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New York Times
14-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
‘The Strike': When Collective Action Leads to Prison Reform
The word 'solidarity' — basically, agreement between and support for members of a group — is not hard to define. But it can be hard to wrap your mind around, in a world more oriented toward personal development and individual success than the common good. People who are willing to sacrifice their own freedoms or bodily security for someone else are celebrated in our culture, but also viewed with a bit of suspicion. What game are you really playing? What do you actually stand to gain? 'The Strike' (on the PBS app and PBS YouTube channel), directed by JoeBill Muñoz and Lucas Guilkey, is on its surface a documentary about the practice of solitary confinement in America. It centers on a series of hunger strikes organized by incarcerated men at California's Pelican Bay State Prison, beginning in 2011, in protest of conditions in highest-security prisons. This included protracted periods of isolation for individuals suspected of being in gangs, during which, inmates said, they were given inadequate food, denied meaningful contact with the outside world and held for periods that could last for decades. (Under the 'Mandela Rules,' the U.N.'s standard for solitary confinement is 15 days; more time is regarded as a form of torture.) The inmates also objected to a policy requiring them to 'debrief' — that is, to provide information about gangs to the authorities — in order to be released from solitary. Some of the formerly incarcerated in the film say they were identified as gang members simply because of the materials they read, or because of their race, without proof. And once you were in solitary, it was almost impossible to get out. 'The Strike' focuses on a number of former inmates who spent prolonged periods in solitary and participated in the 2011 hunger strikes. Two years later, with little to no change occurring, inmates called for another strike — and at the start, nearly 29,000 inmates refused food, across two-thirds of the 33 California prisons and four private out-of-state prisons holding California inmates. The 2013 strike lasted for two months, and by the end 100 prisoners were still refusing food. Among the remarkable stories told in 'The Strike' is how incarcerated people in isolation could organize a strike in the first place, as well as the men's' stories of life inside, and later outside, the walls of Pelican Bay. One technique involved emptying the water from the toilets in their cells, then shouting through the commode, where they could be heard by other inmates. But it's hard to ignore the other story here, one that illustrates both the meaning and power of solidarity. For the strike organizers, this was an obvious necessity almost from the start, in 2011. They were men, the documentary participants explain, who had been taught to hate one another all their lives — rivals from different neighborhoods, different ethnic groups, people with warring loyalties. Collective action can only work when the actors are united — a big reason the authorities attempted to divide the prisoners, promising unlimited food to whoever would break the strike. So, the leaders decided to sign a non-hostility pact — a 'show of force,' one man calls it, that caught the Department of Corrections off guard. The strike leaders discovered they were more alike than they'd ever realized, and that their strength would come from working together toward a common goal. Similarly, when the 2013 strikes were called, many of the inmates were not in the kind of prison that the original Pelican Bay organizers lived in. Yet they recognized the power of a broad action. Non-incarcerated people noticed and took part as well. 'The Strike' shows news footage of marching protesters demanding change. Change happens slowly. There's no central source of information about the number of U.S. prisoners held in solitary confinement, but it's far more than most of us realize. The striking prisoners had an effect, but they didn't change the entire system. Yet what 'The Strike' makes clear is that their collective action didn't just make an incremental step toward better conditions for prisoners. In the end, it changed the way they saw the world, too.
Express Tribune
29-01-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Gandapur launches prison reforms initiative
PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Wednesday formally launched the newly established Prison Management Information System (PMIS) and E-Visit App, marking a significant step in the provincial government's prison reforms and inmate welfare initiatives. During a briefing, officials highlighted that the Prison Management Information System has fully digitized prison operations, interconnecting all 39 prisons in the province with each other and the judicial system. The system also enables virtual court hearings via video link, reducing the need for physical inmate transfers for court appearances. Similarly, the newly introduced E-Visit App facilitates online meetings between inmates and their families, eliminating the need for in-person visits and improving communication convenience. Regarding other reform initiatives, it was highlighted that Rs1.2 billion is being spent annually on inmate meals, and after seven years, the prison food menu has been revised to ensure a balanced diet. The prison regulations are being aligned with international standards i.e. Mandela Rules and Bangkok Rules. Furthermore, modern medical equipment and improved healthcare facilities are being provided for inmates. To promote physical and mental well-being, sports competitions have been introduced in prisons, and vocational training programs have been launched to equip inmates with various skills. Moreover, the prison industry has been revitalized and linked with the marketplace to provide financial benefits to prisoners. Officials also reported that 317 inmates from K-P, who were previously imprisoned in Punjab, have been transferred back to the province. Additionally, the provincial government is prioritizing the construction and development of prisons across the province. The completion of District Jail Swabi and Central Jail DI Khan will address the issue of overcrowding, while funds have been approved for a new prison in District Tank. Similarly, five regional prison offices have been made operational to improve prison management and Rs1.39 billion has been allocated for modern security equipment in prisons. Additionally, modern interview rooms have been built to ensure safe and convenient inmate-family meetings. Chief Minister commended the relevant officials for introducing the Prison Management Information System and implementing other reform initiatives. He stated that today's event marks a new chapter in the journey of prison reforms. He expressed gratitude to the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for their cooperation, stating that this partnership is a milestone in enhancing the prison system and inmate welfare. We aim to establish a modern system based on justice, transparency, and humanity, and we will utilize all available resources to achieve this goal, he said. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also formally inaugurated the newly established Service Delivery Center-II at the Mohafiz Khana.
