Irish Penal Reform Trust

International News

USA: Department of Justice invests in initiative to reduce solitary confinement

26th September 2016

The Vera Institute today announced that it will be receiving a $2.2 million grant from the US Department of Justice to help reduce the use of solitary confinement in prisons across the USA.

England & Wales: 'Life in Prison:Contact with families and friends'

5th September 2016

HM Inspectorate of Prisons has published a new findings report detailing the importance for prisoners of maintaining relationships with those outside prison.

Beyond Youth Custody Practitioner Guide

23rd August 2016

Beyond Youth Custody has published a guide to help practitioners support the transition of young people from custody back into the community.

Solitary Confinement: what is it and what are its effects?

28th April 2016

The Guardian newspaper, in their series on solitary confinement, describe what it is; what the conditions are like; what its effects are; and provide an online virtual reality experience of life in solitary confinement so you can replicate the experience for yourself.

Criminal Care – Children’s Homes and Criminalising Children

15th April 2016

The Howard League for Penal Reform has recently released a report "Criminal Care – Children’s Homes and Criminalising Children" on their research of how children living in children’s homes in England are being criminalised at excessively high rates compared to all other groups of children.

UK: Innovative Support Scheme for Short-term Prisoners Helps Reduce Re-offending Rates

10th March 2016

An independent evaluation carried out on a joint project between the Scottish Prison Service and a range of third sector partners has found the project helped to improve many aspects of prisoners lives and reduce re-offending rates.

US Study: Treating More Thefts as a Less-Serious Crime did not lead Property Crime to Increase

9th March 2016

Since 2001, more than 30 US states have raised the threshold on what can be charged as a serious theft. In a recent brief the PEW Charitable Trusts examined what impact, if any, this change had on the rates of theft in different states.

US: Is Sending More to Prison an Effective Way to Reduce Crime? It’s complicated…

4th March 2016

During the early 1990’s, violent crime levels were at record highs in the United States, but have since fallen to levels not seen since the 1960’s. In this brief, the PEW Charitable Trusts survey nine leading US scholars for their view on the role that a massively increased prison population had on this fall in crime.

U.S. Survey finds that majority of voters want a reduction in the prison population

20th October 2015

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) today released results from a new national survey focused on criminal justice reform. Commissioned by the ACLU and administered by the Benenson Strategy Group, the national survey was conducted from June 2-6, 2015. All respondents were registered voters who are likely to vote in the 2016 presidential election.

U.S. Report: Ways of addressing the nation’s scale of incarceration

20th October 2015

The United States maintains its distinction as the nation with the highest rate of incarceration in the world. A report entitled, “The State of Sentencing 2014 Developments in Policy and Practice” was published by The Sentencing Project who are a national non-profit organization in the U S. The report documents the range of law and policy changes which were authorised by legislators in at least 30 states during 2014 which may have the effect of addressing the nation’s scale of incarceration.

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