From inside Woodbourne Correctional Facility in Sullivan County, Atiq Weston is pushing for a change to who gets a voice in American democracy. Weston, who has been incarcerated for more than…
Tag: Prison Reform
Incarcerated Advocate Calls for Expanded Presidential Pardon Power on Radio Catskill
An incarcerated prison reform advocate is calling for a major expansion of presidential clemency authority. In an interview with Radio Catskill, Atiq Weston outlined his proposal, the Presidential Pardon Powers Act of…
Guard Found Guilty in Beating Death of NY Prisoner Robert Brooks, 2 Others Acquitted
A former New York state corrections officer was found guilty Monday of murdering prisoner Robert Brooks last year, but two other guards were acquitted of second-degree murder, manslaughter and assault charges, according…
From Prison Cell to Policy: Incarcerated Activist Calls on States to Fully Abolish Slavery
Speaking from inside Woodbourne Correctional Facility, incarcerated activist Atiq Weston is urging state lawmakers to close what he calls a “constitutional loophole” — the failure of 28 U.S. states, including New York,…
NY Prison Staffing and Morale Are Low Six Months After Strike
Staffing shortages at New York prisons have worsened, morale among guards remains low, and the lives of incarcerated people are still disrupted six months after a wildcat prison strike ended. And prison…
‘They Treat Us Like Inmates’: Loved Ones of Incarcerated Individuals Cite Uncertainty and Powerlessness Navigating the System
Entering a correctional facility as a visitor was not made to be easy. Loved ones of incarcerated individuals must pass through an intensive screening process, consisting of a metal detector, a canine…
Understaffed or Overpopulated?: Looking Inside New York’s Prisons Post-Strike
Back in February, New York’s prison system was completely upended when correctional officers across the state went on an unsanctioned strike for three weeks in protest of staffing shortages, dangerous conditions and…
How a Local Nonprofit is Bringing Books to Prisons in New York
If you walk into a local bookstore in Ulster and Dutchess counties, you might encounter a shelf lined with an unusual set of books — book requests by individuals currently incarcerated in…
Prisoners’ Brain Trust is Working to Repeal New York’s Felony Murder Law and Rethink Incarceration
In New York state, hundreds of individuals are currently incarcerated for second degree murder, even if they were not at the scene of the crime or had no proven intention to commit…