by Beth Taylor, Karen Ali, and Aaron Appel Turn on the news. Listen to the radio. Check your social media. Without a doubt, you will find numerous Covid-19 stories – from the infection spikes across the country to the debate about opening schools this fall. But amidst all of this, there is stunning silence on one fact: COVID-19 is worsening in prisons and it is because of … [Read more...] about A Free People Strike to Let Our People Go
prisons
Community & Restorative Justice – Summer 2020
What do we mean by community-based & restorative justice? Community and restorative justice is a way in which we look at problem solving. According to the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP), restorative practice is defined by “the study of how to build social capital and achieve social discipline through participatory learning and decision making” … [Read more...] about Community & Restorative Justice – Summer 2020
Dance of the Blossoms
Elaheh Farmand Baba looked out the window into the dark alley. Anxiously, he began tapping on the window ledge with the fingers of his right hand as he held on to the other side with his left. He began to whistle. He always whistled when he was worried. “Ey baba, kojast? Where is she?” Baba asked out loud. His little girl entered the room, and stood behind him. “Baba? … [Read more...] about Dance of the Blossoms
Peter’s blog: ‘Slavery & Prisons today’
Thanks to the 13th Amendment, a person convicted of a crime can be forced to work as punishment. And thanks to widespread racism in society, law enforcement, the courts, and the prison system, Black people are vastly more likely to wind up in prison. (See the two highly-recommended films listed at the bottom of this post.) In addition to working in the laundry or serving … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: ‘Slavery & Prisons today’