premature death because of tobacco addiction; therefore, 2837 lives would potentially be extended; these benefits would be increased if prison staff were included in the smoking ban. Furthermore, 3500 staff in NZ prisons are exposed to second hand smoke or ETS at levels 12 times the national average. A smoking ban which does not apply to prison staff would reduce the levels of ETS exposure; however a ban including staff would mean zero levels of ETS exposure preventing impending law suits. Deaths associated with second hand smoke are approximately 1% of the population; at 12 times higher exposure rates in prisons; a ban including prison staff could mean preventing a premature death of 420 people over the long term. Corrections insurance premiums could be lowered with the introductions of 100% smoking bans in prisons. Details: Auckland, NZ: University of Auckland, 2010. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Report: Accessed February 11, 2017: http://policyprojects.ac.nz/clairewilliams/files/2010/10/Policy-Report2.pdf Year: 2010 Country: New Zealand URL: http://policyprojects.ac.nz/clairewilliams/files/2010/10/Policy-Report2.pdf Shelf Number: 144836 Keywords: Inmate HealthPrison PolicySmoking Bans |
Author: McBride, George Title: High Stakes: An Inquiry into the Drugs Crisis in English Prisons Summary: Prisons are in crisis with record levels of suicides, violence and self-harm. Traditional drugs have been replaced by a family of drugs called synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists, generically referred to as 'black mamba' or 'spice.' The government has failed to recognise the important policy implications of these new drugs, and the lack of intelligent drug policy in the new white paper risks undermining the entirety of the proposed prison reforms. This report is the first of its kind bringing together experts in drug and prison policy to examine the implications of the radical shift in prison drug markets and propose pragmatic solutions to reduce drug-related harms and improve prison safety and security. The report reviews the rise to near ubiquity of spice in men's prisons in England. These diverse and multitudinous substances have risen to prominence globally in response to international prohibition of popular illicit substances, in particular cannabis. These new substances have relatively unknown risk profiles and many induce paranoia, behavioural disturbances, violence, seizures and convulsions. They are particularly popular in prisons due to their low cost, difficulty to detect, and "bird [prison sentence] killing" effects. Too little is being done to fight drug demand within prisons. Prisoners are often left unoccupied in their cells for 23 hours a day. Many prisoners are developing drug problems during their incarceration. Overall 8% of men in prison in England and Wales report developing a drug problem since they have been in prison. In prisons with the worst regimes this is as high as 14-16%. This is increasing drug use and the frequency of dangerous incidents, which are a substantial drain on prison staff resources. This feeds a vicious cycle, further draining resources, and is leaving prisoners increasingly unoccupied and under supervised. As staff capacity is reduced this further decreases the ability of prisons to perform essential functions in disrupting the supply of drugs into prisons leaving criminal organisations able to push drugs with impunity. The supply reduction methods proposed in the White Paper are expensive distractions from the real work needed to disrupt criminal supply chains. Proposed extensions to the mandatory drug testing regime will be impracticable with the available resources, only identify a limited range of the drugs in circulation, and fail to assist in identifying those supplying drugs. New sniffer dogs will quickly become obsolete due to the rate of chemical innovation of new substances. We are currently monitoring drug use in prisons through mandatory drug testing and records of seizures. These methods give very little assistance in terms of understanding who is supplying drugs, who is using drugs, what drugs are in circulation, how drugs are getting into prisons, or the level and nature of harm associated with drug use in a given prison. Recommendations: Risk management not zero tolerance – a chasm exists between the prevailing rhetoric and policy reality. In order to manage prisons effectively efforts need to focus on disrupting supply chains, reducing demand for drugs, and improving intelligence-gathering. Reducing drug-related harms makes prisons safer places in which rehabilitation is more effective. Helping addicted drug-users who are willing to change to turn their lives around is proven to reduce re-offending rates. Reduce demand through purposeful activity – There needs to be an acceptance that supply reduction measures are there to disrupt supply, they are not there to eradicate it. A shift of emphasis towards demand reduction is required to make prisons more effective places at tackling problem drug habits and rehabilitating offenders. There is a clear link between a lack of purposeful activity and the uptake of drug use. Busy prison regimes and treatment are more effective than security measures in managing the drug problem in our prisons. The long-held emphasis on supply reduction over demand reduction creates an increased burden on staff, logistical and management difficulties, and associated difficulties in implementing new policies, supporting work, training, education and treatment schemes. These costs too often go uncounted. Overhaul monitoring of drug use – An essential part of effective management is using appropriate, reliable metrics for measuring success and failure. The Ministry of Justice’s recommendations to monitor prisons’ drug policy outcomes via drug testing prisoners on arrival and exit from prison will not provide reliable or useful data. Instead, a system should be implemented to monitor the nature and scale of the drug market and drug-related harms. Regular anonymous audits of drug use and the drug market could provide valuable information from treatment staff, prison officers, current and ex-prisoners. Overhaul monitoring of drug supply and security – Current supply-reduction and security measures are not grounded in evidence. New proposed measures focus on drones and visitors when there is no evidence that these are the primary sources of supply. There is evidence suggesting corrupt staff may be a major source of supply. Evidence gathering is needed on drug seizures to assist in determining their providence, as well as a new regional task force within the Prison Service to oversee periodic spot checks and searches of staff. Improve staff to prisoner ratio – Overseeing busy prison routines and effective treatment is a labour-intensive endeavour with no quick-fix technological solutions. In order to bring about this reform we need a better staff to prisoner ratio. To do so means that we need to either substantially reduce the prison population or substantially increase prison funding. Reducing the prison population likely has both fiscal and outcome benefits by reducing the use of a costly and ineffective intervention. Details: London: Volteface, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: http://volteface.me/app/uploads/2017/01/High-Stakes-A4-Printed-Booklet-Final-Version-1.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://volteface.me/app/uploads/2017/01/High-Stakes-A4-Printed-Booklet-Final-Version-1.pdf Shelf Number: 144834 Keywords: Drug Abuse and AddictionDrug ControlDrug Control PolicyDrug OffendersDrug Use in PrisonPrison ContrabandPrison PolicyPrison Violence |
Author: Rogan, Mary Title: Driving Penal Reform Summary: For organisations and individuals involved in penal reform, influencing policy can be frustrating, slow and enigmatic. Models of penal change can provide guidance regarding the drivers of and influences on penal policy, and analysing the policy process can offer both theoretical insights and practical lessons for penal reform groups. This paper seeks to add to the growing literature on policy-making by exploring the example of the Republic of Ireland, which is in the process of changing its penal policy from one which prioritised penal expansion to one which advocates a decarceration strategy. The particular experience of Ireland since 2011 indicates a number of learning points for penal reformers, including the importance of grasping the opportunity presented by a change of government, establishing links with all parties, and, in some cases, providing a research function for politicians in order to create the best chance of having policy positions included in political commitments. The paper also explores the influence of international and domestic mechanisms for the protection of human rights on penal change, as well as the actions of senior prison officials. The case of Ireland shows that policies emphasising penal expansionism can be reversed through a combination of a favourable, or at least distracted, political culture, energetic individuals, and NGOs willing to work constructively with policymakers. Details: London: Howard League, 2014. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Howard League What is Justice? Working Papers 12/2014: Accessed June 9, 2017 at: http://howardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/HLWP_12_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://howardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/HLWP_12_2014.pdf Shelf Number: 145992 Keywords: Prison PolicyPrison Reform Prisons |
Author: Torres Quintero, Astrid Title: Colombia - Ninos y ninas con madres y padres encarcelados por delitos de drogas menores no violentos ( 103/5000 Colombia - Children with mothers and fathers imprisoned for minor non-violent drug offenses) Summary: In Colombia, there are currently 115,862 people deprived of their liberty, despite the fact that The capacity of the institutions of confinement is for 79,211 (INPEC, 2018). This situation of overcrowding generates multiple violations of human rights, recognized by the Court Constitutional, that declared an "unconstitutional state of affairs" in prison matters, is say, a serious and massive situation of violation of rights for the private population of the freedom, derived from multiple factors and that, for its improvement, requires actions of all the competent institutions (Constitutional Court of Colombia, 2013 and 2015). However, the recognition of the serious situation suffered by people who are in seclusion does not imply the visibility of other subjects who suffer the impacts of imprisonment, as are families and, especially, children and adolescents (NNA, from now on) whose parents are deprived of freedom, for which reason they are out of focus of attention for making decisions both in terms of prison policy, and in the field of policies aimed at protecting the rights of children and adolescents. In the case of non-violent drug-related crimes, despite the fact that there has been debate over the impact of criminal treatment mainly on the people who carry out the traffic and sale of psychoactive substances, because of the vulnerability that characterizes them, little has been said about their family contexts and the effects they may suffer as a consequence of imprisonment. This invisibility is serious in the Colombian context, where the drug trafficking has especially impacted on family and community relations, not only as a consequence of this activity in itself, but also because of the effect that the hardening of sentences and the premise that they should focus on the use of prison. Therefore, although the vulnerability of persons deprived of their liberty is recognized and, in As a consequence, penal and penitentiary policies are questioned (for example, in terms of use of preventive detention and toughening of sentences in some crimes), these questions do not include analyzes related to the affectations suffered by children and adolescents as a result of the imprisonment of their parents. Several studies allow us to conclude that the populations that suffer the most the consequences of this criminal hardening are those that are in conditions of vulnerability, as women, who usually participate in the stages of transport and sale. However, these investigations do not delve into the effects that deprivation of liberty has on children and adolescents, with the exception of some mentions that are reached as a consequence of the observation of the situation of women who are mothers and are imprisoned. Details: Church World Service, 2018. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 16, 2019 at: http://www.cwslac.org/nnapes-pdd/docs/PDD-Colombia.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Colombia URL: http://www.cwslac.org/nnapes-pdd/docs/PDD-Colombia.pdf Shelf Number: 155873 Keywords: Children of InmatesDrug OffendersDrug TraffickingFamilies of PrisonersHuman Rights AbusesPrison PolicyRights of Children |