Matthew Charles, although he committed no new crime, is back behind bars, and his case is generating a widespread demand for his release.
Even as the president signals support for improvements in the federal system, the network of private prisons is continuing to expand.
Every day the foundations of our institutions decay more, but American society is emotionally unable to grasp the mortal danger that approaches.
Truthdig columnist Chris Hedges meets with ex-prisoner Ojore Lutalo and rights advocate Bonnie Kerness to discuss abuse in U.S. penitentiaries.
The work is part of a campaign for prison reform, band member Nadya Tolokonnikova (pictured) tells Truthdig.
"Today even harsher prison conditions [exist in the U.S.]" than those that led to the New York prison rebellion that left 29 prisoners and nine hostages dead, says Truthdig columnist Chris Hedges in a recent episode of "On Contact." He is joined by author Heather Ann Thompson.
What happened to that bipartisan push toward reform?
Federal prisoners would be scored according to their risk of recidivating. Those who got high scores would be ineligible for sentence reduction.
As architects consider a ban on designing death chambers and a major pharmaceutical company stops selling drugs for use in executions, Washington sits on its hands when it comes to reform.
After 19 years behind bars, including seven in solitary confinement, the best-selling author works for criminal justice reform—and for those he left behind.
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