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PROJET DE TRANSPARENCE EN PRISON

À propos du projet de transparence des prisons

Le Prison Transparency Project est un réseau international de recherche et de plaidoyer qui travaille à l’établissement de nouvelles normes mondiales de transparence dans les prisons et les centres de détention. Notre mission est de créer une base de connaissances qui favorisera une plus grande transparence dans le système de justice pénale dans le monde et de sensibiliser à la crise de transparence dans les centres de détention. Suivez-nous dans nos efforts pour apporter du changement au monde tel que nous le connaissons.

Rencontrez le collectif international de chercheurs qui mènent le projet

Icône de deux mains se tenant en forme de ♡

Icône de deux mains paume ouverte en offrande

APPRENDRE

LES PARTENAIRES

NOTRE MISSION

Nous sommes une équipe internationale de chercheurs, de personnes ayant une expérience vécue de l'incarcération, d'organismes publics, d'ONG, d'organisations de base, d'avocats, de journalistes, ainsi que de familles et amis de personnes incarcérées. Notre objectif est de collecter et de partager des histoires et des informations, ainsi que d'étudier et de comparer les systèmes de transparence carcérale.

Nous construisons

des partenariats et des liens avec ceux qui partagent notre passion pour la transparence du système de justice pénale. Il existe de nombreuses façons de s'impliquer, de la collaboration à l'apprentissage en passant par le soutien aux groupes d'activistes et de défense existants. Surveillez cet espace pour plus d'informations, à venir.

Notre mission est d'établir de nouveaux réseaux internationaux de recherche et de plaidoyer, de créer la base de connaissances nécessaire pour promouvoir des normes internationales de transparence et de sensibiliser à la crise de la transparence dans les prisons et les centres de détention sur la scène mondiale.

ALLER

EN SAVOIR PLUS SUR LE PTP

A peaceful sit-in protest at Bordeaux jail, Quebec’s largest provincial jail, turned into an arrogant show of brutality and force by staff at the institution, all in the name of compliance.

Prison conditions are often hidden from public view, but moments of unrest can reveal deeper issues inside correctional institutions. A recent riot at Quebec’s largest provincial jail highlights tensions surrounding staffing shortages, prisoner treatment, and the impact of new rules on daily life behind bars. This situation also raises important questions about human rights, dignity, and how even small policy changes, like one additional hour locked in a cell, can significantly affect prisoners.

Yet another prisoner has died inside a Canadian federal prison, and once again, the cause is unknown.

When someone dies in custody, the public relies on institutions like Correctional Service Canada (CSC) to provide answers.

Transparency is essential—not only for families, but for accountability in a system that operates largely behind closed doors.

BC settles prison solitary confinement lawsuit for $60 million.

The class action includes people who:
• spent 15 or more consecutive days in segregation, or
• had serious mental illness while held in solitary confinement between April 2005 and October 2025.

Claims can be submitted until January 11, 2027

Prisons operate largely out of public view. What happens inside segregation units is rarely documented in ways the public can see.

But large class-action lawsuits can force transparency. Through court filings, testimony, settlements, and required reports, practices that were once hidden become part of the public record.

This recent settlement shows how litigation can expose systemic problems, push policy reforms, and create accountability.

Here is why this case matters:

[Book Clubs for Inmates writes:]
We are writing to you in a moment that calls for uncommon solidarity across Canada’s literacy, education, social justice, publishing, business, and library communities.

Correctional Service Canada (CSC) has announced its intention to eliminate all librarian positions in federal penitentiaries nationwide and to terminate funding for the CEGEP education program serving incarcerated students in Quebec institutions. These decisions represent not incremental adjustments, but a sweeping dismantling of core rehabilitative infrastructure.

Through our partners at National Associations Active in Criminal Justice (NAACJ), we are coordinating a national sign-on letter to the Minister of Public Safety urging immediate intervention.

We respectfully ask you to review and sign our letter here by Friday, February 27, so we may submit a unified, cross-sector response on Monday, March 2.

This is a national literacy issue. It is a human rights issue. It is a public safety issue.

If you are unable to sign, we would still welcome your advice and engagement. If you need more information before signing, please contact Sarah Smith-Eivemark (ssmitheivemark@outlook.com).

Moments like this test whether our commitments to literacy, education, and equitable access extend to those in custody. We hope you will stand with us.

With appreciation and urgency,

Tom Best

Executive Director

Book Clubs for Inmates

bookclubsforinmates.com

Prison walls don’t just confine people; they conceal systems. Therefore, when an aging, medically vulnerable prisoner is allegedly mistreated, transparency isn’t optional. It’s essential.
Aging should never strip a person of their humanity. But incarceration often strips away visibility.

When CSC is transferring, restraining, and treating elderly prisoners without regard to medical vulnerability, the public deserves to know.
Dignity does not expire with age.
And it does not disappear at the prison gate. Transparency protects dignity. Especially for those who cannot protect themselves.

When lawsuits are the only way the public learns how elderly prisoners are treated, transparency becomes a form of accountability.

This case forces a simple question:
What happens behind closed doors, and who gets to see it? Because growing old in custody should never mean growing invisible.
Swipe to see why this case matters…

What is hidden from the public view inside Ontario’s jails is eventually seen in the consequences of deaths and inquiries.
Consequences like: overcrowding, people sleeping on floors, and incarcerating the innocent. There have been millions of dollars spent on expanding institutions and building cages for human beings, rather than on stability.

Transparency matters because prisons operate in our name and with our money.

When information only comes out through freedom of information requests and inquests, it raises a bigger question:
What else don’t we see?
If public safety is the goal, we should be able to openly examine whether our investments actually produce safety or simply expand incarceration.
These slides look at what the data shows about Niagara Detention Centre and why transparency is essential if we want safer communities.

The Ontario Court of Appeals agreed with lawyer Anita Szigeti that her client, Camelott Hamblett, deserved a reassessment after spending 20 years in isolation at the Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care.

For 20 years, one institution’s judgment went largely unquestioned.
For 20 years, isolation was framed as treatment.
For 20 years, oversight deferred.
The Ontario Court of Appeal has now said: that deference was unreasonable.
This is not just one man’s story.
It is a warning about what happens when institutions are trusted without scrutiny, and when transparency is replaced by automatic belief.
Because when liberty is at stake,
oversight must ask hard questions.
Not simply accept the answers it is given.

Jordan upholds section 11(b) of the Charter, the right to a speedy trial, but it is often framed as a problem for public safety.
In reality, it is a safeguard against state power running unchecked.
When governments fail to move cases forward within constitutional timelines, people, many of them legally innocent, are held in prolonged pre-trial detention, separated from family, housing, health care, and stability.
For prisoners, delay is not abstract: it means extended incarceration without conviction, harsher conditions, and pressure to plead guilty simply to regain freedom.

Section 11(b) of the Charter exists to prevent exactly this kind of quiet rights erosion.
Jordan forces the justice system to confront delay as a form of punishment. The kind of punishment that disproportionately harms incarcerated and marginalized people. Weakening Jordan would not fix broken courts; it would normalize unconstitutional confinement. These slides explain why Jordan is not a loophole, but a line in the sand protecting prisoners’ rights, victims’ dignity, and the integrity of the justice system itself.

Police misconduct taught us this truth: When oversight disappears, public safety collapses.
The same dynamics exist in corrections, only behind walls, out of sight, and with even fewer protections. Abuse thrives where transparency is absent, and accountability cannot depend on individuals risking retaliation to expose harm.
If we care about safety, we must examine the systems that hide violence, not just the people harmed by it.
We have already learned that secrecy does not create safety. It creates impunity. Where misconduct is hidden, harm spreads outward, affecting not only those directly impacted but the public at large. Corrections follow the same pattern, yet with fewer witnesses, fewer safeguards, and greater power imbalance.
Public safety is routinely framed as a matter of enforcement, yet history shows the opposite: when systems operate without transparency, harm flourishes. Corrections operate under the same logic, often with even less visibility. When abuse is hidden, accountability fails, and violence becomes systemic rather than exceptional. Transparency is not a threat to safety; it is a prerequisite for it.

🔥 Liberation Amplified is here.

We’re launching Liberation Amplified, a podcast by the Prison Transparency Project — a collective sound for liberation.

Across Canada, Argentina, and Spain, we amplify truth, demand accountability, and defend the rights and freedoms of incarcerated people.
This podcast centers the voices of those who organize, resist, create, and refuse to give up. Power already exists — we’re here to amplify it.

🎧 Listen now on our website or wherever you get your podcasts:
https://www.prisontransparencyproject.com/podcast

Credits & solidarity:
Liberation Amplified is co-produced by Deeana Deal, Natacha Guala, Quimey Martinez Magarzo, and Eva Danielson.
The music featured is “You Will be Missed”, written and performed by Robert Campbell, a dear friend and advisor to PTP.
The artwork comes from “Rising from the Shadows” by Timothy Felfoldi, another talented friend and advisor.

✊🏽 Let’s amplify the voices of resistance and liberation

Congratulations to lawyer and advocate, Paul Quick, on a win for transparency last month.

Hanna v Canada (Attorney General), 2025, FC 2007 – 2025-12-18, signals that systemic grievances cannot be neutralized through administrative closure. Where patterns of harm align with national findings, correctional authorities must confront, not manage, the problem.

The denial of Elder access undermines statutory, constitutional, and reconciliation commitments. The decision affirms that culturally grounded services are central to lawful incarceration, not optional enhancements.

This case exposes how internal grievance processes can obscure, rather than reveal, institutional wrongdoing. By relying solely on CSC’s own records and plans, the SAC avoided testing the truth of serious allegations. The Court’s decision affirms that transparency requires independent scrutiny, not internal self-validation.

Accepting allegations as “potentially discriminatory” while refusing to investigate them hollowed out accountability. The ruling makes clear that action plans are not evidence, and that compliance cannot be presumed where systemic harm is alleged.

CSC directives explicitly require outside investigations in complex discrimination cases. This decision reinforces that policy cannot be selectively applied and that grievance mechanisms must function as real accountability tools, not procedural barriers.

📢🌍 5th International Conference on Punishment in the Global Peripheries

Del 11 al 13 de diciembre de 2025, se realizó en Ciudad del Cabo, Sudáfrica, la Quinta Conferencia Internacional “Punishment in Global Peripheries”, con sede en la University of Cape Town.

Por primera vez, este importante encuentro académico tuvo lugar en el continente africano, continuando con la tradición de rotar la sede alrededor del mundo 🌐. La conferencia fue coorganizada por el Centre of Criminology de la Faculty of Law (UCT) y ECRIM de la Universidad de A Coruña, junto a las instituciones académicas fundadoras.

🎓 Participación del PTP
En esta edición participaron los/as investigadores/as del PTP:
👉 Ana Ballesteros Pena
👉 Hollis Moore
👉 Máximo Sozzo
👉 José Brandariz

Un espacio clave para el debate y el intercambio sobre castigo, justicia y desigualdades en las periferias globales.
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📢🌍 5th International Conference on Punishment in the Global Peripheries

From 11 to 13 December 2025, the Fifth International Conference “Punishment in Global Peripheries” took place in Cape Town, South Africa, hosted by the University of Cape Town.

For the first time, the conference was held on the African continent, continuing its tradition of rotating venues across the globe 🌍. The event was co-hosted by the Centre of Criminology, Faculty of Law (UCT) and ECRIM at the University of A Coruña, together with the founding academic institutions.

🎓 PTP participation
The following PTP researchers took part in the conference:
👉 Ana Ballesteros Pena
👉 Hollis Moore
👉 Máximo Sozzo
👉 José Brandariz

A key space for dialogue and exchange on punishment, justice, and inequalities in global peripheries.

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📢🌍 5e Conférence internationale sur la punition dans les périphéries globales

Du 11 au 13 décembre 2025, la Cinquième Conférence internationale “Punishment in Global Peripheries” s’est tenue au Cap, en Afrique du Sud, à l’Université du Cap (University of Cape Town).

Pour la première fois, la conférence a eu lieu sur le continent africain, poursuivant ainsi la tradition de faire circuler l’événement à travers le monde 🌍.

Selective visibility in corrections—the deliberate absence, loss, or withholding of evidence when institutional conduct is questioned.

This is not an administrative error or a technical failure. It is a pattern that shields the institution from scrutiny while obscuring the lived realities of prisoners.

When surveillance disappears, so does accountability. This selective visibility undermines transparency, distorts the truth, and creates conditions where harm can occur without consequence. For prisoners, particularly those in mental health crisis, the lack of oversight is not abstract; it directly affects safety, dignity, and the likelihood of intervention rather than punishment.

Understanding this pattern is essential. Without transparency, corrections cannot be trusted to protect those in its care, and systemic failures are allowed to repeat under the guise of compliance and control.

The PTP has a podcast in the works and the team has been busy with behind-the-scenes planning, interviewing, recording, editing, and more. Just yesterday, PTP team members Deeana and Eva had a super productive writing/recording session at Carleton University. Stay tuned for a podcast launch in the new year!

El PTP está preparando un podcast y el equipo ha estado muy ocupado con la planificación entre bastidores, las entrevistas, la grabación, la edición y mucho más. Ayer mismo, Deeana y Eva, miembros del equipo del PTP, tuvieron una sesión de escritura y grabación muy productiva en la Universidad de Carleton. ¡Estén atentos al lanzamiento del podcast en el nuevo año!

Le PTP prépare actuellement un podcast et l’équipe s’affaire en coulisses à la planification, aux interviews, à l’enregistrement, au montage et à bien d’autres tâches. Hier encore, Deeana et Eva, membres de l’équipe PTP, ont tenu une séance d’écriture et d’enregistrement très productive à l’Université Carleton. Restez à l’écoute pour le lancement du podcast au cours de la nouvelle année !

Reporting of staff misconduct inside Canada's prisons matters:
Public transparency on staff behaviour isn't just paperwork — it should lead to:

✔ Better oversight inside prisons
✔ Protection for prisoners from abuse and harm
✔ Real culture change — not just internal punishment

Because people in custody deserve safety, dignity, and human rights.

CSC has recognized the harm caused by internal bullying and harassment by investing in leadership roles aimed at repairing workplace culture.

But the conversation can’t end at the staff room door. If toxic behaviour is serious enough to warrant intervention among employees, it must also raise questions about how prisoners, who cannot walk away, are being treated.

Why is the safety and dignity of workers a priority, but not the safety and dignity of prisoners?

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El lunes 1ero de diciembre el PTP realizó un Seminario Online del PTP – 1° de diciembre encuentro organizado por Team Spain, con presentaciones de José Brandariz y Pablo Pinochet Ábalos, y comentarios de Sarah Turnbull y Jaime Snow.

Pablo Pinochet Ábalos presentó el trabajo realizado sobre contravigilancia de la sociedad civil en sistemas penitenciarios y CIES en España: 17 entrevistas, 14 organizaciones, y una mirada desde abajo que desafía la transparencia carcelaria oficial.
¡Gracias a todos por venir!

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On Monday, December 1st, the PTP held an online seminar organized by Team Spain, with presentations by José Brandariz and Pablo Pinochet Ábalos, and comments from Sarah Turnbull and Jaime Snow.

Pablo Pinochet Ábalos presented the work conducted on civil-society counterveillance in prison systems and immigration detention centres (CIES) in Spain: 17 interviews, 14 organizations, and a bottom-up perspective that challenges official carceral transparency.

Thank you all for coming!

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Le lundi 1er décembre, le PTP a organisé un séminaire en ligne préparé par le Team Spain, avec des présentations de José Brandariz et Pablo Pinochet Ábalos, ainsi que des commentaires de Sarah Turnbull et Jaime Snow.

Pablo Pinochet Ábalos a présenté le travail réalisé sur la contre-surveillance de la société civile dans les systèmes pénitentiaires et les CIES en Espagne : 17 entretiens, 14 organisations, et une perspective ascendante qui remet en question la transparence carcérale officielle.

Merci à toutes et à tous d’être venus !

📢 El viernes 28/11, desde el Prison Transparency Project participamos en la organización de un encuentro entre @acifad_ (Asociación Civil de Familiares de Detenidos en Cárceles) y diversas organizaciones que trabajan en contextos de encierro en la ciudad de Santa Fe.

📍 La jornada tuvo lugar en la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales de la UNL, y se enmarca en nuestra línea de trabajo conjunta para fortalecer espacios de reflexión y acción colectiva por los derechos de las personas encarceladas.

Vamos las pibas!

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📢 On Friday, 28/11, the Prison Transparency Project took part in organizing a meeting between ACIFAD (Civil Association of Relatives of People Detained in Prisons) and various organizations working in carceral contexts in the city of Santa Fe.

📍 The gathering took place at the Faculty of Legal and Social Sciences of UNL and is part of our ongoing joint efforts to strengthen spaces for reflection and collective action in defense of the rights of incarcerated people.

🤝 We keep moving forward.

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📢 Le vendredi 28/11, le Prison Transparency Project a participé à l’organisation d’une rencontre entre l’ACIFAD (Association Civile des Familles de Personnes Détenues) et plusieurs organisations travaillant en contextes d’enfermement dans la ville de Santa Fe.

📍 La rencontre a eu lieu à la Faculté de Sciences Juridiques et Sociales de l’UNL et s’inscrit dans notre travail conjoint visant à renforcer les espaces de réflexion et d’action collective pour les droits des personnes incarcérées.

🤝 Nous continuons d’avancer.

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📚 ¡Nuevo libro!
✨ Felicitamos a Cristina Fernández Bessa —investigadora del Team Spain del PTP— por la publicación de su nuevo libro “Criminología pública y feminismos no punitivos”.

Este volumen incluye capítulos escritos por varias integrantes del Prison Transparency Project: Ana Ballesteros Pena, Monisha Logan, Neha Chugh, Dawn Moore y Catherine Chesnay. ¡Nuestras felicitaciones también para ellas!

💜 Esperamos poder leerlas muy pronto.
📖 El link para adquirirlo se encuentra en nuestra bio.

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📚 New book!
✨ Congratulations to Cristina Fernández Bessa —researcher of the PTP Team Spain— on the publication of her new book “Public Criminology and Non-Punitive Feminisms.”

The volume includes chapters written by several members of the Prison Transparency Project: Ana Ballesteros Peña, Monisha Logan, Neha Chugh, Dawn Moore, and Catherine Chesnay. Congratulations to all of them as well!

💜 We look forward to reading their work soon.
📖 The link to purchase the book is available in our bio.

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📚 Nouveau livre !
✨ Félicitations à Cristina Fernández Bessa —chercheuse du Team Spain du PTP— pour la publication de son nouveau livre « Criminologie publique et féminismes non punitifs ».

Cet ouvrage comprend des chapitres rédigés par plusieurs membres du Prison Transparency Project : Ana Ballesteros Peña, Monisha Logan, Neha Chugh, Dawn Moore et Catherine Chesnay. Félicitations à elles également !

💜 Nous avons hâte de pouvoir les lire.
📖 Le lien pour l’acquérir se trouve dans notre bio.

@cris_ferbes
@monishalogan6
@anaballesterospena

On October 23, 2025, Canada’s Justice Minister Sean Fraser introduced Bill C-14, a sweeping bail and sentencing reform package.

But legal experts — including the Canadian Bar Association — say these changes won’t make communities safer and may actually jail more innocent people.

This slideshow breaks down what the government is proposing, what the CBA recommended instead, and why evidence-based reform matters now more than ever.

Source: https://nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articles/law/hot-topics-in-law/2025/proposed-bail-reforms-will-imprison-innocent-people

Canada’s legal system prioritizes transparency in certain areas: police publish updates on investigations, prosecutors speak publicly about convictions, and courts release detailed sentencing decisions. But when it comes to our jails and prisons, that same standard of openness disappears. This lack of visibility impacts public confidence and raises important questions about fairness, accountability, and the integrity of the entire system.

📢 El viernes pasado, la Campaña por la Abolición del Aislamiento Penitenciario —que reúne a diversas ONG comprometidas con la defensa de los derechos humanos— realizó un encuentro en Madrid para compartir experiencias, datos actualizados sobre condiciones carcelarias, sus impactos en los DDHH y testimonios de personas directamente afectadas.

🟠 El Prison Transparency Project estuvo presente a través de Pablo Pinochet, del Team Spain, quien representó al proyecto en este importante espacio de articulación y denuncia.

🎥 Para revisar la jornada completa, te dejamos el enlace: https://www.youtube.com/live/BHp75xfknbk?si=4A5oqxsJzCs2BGDr
(link también disponible en nuestra bio)

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📢 Last Friday, the Campaign for the Abolition of Solitary Confinement —which brings together various NGOs committed to the defense of human rights— held a meeting in Madrid to share experiences, updated data on prison conditions, their impact on human rights, and testimonies from people directly affected.

🟠 The Prison Transparency Project was represented by Pablo Pinochet, from Team Spain, who represented the project in this important space for coordination and advocacy.

🎥 To watch the full session, here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/live/BHp75xfknbk?si=4A5oqxsJzCs2BGDr

(link also available in our bio)

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📢 Vendredi dernier, la Campagne pour l’Abolition de l’Isolement Carcéral —qui réunit diverses ONG engagées dans la défense des droits humains— a organisé une rencontre à Madrid pour partager des expériences, des données actualisées sur les conditions de détention, leurs impacts sur les droits humains et des témoignages de personnes directement concernées.

🟠 Le Prison Transparency Project a été présent grâce à Pablo Pinochet, du Team Spain, qui a représenté le projet dans cet important espace d’articulation et de dénonciation.

🎥 Pour revoir l’intégralité de la journée, voici le lien :
https://www.youtube.com/live/BHp75xfknbk?si=4A5oqxsJzCs2BGDr

(lien également disponible dans notre bio)

📢 Mañana, miércoles 26, nuestro compañero del Prison Transparency Project, Ramiro Gual, estará brindando una charla titulada:

👉 “Resisting Devoto. Challenging practices from a federal male prison in Argentina”

Este taller presentará diferentes prácticas de resistencia de personas privadas de su libertad en la Unidad Federal Devoto, basadas en tres años de trabajo etnográfico con entrevistas, observaciones y grupos focales dentro de la prisión.

🕒 Horarios: 1 pm Argentina - 4 pm UK - 5 pm España

Les dejamos el registro en la bio. Nos vemos ahí!
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📢 Tomorrow, Wednesday 26, our colleague from the Prison Transparency Project, Ramiro Gual, will be giving a talk titled:

👉 “Resisting Devoto. Challenging practices from a federal male prison in Argentina”

The workshop will explore different prisoner resistance practices inside Devoto Federal Prison, based on three years of ethnographic fieldwork including interviews, observations, and focus groups.

🕒 Time:
🇦🇷 1 pm Argentina
🇬🇧 4 pm UK
🇪🇸 5 pm Spain

🔗 Registration link is in our bio!

We warmly invite you to join and share!

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📢 Demain, mercredi 26, notre collègue du Prison Transparency Project, Ramiro Gual, donnera une conférence intitulée :

👉 « Resisting Devoto. Challenging practices from a federal male prison in Argentina »

Cet atelier présentera différentes pratiques de résistance des personnes incarcérées dans la prison fédérale de Devoto, à partir de trois années de terrain ethnographique comprenant entretiens, observations et groupes de discussion.

🕒 Horaires :
🇦🇷 13h Argentine
🇬🇧 16h Royaume-Uni
🇪🇸 17h Espagne

🔗 Le lien d’inscription est dans notre bio !

Nous vous invitons chaleureusement à participer et à partager !

edited:

The Supreme Court of Canada released a precedent-setting decision today that affirms an essential principle: a person’s liberty continues to matter inside Canadian jails and prisons.

It is a truly celebratory ruling.

Even though people in custody have lost certain freedoms, they still retain what the Court calls “residual liberty.” This includes the right not to be held in unnecessarily harsh or restrictive conditions. A transfer to lower security can affect everyday aspects of life behind bars—access to programs, movement within the institution, family contact, work opportunities, and overall safety and dignity.
for further reading see:
Dorsey v AG Canada 2025 SCC 38

Do you know a black prisoner experiencing human rights violations?

The Black Legal Action Centre (BLAC) can help.

https://www.blacklegalactioncentre.ca/projects-and-initiatives/links-to-justice/

Every Voice Matters Even When the Legal System Pretends Otherwise

In Canada, miscarriages of justice are not rare. That truth makes it even more important that every prisoner and ex-prisoner has the right to be heard about their treatment and their lived experience in custody — no matter what crime they were convicted of.

To read the origin article see:https://archive.is/2025.11.13-152030/https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/judges-outraged-after-ruthless-murderer-invited-to-speak-at-ontario-judge-conference-killer-ambushed-crown/article_a8b255f0-f093-42fa-92c6-d1c093a2cbec.html#selection-4877.26-4877.114

When the person responsible for holding Correctional Service Canada (CSC) accountable walks away out of frustration, it signals a system in crisis. Ivan Zinger’s final report exposes failures that impact thousands of people and details long-standing issues within CSC. The report shines a bright light on the urgent mental-health crisis in federal corrections.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/zinger-leaving-prison-post-early-9.6976313

Bell is no longer providing inmate phone services in most provincial jails across Canada. In its place, Synergy Inmate Phone Solutions has emerged—and has quickly developed a reputation for causing significant harm. While Quebec and federal correctional institutions continue to use Bell Canada, provincial facilities have transitioned to Synergy, a company whose practices have been widely criticized as predatory.

As a result, prisoners and their families are experiencing even greater financial hardship than they did under the previous system.

To learn more, please see: https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/10/03/cornering-the-captive-market

Upcoming event! Two of our co-directors, José A. Brandariz (Spain) and Máximo Sozzo (Argentina) have co-edited a special Issue of “International Criminology” — Contrasting Penal Changes: A Dialogue on Penality between the Global South and Global North

The launch event will take place on November 20 at 11 am EST, 1 pm Argentina, 5pm Spain. Join in via zoom, link in bio

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📍 Centro Universitario Devoto
La semana pasada, el Team Argentina del PTP, en el marco de la celebración por los 40 años del Programa en Cárceles UBA XXII, participó en la sesión del Congreso de Ejecución Penal realizada dentro del CUD.

🎙️ Expusieron los profesores Máximo Sozzo, Iñaki Anitua y Lila Caimari.

🙌 Un encuentro lleno de intercambio, reflexión y compromiso con el trabajo académico y los derechos humanos en contextos de encierro.

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📍 Devoto University Center
Last week, the PTP Argentina Team, as part of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the UBA XXII Prison Program, took part in the session of the Congress on Penal Enforcement held inside the CUD.
🎙️ Professors Máximo Sozzo, Iñaki Anitua, and Lila Caimari presented their work.

🙌 An inspiring meeting full of exchange, reflection, and commitment to academic work and human rights in contexts of incarceration.

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📍 Centre universitaire de Devoto
La semaine dernière, l’équipe argentine du PTP, dans le cadre de la célébration des 40 ans du Programme universitaire en prison UBA XXII, a participé à la session du Congrès d’exécution pénale organisée au CUD.
🎙️ Les professeurs Máximo Sozzo, Iñaki Anitua et Lila Caimari ont pris la parole.

🙌 Une rencontre marquée par l’échange, la réflexion et l’engagement envers le travail académique et les droits humains en contexte de détention.

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La semana pasada, en el marco del XXII Congreso de Ejecución Penal en @DerechoUBA, nuestras/os compañeras/os Isabella Paccio, Julieta Taboga, Maialen Somaglia, Máximo Sozzo y Ramiro Gual presentaron los resultados preliminares de la investigación en curso sobre el trabajo de la Procuración Penitenciaria de la Nación.
👏 ¡Felicitaciones por su trabajo! Esperamos poder leerlos y escucharlos pronto.
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Last week, at the 22nd Congress on Penal Enforcement held at @DerechoUBA, our colleagues Isabella Paccio, Julieta Taboga, Maialen Somaglia, Máximo Sozzo, and Ramiro Gual presented the preliminary findings of their ongoing research on the work of the National Prison Ombudsman’s Office.
👏 Congratulations on your work — we look forward to reading and hearing more from you soon!
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La semaine dernière, dans le cadre du 22e Congrès d’exécution pénale à @DerechoUBA, nos collègues Isabella Paccio, Julieta Taboga, Maialen Somaglia, Máximo Sozzo et Ramiro Gual ont présenté les résultats préliminaires de leur recherche en cours sur le travail de la Procureure pénitentiaire nationale.
👏 Félicitations pour ce travail ! Nous avons hâte de lire et d’entendre la suite.

@delitoysociedadunl
@mujerestraslasrejas
@barrettcomunidad
@universidadxcarcel
@peup_unl

ES - EN - FR

El pasado lunes 3 de Noviembre, se llevaron adelante las Jornadas de Extensión en la Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales de la Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina. En ese marco, el Programa Delito y Sociedad en coordinación con diversas organizaciones sociales que participan en distintos proyectos de investigación y extensión organizaron el Encuentro "Abrir la prisión / Abrir la
Universidad. Experiencias educativas, artísticas y laborales en contexto de encierro".

La actividad consistió en un espacio de visibilización e intercambio acerca de las actividades que realizan diferentes proyectos y colectivos educativos, artísticos y emprendimientos laborales cooperativos, tanto en el ámbito de las cárceles de la zona centro-norte de la provincia de Santa Fe, como con personas que tuvieron experiencias de encierro una vez en libertad.

Se expuso la muestra de fotos "Luz y Verso" de la ONG Mujeres Tras las Rejas de Rosario, las publicaciones de Barrett Comunidad Editorial y las producciones de "UniversidadxCárcel" Proyecto Universitario de la Lic. en Comunicación Visual de FADU en conjunto con el Programa Educación Universitaria en Prisiones (PEUP).
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@delitoysociedadunl
@mujerestraslasrejas
@barrettcomunidad
@universidadxcarcel
@peup_unl

You might think that a Universal Basic Income (UBI) has nothing to do with corrections, however, research and data shows that the majority of prisoners end up inside our jails and prisons for incidents stemming from poverty and the struggle to meet daily basic needs. UBI can and will result in less crime and fewer people caught up in the legal system.

Individuals are dying in police custody at higher rates says the BC Indenpendent Investigations Office's (IIO) report. This "trend and concerning problem" was highlighted due to teh tragic loss of 21-year old Surrance Myers, an Indigenous man from Tsilhqot'in Nation, on December 20, 2022. Accountability for this lack of supervision should be a priority but it does not seem to be the case.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/surrance-myers-tsilhqot-in-first-nation-rcmp-detention-death-9.6933823

Tona's Law, Bill S-205, is the result of almost 10 years of federal prisoners' human rights work.
Tona, an Indigenous woman who survived 10years of solitary confinement and the consequences isolation has on a person's mental health.
In 2019 Canada promised to eliminate solitary confinement but that is yet to happen. Bill S-205 is a solid and tangible move in that direction.

El pasado jueves 15 de octubre, el Proyecto Transparencia en Prisiones reunió a organizaciones no estatales, escuelas y universidades que trabajan en cárceles federales de Ciudad y Provincia de Buenos Aires.

El encuentro, realizado en la Facultad de Derecho (UBA), busca afianzar los lazos entre actores involucrados en la producción de transparencia en prisiones.

Gracias por esta reunión a les compañeres de @coopeesquinalibertad @puntodefuga.pg @lamellaenderecho @acifad_ @apppoliticaspenitenciarias @red.puentes @comisiones.gual @delitoysociedadunl y sigamos construyendo juntes!

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Le jeudi 15 octobre dernier, le Projet Transparence dans les Prisons a réuni des organisations non gouvernementales, des écoles et des universités qui interviennent dans les prisons fédérales de la Ville et de la Province de Buenos Aires.

La rencontre, qui s’est tenue à la Faculté de Droit (Université de Buenos Aires), visait à renforcer les liens entre les acteurs engagés dans la promotion de la transparence au sein du système pénitentiaire.

Merci à nos camarades de
@coopeesquinalibertad @puntodefuga.pg
@lamellaenderecho
@ACiFaD
@apppoliticaspenitenciarias
@red.puentes
@comisiones.gual
@delitoysociedadunl
continuons à construire ensemble !
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Last Thursday, October 15th, the Prison Transparency Project brought together non-governmental organizations, schools, and universities that work in federal prisons in the City and Province of Buenos Aires.

The meeting, held at the Faculty of Law (University of Buenos Aires), aimed to strengthen the bonds among the actors involved in promoting transparency within the prison system.

Thanks to our colleagues from:
@coopeesquinalibertad @puntodefuga.pg
@lamellaenderecho
@ACiFaD
@apppoliticaspenitenciarias
@red.puentes
@comisiones.gual
@delitoysociedadunl
let’s keep building together!

Colaboración asistente investigación en proyecto europeo Prison Oversight: Improving Rights in Europe

Abril 2025: Nuestro asistente de investigación, Pablo Pinochet apoyó en la visita e implementación de entrevistas y encuestas en el proyecto POIRE. Dichas actividades se realizaron a internos del Centro Penitenciario Madrid V Soto del Real y a altos cargos de la Secretaría General de Instituciones Penitenciarias. El proyecto, alojado en Trinity College, Irlanda y financiado por el European Research Coiuncil, tiene entre sus objetivos el estudio de la percepción de internos sobre las visitas que realiza el CPT y las estrategias que utiliza la administración penitenciaria para gestionarlas.

Research assistant collaboration on European project Prison Oversight: Improving Rights in Europe

April 2025: Our research assistant, Pablo Pinochet, assisted with visits and the implementation of interviews and surveys for the POIRE project. These activities were carried out with inmates at the Madrid V Soto del Real Penitentiary and senior officials from the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions. The project, hosted by Trinity College, Ireland, and funded by the European Research Council, aims to study inmates’ perceptions of CPT visits and the strategies used by the prison administration to manage them.

Collaboration en tant qu’assistant de recherche dans le cadre du projet européen Prison Oversight : Improving Rights in Europe (Surveillance pénitentiaire : améliorer les droits en Europe)

Avril 2025 : Notre assistant de recherche, Pablo Pinochet, a participé à la visite et à la mise en œuvre d’entretiens et d’enquêtes dans le cadre du projet POIRE. Ces activités ont été menées auprès de détenus du centre pénitentiaire Madrid V Soto del Real et de hauts responsables du Secrétariat général des institutions pénitentiaires. Le projet, hébergé au Trinity College, en Irlande, et financé par le Conseil européen de la recherche, a notamment pour objectif d’étudier la perception des détenus sur les visites effectuées par le CPT et les stratégies utilisées par l’administration pénitentiaire pour les gérer.
https://www.tcd.ie/law/research/POIRE/index.php

To hear first hand updates about the hunger strike Faith Eagle has shared updates and personal testimony on TikTok under the handle @yxeprisonwife, where she has been vocal about the treatment of Indigenous women in custody.

On this September 30th, National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, let us come together in recognition of the harm that Canada has and still is imposing on Indigenous individuals and their communities. Is it not time for Canada to begin economic reconciliation, social reconciliation, and reconciliation through legal and policy efforts that begin with them in mind, not as an afterthought

Do we really want to live in a country that starts with the presumption of guilt based on type if offence an individual is accused of?

Section 11(d) is how we protect individuals against severe punishment prior to being found guilty in a court of law.

The Canadian Constitution is Canada's highest law which applies to all governments. The Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a foundational component of our Constitutions. Legislators, at any level of government, must be mindful of this fact when creating and intriducing acts and bills.

R v Rush, 2025 - Section 8, 10(b), and 24(2) Charter breach precedent excluding evidence.

It is important to the Prison Transparency Project that we promote respect and dignity for prisoners. What better way than to understand who a prisoner is. If you would like to read Lydia Dobson's article you can find it in Briarpatch Magazine: https://briarpatchmagazine.com/articles/view/who-is-a-prisoner

📢✨ On August 27–28, the Faculty of Law of the University of A Coruña hosted the International Conference “New Right, Authoritarianism, and Penality.”

Organised by ECRIM and PTP members: Ana Ballesteros-Pena, José A. Brandariz, Cristina Fernández-Bessa, and Máximo Sozzo.

🤝 Sponsored by the Working Group on Public Criminology (SEIC) and the journal Punishment & Society, the event brought together 50 scholars from across the Americas and Europe.

📚 Over two days, the conference featured 6 plenary talks and 27 panel presentations, sparking intense debate on urgent global issues.

🎤 Several presentations focused on the penal agenda of radical-right forces and authoritarian leaders, exploring specific national case studies.

While most contributions touched on this issue, the papers by José A. Brandariz (University of A Coruña) on Spain and Máximo Sozzo (University of A Coruña / National University of Litoral) on Argentina addressed it directly.

👩‍🎓 Our RAs Jaime Snow and Quimey Martinez-Magarzo also presented a paper entitled:
“Neoliberalism, Gender, and Carceral Policy in Argentina and the United States.”

🙏 Thank you for this enriching experience of exchange, shared debates, and laughter!

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📢✨ Les 27 et 28 août, la Faculté de Droit de l’Université de A Coruña a accueilli la Conférence Internationale “New Right, Authoritarianism, and Penality.”

Organisée par les membres d’ECRIM et PTP : Ana Ballesteros-Pena, José A. Brandariz, Cristina Fernández-Bessa et Máximo Sozzo.

🤝 Avec le soutien du Groupe de travail sur la Criminologie Publique (SEIC) et de la revue Punishment & Society, la rencontre a réuni 50 chercheur·e·s venus d’Amérique et d’Europe.

📚 Pendant deux jours, le programme a proposé 6 conférences plénières et 27 communications, suscitant un débat intense sur des enjeux mondiaux urgents.

🎤 Plusieurs présentations se sont concentrées sur l’agenda pénal des forces radicales de droite et des dirigeants autoritaires, à travers différents cas nationaux.

Alors que la plupart des contributions ont abordé cette question, les communications de José A. Brandariz et de Máximo Sozzo l'ont traitée de manière directe et approfondie

Statement from @WICCID on the dangers of police interference in the Corwn's independence in the courtroom.

Police services must understand where their role in the Canadian legal system ends and where the Crown's role begins.

Recently, the Edmonton Police Services questioned and then improperly sought to influence the Crown’s discretion in offering a manslaughter plea deal. This is unacceptable and undermines the functionality of our system.

The Crown is separate from the police and therefore do not answer to them. In most cases the Crown has access to more information than the police services handling the case, and their independent decisions protect the interests of justice in difficult and emotional cases.

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