When asked which legal right most needs to be remedied for women in prison, former federal inmate Sharanda Jones put it plainly: “the right to not be there in the first place.” For Jones, the inconveniences, degradation and safety risks she experienced frequently paled in comparison to the big picture. A first-time offender of a
The release of 19,000 low-risk inmates is a bold and necessary step to save lives Earlier this month Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola made the long-overdue announcement that 19,000 low-risk inmates would be released from prison. It is a bold and necessary step to save lives as Covid-19 threatens to wreak havoc
Following vigorous lobbying and petitioning of the state by activists, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a process to release over 19 000 low-risk inmates to curb the spread of the virus in prisons. At the time of publication there were 213 confirmed cases in South African prisons, 124 of them prison officials. Two inmates and one
The coronavirus pandemic is ravaging American communities — and few places are being hit harder than prisons and jails. Massive outbreaks of the disease have struck scores of facilities — and with so few tests being administered behind bars, the problem is undoubtedly far worse than is known. As the virus continues to spread in
In 2019, Devon, a gay man serving time at a prison in Nevada, was raped by two other prisoners whom he considered friends. When he told other inmates, they accused him of lying and warned that if he told staff what happened, he risked being hurt or killed. Still, Devon mustered the courage to come