Blog

Convincing states that imprisoning children is the least appropriate method can be difficult but there have been successes

Today (20 November) the international community is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Ratified by 194 countries worldwide, the CRC is the most widely supported treaty in international human rights history. It represents an unprecedented global commitment to address the particular needs of children, […]

Renate Winter20th November 2014

When Pussy Riot met UK penal reformers

PRI was pleased to welcome Pussy Riot to its offices in London on Friday along with representatives from the prison reform sector in the UK, including members of the Prison Reform Trust and Women in Prison. Since being released after spending 18 months in the Russian penal system, Nadezhda (Nadia) Tolokonnikova and Maria (Masha) Alyokhina supported […]

Harriet Lowe17th November 2014

Arabic prize winner of PRI journalism competition investigates the situation of death row prisoners in Jordan

Like many countries, Jordan has had a moratorium on executions since 1996, but death sentences continue to be handed down, with 22 imposed in 2013. This article explores the government’s position on the death penalty and why many believe it should finally be taken out of the lawbooks. It was first published on 2 April 2014 in […]

Omar Maharmeh3rd November 2014

Forgotten: the women in Uganda’s prisons

PRI is currently supporting our local NGO partner, the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) to conduct research into the needs and characteristics of women prisoners in Uganda. Over 100 women prisoners have been interviewed so far with initial findings showing that many are imprisoned far away from their homes and children, receiving few or no […]

Diva Mukisa & Denis Angeri, Foundation for Human Rights Initiative30th October 2014

Corruption is a significant factor in human rights violations in many criminal justice systems

From petty bribery to large-scale misappropriation of funds, corruption is rife throughout the criminal justice process in many countries and has serious implications both for the human rights of detainees and the efficient administration of justice. While anecdotal evidence about corrupt activities is plentiful, more attention is now being paid by high-level bodies and by […]

Andrea Huber27th October 2014

No escape from violence: childhood abuse, offending and women in prison

In 2012, a small but innovative, participatory study with women prisoners in South Africa found that 38% of participants reported physical abuse as a child, with 29% reporting sexual abuse, and 67% experiencing physical or sexual abuse as an adult. The study also found a strong link between childhood sexual abuse and rape and violent […]

PRI at the Crime Congress 2015Dr Lillian Artz, University of Cape Town24th October 2014

The pain inflicted by the death penalty is wider than many think

For the twelfth year, governments and NGOs have been commemorating World Day Against the Death Penalty. While the major theme is always “get rid of capital punishment!”, each year there is a particular issue or world region that gets particularly emphasised. This year that theme is mental illness. Mental illness and the death penalty is […]

Oliver Robertson10th October 2014

How peer educators are improving health and conditions in Irish prisons

In 2009, the Red Cross started a programme in Ireland to train volunteer prisoners on community-based health and first aid. Following the course, the volunteers implemented a range of projects to improve health and conditions in prison – from hand-washing to improving take-up of HIV testing to reducing violence. PRI’s Executive Director was impressed by the results […]

Alison Hannah9th October 2014

Uganda still needs stronger child protection mechanisms

Denis Angeri of Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) Uganda, praises the commitment of the Ugandan government to children’s rights but says that much more needs to be done to protect children in conflict with the law. In particular, stronger measures are needed to protect the growing number of street children who should be protected but are frequently rounded […]

Denis Angeri, Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, Uganda3rd October 2014

Old age behind bars: how can prisons adapt to the needs of increasingly elderly populations?

In many countries around the world, the number of older people in prison is growing fast. In the fifth expert blog in our anniversary series, Bridget Sleap, Senior Rights Policy Adviser at HelpAge International, outlines some of the challenges that older prisoners face in prisons, which – whether in terms of their lay-out, regime, healthcare […]

Bridget Sleap, HelpAge International25th September 2014