Blog

Development of prison legislation in Central Asia: trends and challenges

Alison Hannah, PRI’s Executive Director reports from a regional conference in Kazakhstan on the development of prison legislation in Central Asia. In England and Wales, prisons are reaching crisis point. According to a recent report there are only 265 free prison places out of the 85,800 prison estate capacity. Emergency measures may be needed to […]

Alison Hannah18th March 2014

“Access to justice is not an additional right – it is a prerequisite for the enjoyment and protection of all other rights”

Becky Randel, PRI’s Research Assistant travelled to Geneva last week, with Nikhil Roy PRI’s Programme Development Director and Triona Lenihan PRI’s Policy Intern, to discuss, promote and engage with States on PRI’s programme of work relating to children deprived of their liberty. On Thursday 13 March, the Human Rights Council had its Annual Day on the […]

Becky Randel17th March 2014

Женщины в тюрьмах – кто они?

В этом году в Международный Женский День Penal Reform International (Международная Тюремная Реформа) публикует новый отчет под названием «Кем являются женщины-заключенные?  Результаты исследования в Казахстане и Кыргызстане». Данный отчет является составной частью исследовательского проекта, охватывающего несколько регионов, который вдохновлен Бангкокскими Правилами ООН о  женщинах-заключенных, который изучает истории женщин – заключенных. В рамках серии исследований будет […]

Central Asia Regional Office7th March 2014

Building a picture of women in prison

This International Women’s Day (8 March), Penal Reform International is publishing a new report, Who are women prisoners? Survey results from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The report forms part of PRI’s multi-regional research project – inspired by the UN Bangkok Rules on Women Offenders and Prisoners – which looks at the background of women in prison. […]

Olivia Rope7th March 2014

‘Why don’t they chat as they work?’ A visit to Lo Wu Correctional Institution, Hong Kong

This week, PRI’s Policy Director, Andrea Huber, attended an international conference in Hong Kong and visited Lo Wu Correctional Institution, a newly built women’s prison near the border with the Chinese mainland. Participants were very complimentary about the international conference organised by Dui Hua Foundation, in cooperation with Hong Kong University and Renmin University in […]

Andrea Huber4th March 2014

Guest blog: Death of 19-year-old in custody rightly ruled a homicide

In 2007 Ashley Smith died in a segregation cell in Canada at the age of 19 by strangling herself while the correctional staff failed to intervene.  In December 2013 an inquest ruled that Ashley’s death was a homicide and delivered 104 recommendations aimed at improving the operations and accountability of Canada’s correctional system, particularly in […]

Kim Pate6th February 2014

Crime and punishment with Anthony Doob

Professor Anthony Doob is one of the three-most cited scholars in Canada and one of the top 25 most-cited scholars worldwide. He is renowned for his insights into Canada’s youth justice system, sentencing and imprisonment and for his influence on policy. He will be giving a lecture at the University of Toronto on 6 February […]

PRI Admin5th February 2014

Universal abolition of the death penalty: only a decade away?

This week, PRI’s Death Penalty Project Manager, Oliver Robertson, attended the annual Death Penalty Project lecture, given this year by William Schabas, Professor of International Law at Middlesex University London, on the prospects for a death penalty free world. William Schabas is on the optimistic end of the abolitionist spectrum, maintaining confidently over the years that […]

Oliver Robertson30th January 2014

PRI and BLAST in Bangladesh: prospects and priorities for reform

PRI’s Programme Development Director, Nikhil Roy, recently visited Bangladesh and spoke at a roundtable discussion on Probation as an Alternative to Imprisonment: Legal Framework and Current Practice, organised jointly by PRI and our partner in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST). Here Mubinul Mulk, BLAST Research Associate and Nikhil discuss the prospects […]

Nikhil Roy29th January 2014