Written on January 14, 2013 at 3:19 am, by btpandy
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…
Written on July 14, 2012 at 8:24 pm, by btpanne
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…
Written on July 9, 2012 at 1:19 pm, by btpanne
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…
Written on May 11, 2012 at 9:21 pm, by btpkai
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.
Mailing free books to prisoners since 1973
Funds for postage, your book donations, and your time gratefully accepted. Learn how to contribute:
Anything you purchase using this link will earn us a referral fee of 5%
You can also purchase BTP t-shirts, books on prison issues, and other books at Left Bank Books in Seattle, Washington. Left Bank Books has long been a supporter and sponsor of BTP.