As of early March, officials at the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) say 287 federal inmates have died from COVID-19, a count that does not include deaths in privately managed prisons. Bureau officials have been saying since the beginning of the pandemic that they have a plan to keep the situation under control, but an NPR analysis of federal prison death records suggests a far different story. The federal prison system has seen a significant rise in deaths during the pandemic years. In 2020,...

Chronic stress, trauma exposure, frequent threats of violence and the relentless grind of gun crimes’ impact: A recently-released report from the University of Illinois Chicago reveals in stark terms the strain and struggles that many frontline violence prevention workers face as they try to combat gun violence. In 2022, Chicago is coming off another record year of homicides, similar to many other major cities across the U.S. 797 people were killed in 2021 with 3,677 non-fatal shootings—an...

By Daliah Singer, Photo: Eli Imadali/The Colorado Trust, The Colorado Sun, February 25, 2022 On the day Pam Clifton was released from prison to a halfway house in Littleton, she was in possession of one pair of sweatpants, a box of paperwork and $3.18. It was 2002, and she had served almost four years on a drug charge. Being on the outside immediately overwhelmed her. Even the thought of walking into a 7-Eleven was terrifying; there were too many choices, too many bright lights. “I remember...

From one of our recent Path of Freedom prison classes: “In here we feel just about everything you could feel. But with the tools that we have from this practice we can see the feelings for what they are, allow them to be, and maybe even work with them a little bit, but not get swept up by them. And we can support each other in that, which is why people through the pandemic came up to us and asked us about what it is that we do and when the classes will be starting up again. Even some of...

From one of our recent Path of Freedom prison classes: "I practiced outside while I was walking: every time my mind would get caught up on wanting to get out of here, I would just let go of the thoughts, clear my mind and say to myself "patience." And I practiced in my cell: every time my mind would get caught up on wanting to get out of here, I would just let go of the thoughts, clear my mind, and say to myself "patience." So whether outside or inside, the practice was really helpful."...

By Dan Fastenberg, Photo: Dan Fastenberg/Reuters, February 10, 2022 As far as Eddie Gibbs knows, he is the first person elected to the New York State Legislature who previously served time in prison, but shortly before his inauguration on Thursday he recalled wondering if he could ever shake the stigma of his manslaughter conviction more than 30 years ago. Gibbs, 53, won handily as the Democratic candidate in the Jan. 18 special election in the state Assembly's 68th District to represent...

By Jakob Rodgers, Photo: Robert So/Pexels, The Mercury News, January 31, 2022 California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who three years ago placed a moratorium on executions, is moving to dismantle the United States’ largest death row by moving all condemned inmates to other prisons within two years. The goal is to turn the section at San Quentin State Prison into a “positive, healing environment.” Newsom said Monday it’s an outgrowth of his opposition to what he believes is a deeply flawed system, one...

By Charles Fain Lehman, Images: AP/Reuters/GettyImages, The Wall Street Journal, January 30, 2022 Amid a spate of high-profile crimes, including the murder of two New York City police officers, Mayor Eric Adams debuted a plan to “end gun violence ” and restore order. Part of the proposal is what he calls an “unprecedented” expansion of New York’s summer jobs program, creating jobs for up to 250,000 young New Yorkers. While some may deride such programs as soft on crime, the Adams plan is...

By Brittney Verner , posted January 26, 2022 at wmar2news.com BALTIMORE — 32 homicides in the first 26 days of the year and city leaders said they’re working overtime to bring justice to the many families who are mourning. Wednesday Mayor Brandon Scott talked about what his Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement or MONSE is doing to help address the trauma behind these violent incident. As city police work to solve these cases, the mayor's office is focused on healing the trauma. But...

Produced by Deborah Goldstein ; Hosted by Melissa V. Harris-Perry, Produced by GBH , PRX and WNYC Studios Of the 52,000 farms in North Carolina, one farm stands out as doing more than growing produce and raising livestock. GrowingChange , a non-profit organization that converts decommissioned rural prisons into farms and education centers where local, at-risk young people learn about animal husbandry and sustainable agriculture. Noran Sanford, Executive Director and Founder of GrowingChange,...

By Katherine LeMasters , Morgan Maner , Meghan Peterson , Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein , Health Affairs, January 21. 2021 Across the United States, prisons and jails are struggling to maintain staffing levels . Staffing shortages are not a new phenomenon in carceral facilities . The incarcerated population has increased by 500 percent over the past 40 years nationwide , resulting in the expansion of the carceral workforce. The carceral workforce experiences high staff turnover with most having...

In collaboration with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Child Focus, Child Trends has developed the STRENGTH principles to serve youth in the child welfare and justice systems in positive, developmentally appropriate ways. The principles help systems that serve children and young adults apply Positive Youth Development approaches, focus on equity and inclusion, and involve communities and families. More information is available here: Integrating Positive Youth Development and Racial Equity,...