PEN America has announced the winners of its 2025 Prison Writing Awards, honoring 33 incarcerated writers from 20 states for their work in poetry, fiction, essay, memoir, and drama, with the judging panel including six formerly incarcerated writers.
Broadway, Bars, and Fortune is a 40-minute documentary that explores how theater and the arts can be used to help formerly incarcerated individuals heal and reintegrate into society, featuring the stories of four individuals and interviews with Broadway figures.
Survivors of crime and criminal justice reform advocates are pushing for restorative justice and second chances, highlighting the need for updated sentencing laws that reflect the realities of survivors’ experiences and build public safety through healing and change, rather than punishment alone.
Restorative justice programs and other alternatives to incarceration can help prevent harm and promote healing, while keeping communities safe and reducing mass incarceration.
Judge Sonia Cortes upheld a $10,000 bond for an accused drug dealer with a history of addiction, while also granting a motion for mental health diversion and requiring the accused to complete a rehabilitation program.
Doreena Durbin, a former musician turned meditation teacher, has created a transformative prison meditation program in Texas that helps inmates find peace and self-understanding through breathing and mindfulness techniques.
Judge Clara M. Levers postponed the hearing for a man facing felony and misdemeanor charges, citing the need to further assess his custody status in light of his ongoing mental health treatment and public safety concerns.
Drug diversion programs in the US often function as systems of punishment rather than rehabilitation, disproportionately affecting low-income individuals, people of color, and those with severe illnesses.
During a hearing at Yolo County Superior Court, the defense argued for rehabilitation while the prosecution pushed for incarceration, highlighting the tension between punishment and recovery in the justice system.
Supporters of Missouri death row man Lance Shockley are urging Gov. Mike Kehoe to grant clemency, citing his leadership in rehabilitation programs inside Potosi Correctional Center and his commitment to helping others change their lives for the better.
Humans of San Quentin hosted its first-ever “Graduation and Celebration” at San Quentin State Prison, honoring the voices of incarcerated people and introducing new participants to its mission, with music, rap, poetry, and other performances showcasing the humanity and creativity inside the prison.
San Quentin Rehabilitation Center hosted its first-ever Fiesta de San Salvador, a celebration of Centro-American and Salvadoran heritage that included music, dance, food, and a dialogue about rehabilitation, immigration policy, and the threat of deportation for many in the prison’s immigrant population.
Kara Gotsch, Executive Director of The Sentencing Project, discusses the ongoing challenges and progress of ending mass incarceration in the US, advocating for capping sentences at 20 years and emphasizing the importance of storytelling to reframe justice as restoration.
If anyone read my previous article, SOCIETY’S VIRUS TRANSREFORMED: CRIME AND THE CRIMINAL CURE, they may have…
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BURBANK, CA – The judge here last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court advocated for an…
SAN JOSE, CA – Civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson spoke in San Jose this past week to…
NEWPORT BEACH, CA – The judge this week here at Orange County Superior Court’s Harbor Justice Center…
WOODLAND, CA – Deputy Public Defender Peter Borruso referenced a “frustrating” situation to Judge Sonia Cortés at…
GLENDALE, CA – Judge Timothy Saito denied Deputy Public Defender Adele Giraud’s request for the lifting of…