@prisonjournalism.bsky.social
An independent national nonprofit initiative that trains incarcerated writers in the tools of journalism and publishes their stories. Support our work: https://bit.ly/4rioDIW
For Women's History Month, Lucretia and fellow residents of New Jersey's only prison for women honor those who have helped them carry on and inspire others.
Even with increased acceptance, isolation in prison makes gay men easy targets for manipulation and abuse.
Melvin Ray, an incarcerated organizer featured in “The Alabama Solution,” shares his thoughts on the film’s impact.
"We are still waiting to see how we can leverage the film's impact to create justice for the murders of Steven Davis and James Sales."
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In advance of "The Alabama Solution's" run for best documentary Sunday night, three Prison Journalism Project writers, who were not involved in the documentary, shared their and others’ thoughts on the impact of the doc and what its Oscar nomination means for people in the state prison system.
My now-deceased friend Richard was diagnosed with cancer in 2018. However, he wasn’t told about the diagnosis until nearly a year and a half later. He had been told that nothing was wrong with him, and that he should purchase the generic Pepto-Bismol or Mylanta-type products from the commissary.
"The greatest potential for the film is embedded in what made the film possible in the first place — and that’s the larger movement created by the Free Alabama Movement. Among its achievements is awakening the prison population to the possibilities of telling our own stories with ... a cellphone."
In advance of "The Alabama Solution's" run for best documentary Sunday night, three Prison Journalism Project writers, who were not involved in the documentary, shared their and others’ thoughts on the impact of the doc and what its Oscar nomination means for people in the state prison system.
Melvin Ray, an incarcerated organizer featured in “The Alabama Solution,” shares his thoughts on the film’s impact.
"We are still waiting to see how we can leverage the film's impact to create justice for the murders of Steven Davis and James Sales."
I had not touched a cat in 15 years when an orange cat wandered over to sit with me in the grass.
"Calling us “incarcerated people” does not make incarceration more humane."
Shaheen Pasha talks about the importance of prison journalism and why incarcerated people deserve their stories to be just as loud as everyone else.
"If not accompanied by systematic change, using the term “incarcerated people” is nothing more than window dressing."
Shaheen Pasha talks about the importance of prison journalism and why incarcerated people deserve their stories to be just as loud as everyone else.
I love this humane (and enlightening for many people) article from @prisonjournalism.bsky.social by incarcerated writer Derek Jason LeCompte
"Why I Cry in Prison-- We may not talk about it openly, but we support each other when we need to get the emotions out."
Even with increased acceptance, isolation in prison makes gay men easy targets for manipulation and abuse.
[Friedmann] has been contributing to the online magazine of the Prison Journalism Project, covering minor injustices, such as the comparatively high cost that his Muslim prisonmates have to pay for Qurans."
This is about so much more than language. Lecompte discusses the oft ignored humanity of those in prison.
A formerly incarcerated man credits a novel workforce development program in Oregon for helping him find stability after his release from prison. “This program has been my light at the end of the tunnel.”
Y'all today we’re saying goodbye to @austinlukasik.bsky.social. His work helped strengthen & grow our community, and we’re grateful for the time & heart he gave to this role! He's off to do some great things! He was audience's right hand man! Sad to see him go but excited for his next chapter! ❤️
BREAKING via @rchapoco.bsky.social: Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey Tuesday commuted the death sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton to life imprisonment. Burton was scheduled to be executed on Thursday for the 1991 murder of Doug Battle, in which he was not the triggerman.
NEW: Even the strongest anti-abortion advocates don't want to punish people for pregnancy loss. Police and prosecutors are finding ways to do it anyway.
Here's what happens when miscarriage is recast as murder:
"We cannot give food to someone who is hungry, soap to someone who has none or gifts to someone to bring cheer on a holiday. Even handing someone a Q-tip to clean their ears is a violation."
"We all know that people in prison are not permitted to act like people. Every day we are ordered not to be too friendly or converse too much. We are ordered to not smile and laugh with staff because “undue familiarity” is grounds for disciplinary action," writes Derek.
"The idea that there is one 'right' term that all of us inside will find more appropriate than others is itself misguided."
"There are also those who prefer the term “convict” because it doesn’t denote guilt or innocence but simply identifies that a person was convicted of a crime and that they are incarcerated," writes Derek.
