Some Actions Underway to Reduce Recidivism; Not Enough

There’s an old retort that’s sometimes used to quiet a noisy heckler: “Sir, you have a magnificent grasp of the obvious.” Unfortunately, it seems that only a few of our politicians or other governmental officials do “grasp the obvious” when it comes to initiating ways to reduce recidivism. Defined as “an ex-inmate’s return [...]

1 in 11 Inmates Are Serving Life Sentences

The Sentencing Project, a national non-profit organization engaged in research and advocacy on criminal justice policy issues, has issued a 48-page, detailed report titled: No Exit/The Expanding Use of Life Sentences in America. Following are three selected key excerpts from this document, which was written by Ashley Nellis and Ryan S. King (July 2009).
The report’s [...]

How to Keep Your Kids Out of Prison

By Dick Witherow, Author “The Modern Day Leper”
I know what you’re thinking: “My kids will never have to go to prison!” I certainly hope not. However statistics tell us that in today’s society, it is a very strong possibility. The Pew Report of March 2009, titled “One in 31,” tells us that the population of [...]

Recidivism: Work-First Programs May Help

SaSreFrom CITY JOURNAL
By Kimberly Hendrickson
Mayors Put Work First: Reentry programs for ex-prisoners show promise
About 700,000 federal and state prisoners return home each year in America, and most soon commit more crimes. A 2002 Department of Justice study found that over 67 percent of released prisoners are rearrested within three years; about half, in [...]

State Budgets Dictate Alternative Sentencing

According to an article in The Washington Times, over half of America’s states are attempting to reduce the growth rate in their prison populations by either experimenting with alternative sentencing methods, or by employing new probation and parole methodology, with some states doing both. Is this a revival of altruistic thinking? No, it’s [...]

Two Sides to Prison Cell Phone Jamming

There’s a big debate going on between corrections officials and public interest groups over the problem of contraband cell phones within prison systems. On one side, the corrections folks want to electronically jam their illegal use for illicit activities such as planning escapes or running criminal activities outside prison walls. But the opposing [...]

“Doing Time” by Jack (Murf the Surf) Murphy

Jack (Murf the Surf) Murphy reveals his personal straight-talk insight of incarceration issues.

Prison vs. Work

From the interesting blogging website, Bits and Pieces, 6/17/2009

Spending months or years in a prison environment is a serious, if not tragic circumstance. Much of the mission of The-SLAMMER is aimed at improving the lot of everyone spending time behind prison walls through exploration of reform, rehabilitation and recidivism issues. But perhaps a [...]

Prison Guards Earning Big Time, Thanks to Overtime Pay

According to an AP story in the Chicago Tribune, some correctional officers are being forced to work so much overtime that they are earning almost as much as the Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections.

A New Kind of Prison: Silence

A design that “replaces violence with silence; inhumanity with community.”