Wesleyan College in Prison Program

Wesleyan University has developed a program that will allow male prisoners in a Connecticut penitentiary to gain college credit.  The college-in-prison program is accredited, allowing faculty and students from the college to teach for-credit courses to inmates.  Wesleyan students are also running a program at a local women’s prison.  However, this program is not yet accredited, and [...]

Over 1300 Days of Freedom

Over 1300 days of freedom were gained today for a woman granted parole by Alabama’s Parole Board. AWRN is happy to have been a part of her reentry plan development and parole hearing advocacy. All the best to her and her family as she moves forward toward achieving her goals.  She is an incredible, strong [...]

Ala. prison officials may ask court to reconsider order to release inmate death records

Article here or below. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Department of Corrections officials say they are considering asking the Alabama Supreme Court to reconsider its decision ordering them to make public findings in inmate assaults and the death of an inmate convicted of killing two Athens police officers. Department spokesman Brian Corbett said Tuesday the [...]

If you watch just one video on mental illness in U.S. prisons…

make it this one. Wow. Please watch this excerpt of Trapped: Mental Illness in America’s Prisons. What a powerful and accurate documentary award-winning photographer Jenn Ackermann has given to us all. Please visit her site to find out more about the film and her other work at jennackermann.com.   more about “If you watch just [...]

A Sign of Success to Come

As AWRN has said before, a parole hearing is an event that has been a long time coming for women in prison preparing for and awaiting the day they will be released.  AWRN will be holding a training in early October for community-active citizens and providers willing to be the link between a woman and [...]

Sarah Kruzan: Sentenced to Life Without Parole at Age 16

more about “Sarah Kruzan: Sentenced to Life Witho…“, posted with vodpod  

Girl Scout Troop Meets in Women’s Prison

This article is so wonderful! Twice a month, a girl scout troop whose members are all daughters of incarcerated women, meet in a women’s prison in Maryland. These meetings give the mothers a chance to connect with their daughters, giving them time to discuss everything from body image to boys to life with an incarcerated [...]

Acts of Art: The Prison Creative Arts Project (TRAILER)

Below is a video about the University of Michigan’s Prison Creative Arts Project. Auburn University (in Alabama) runs the Alabama Prison Arts and Education Project. View student art work and find out more about the Project here. more about "Acts of Art: The Prison Creative Arts…", posted with vodpod

Utah: Female Incarceration Rates Decreasing

Utah has seen a recent drop in female inmate numbers due to several reentry preparation programs offered at prison.  Though the prison system lacks much federal spending for such programs, the community has proven to help fill the gaps by providing services to inmates.  Everything from becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister, to helping [...]

California’s Technical Violation Policy–Lessons for Alabama?

In an opinion piece published in yesterday’s NY Times, the point was made that,  The heart of the problem is California’s poorly designed parole system. A vast majority of states use parole to supervise serious offenders who require close monitoring. California has historically put just about everyone on parole. According to a federally backed study released [...]