Prisons

Report from the 2013 All New Hampshire Friends Gathering

Margaret Hawthorn at 2013 NH Friends Gathering

Margaret Hawthorn, Jan. 19, 2013, Concord NH

Margaret Hawthorn, a member of Monadnock Quaker Meeting, was one of the speakers at the All NH Gathering of Friends held in Concord on January 19, 2013.

Transforming a punishment-based justice system to one based on healing

Fifty Quakers and a few friends of the Friends spent most of a Saturday discussing prison conditions, prison ministry, prison policies, and other matters at the All New Hampshire Gathering of Friends, held at Wesley United Methodist Church in Concord on January 19, 2013.  

Push for More Private Prisons is Irresponsible and Dangerous

Phoenix:  A Quaker group that has been following the issue of prison privatization in Arizona will gather supporters at the state capitol to present concrete evidence that private prisons operated by for-profit corporations do not save the state money, are less safe, and are not accountable to taxpayers.

AFSC's Bonnie Kerness on Solitary Confinement

bonnie kerness

Bonnie Kerness, director of AFSC's Prison Watch Project discusses solitary confinement on New Jersey Network (NJN).

AFSC Recommendations On Private Prisons in Arizona

Recent media reports have revealed the influence of the for-profit prison industry in the Governor’s office and have suggested that these corporations were behind SB1070, Arizona’s controversial immigration bill, which, if fully implemented, would likely have led to an increase in the number of immigrants held in ICE detention facilities in Arizona, the majority of which are operated by Corrections Corporation of America.

application/pdf iconAFSC_Recommendations_on_AZ_Prisons.pdf

Prison Privatization in Arizona

A briefing paper prepared by the American Friends Service Committee, Arizona Area Program on the private prisons in Arizona.  This paper highlights areas of concern including the health and safety of prison populations, the safety of the general public, escalating costs, and ethical violations and conflicts of interest among prison operators.

application/pdf iconAZ_Prison_Privatization_White_Paper.pdf

AFSC Arizona calls for ending private prisons

AFSC calls on Arizona to cancel private prison contracts, and investigate political influence of prison industry.

Solitary Confinement Testimonies

This collection prisoner testimonies allows the survivors of solitary confinement to share their stories with us through letters, pictures and calls or interviews.

application/pdf iconStopmax_Testimony.pdf

Buried Alive - California

A report on long-term isolation in California’s youth and adult prisons

application/pdf iconStopMaxCA.pdf

Stop abuse of solitary confinement

Please send this email to your governor and state legislators encouraging them to watch our video and support AFSC’s proposals to address the use solitary confinement in U.S. prisons.

Contact your state's leaders now

Solitary Confinement Facts

What is solitary confinement?

Solitary confinement of prisoners exists under a range of names: isolation, control units, supermax prisons, the hole, SHUs, administrative segregation, maximum security, or permanent lockdown.
 
Prisoners can be placed in these units for many reasons: as punishment while they are under investigation; as a mechanism for behavior modification, when suspected of gang involvement; as retribution for political activism; or to fill expensive, empty beds, to name but a few.
 

Who we are

AFSC is a Quaker organization devoted to service, development, and peace programs throughout the world. Our work is based on the belief in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice. Learn more

Where we work

AFSC has office around the world. To see a complete list see the Where We Work page.

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