For the first time since records have been kept, BTP has received fewer letters than the year before. BTP received 13,566 letters in 2012 compared to 14,914 in 2011. For BTP it is a welcome breather as it has been incredibly difficult to keep up with the constantly growing numbers of requests. One thing that … Continue reading 2012 Letter Total
The U.S.’s growing for-profit detention system
In a new study, the investigative journalism group ProPublica reports on the shocking growth of the private detention industry. More than half of Louisiana’s 40,000 inmates are housed in prisons run by sheriffs or private companies as part of a broader financial incentive scheme. The detention business goes beyond just criminal prisoners. Nearly half of … Continue reading The U.S.’s growing for-profit detention system
No lunch for Texas prisoners
Last week I saw the Hollywood film "Bernie." It's based on a true story of a Texas man who kills his companion and is convicted and remains incarcerated in an East Texas prison. Overall, I enjoyed the movie, as it does a good job of depicting what life is like in a small East Texas … Continue reading No lunch for Texas prisoners
U.S. Prison System
Today there are more than 2.2 million U.S. prisoners—nearly 25% of all the prisoners in the entire world. But privatization of prisons and shrinking state budgets have whittled prisoner access to books.