Prison Reform

4WardEver UK

Death penalty use and support near record lows

Wimain in prison cellsource: ProCon.org
published: 21 December 2017

Overall use and public support of the death penalty is in decline. As of Nov. 8, 2017, 23 people were executed in the United States in 2017, the second-lowest number since 1991.

39 people are expected to be sentenced to death by the end of 2017, making it the second-lowest number since 1976, the year when capital punishment was declared constitutional again by the US Supreme Court.

Since the death penalty was legalized again in 1976 by the US Supreme Court, 1,465 people have been executed. Texas has accounted for 545 executions, over a third of the nation’s total.

Continue reading

4WardEver UK

Britain is failing young people [detained] in custody

Domiciliary Prison

source: The Guardian
published: 17 August 2017

The neglect of young people represents state-sanctioned child abuse, argue Deborah Coles, Prof Joe Sim and Prof Steve Tombs from INQUEST.

INQUEST’s work with bereaved families has consistently revealed a litany of systemic neglect, violence, institutional complacency and short-sighted policies which contribute to the deaths and harm of children and young people (Report on Northants children’s prison finds rise in violent incidents, 9 August).

These deaths are the most extreme outcome of a system that fails some of society’s most disadvantaged children and young people.

Continue reading

4WardEver UK

Manus Island detention centre closing down with refugees still inside

Barbed Wire Prison

source: The Guardian
published: 5 July 2017

The Manus Island detention centre is being shut down around refugees and asylum seekers while they are still living in it.

Refugees inside the centre reported on Wednesday that immigration officials have said they will cut the power from the Charlie compound on Friday, forcing out refugees still living there.

The entire Manus camp is being progressively shut down, with the Australian and Papua New Guinea governments insisting it will be closed and emptied by 31 October.

Continue reading