Brian Sonenstein
Verified- Editor, Shadow Proof
- Journalist and Host, Freelance
- Senior Editor and Researcher, Prison Policy Initiative
- Co-Host, Beyond Prisons
Senior editor & researcher @prisonpolicy
Co-host @beyond_prison
Articles by Brian Sonenstein
Fighting Criminalization With Housing First
Above Photo: Anthony Washington, 57, sits in his room at The Family House in Milwaukee. Washington is among four other tenants living at the six-bedroom home that was established by Table of the Saints Inc. to assist those who were previously incarcerated help transition back into the community and family life. Angela Peterson/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Seeking Shelter From Mass Incarceration.
Hawaii Senate Committee Approves Bill To Create Therapeutic Psilocybin Working Group Original
A bill to create a state working group to study the therapeutic benefits of psilocybin is advancing in the Hawaii Senate with the support of the governor’s office. SB 1454, which was introduced at the end of January by Sen. Ron Kouchi (D), unanimously passed the Senate Health Committee on Monday.
People Living In States With Legal Marijuana Have Lower Rates Of Alcohol Use Disorder, Federally Funded Twin Study Finds Original
People who live in states where recreational marijuana is legal experience lower rates of alcohol use disorder (AUD) compared to those who live in states where cannabis remains illegal, according to a new federally funded study. Researchers observed 240 pairs of twins in cases where one twin lived in a state that legalized marijuana and the other did not.
Wisconsin Governor Signals Willingness To Compromise With Republicans On Medical Marijuana
Wisconsin’s Democratic governor said he thinks Republicans who control the state legislature may be willing to work with him to legalize medical marijuana in 2023. In an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio on Tuesday, Gov.
Key Wisconsin Agency Proposes Marijuana Legalization Be Included In Budget, Saying It Will Create $165M In Yearly Revenue
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) is asking the governor to again put recreational and medical marijuana legalization in his forthcoming executive budget, while the State Public Defender (SDP) is separately seeking decriminalization of cannabis possession, according to an overview of state agency budget requests for 2023. Gov.
Ohio Lawmakers Hold Hearing On Two Marijuana Legalization Bills, One Led By Republicans And The Other Sponsored By Democrats
Ohio lawmakers held a brief hearing on Tuesday to consider two marijuana legalization bills—one sponsored by Democrats and the other led by Republicans. Both bills before the House Finance Committee would tax and regulate cannabis for adults over the age of 21, though they have significant differences between them.
Oregon Governor Says Her Mass Marijuana Pardons Are ‘Truly An Act Of Mercy’
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) says her recent move to grant marijuana pardons is “very much a racial justice issue.” The governor spoke about her mass pardon of more than 45,000 people for state-level cannabis possession offenses at a forum hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs on Thursday.
Advanced Correctional Healthcare’s Brutal Brand of Jailhouse Medicine
× You have 2 more free articles available this month. Subscribe today. Loaded on Jan. 12, 2017 Share: Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on G+ Share with email Timothy Strayer in his hospital bed in Dearborn County ICU after spending just one month behind bars at the county jail.
The Problem with Diversion Programs - Should cops and the courts be gatekeepers for addiction and mental health treatment?
As lawmakers move to support popular criminal justice reforms, Mainers should question whether the war on drugs and criminalization of mental illness is ending or evolving. Maine’s addiction and mental health crises are intensifying. Drugs are a leading cause of arrest and more people experience overdoses each year. Around 60 percent of jail inmates and 40 percent of prisoners are prescribed psychiatric medication. Many people suffer from both mental illness and addiction.
Prison Reforms Can Actually Increase Size and Scope of Incarceration
Demonstrators and family protest the death of Jemal Floyd at the hands of prison guards in front of the Brooklyn Detention Center in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City on June 26, 2020.John Lamparski / NurPhoto via Getty Images Brian Sonenstein and Kim Wilson welcome back Maya Schenwar and Victoria Law to discuss their new book, Prison By Any Other Name: The Harmful Consequences Of Popular Reforms, on the Beyond Prisons podcast.
Portland Phoenix | An Interview with Jonathan Sahrbeck, Cumberland County DA candidate (Full transcript)
Independent DA candidate Jonathan Sahrbeck [Photo from candidate's website] With just days to go before Cumberland County voters elect their next district attorney, the Phoenix sat down with independent candidate Jonathan Sahrbeck to capture his views on everything from broken windows policing, to opioid use disorder, to greater transparency and accountability in the DA’s office, and more. We interviewed Sahrbeck’s opponent, Democrat Jonathan Gale, earlier this year.
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Maine needs to better protect prisoners from coronavirus
George Danby | BDN George Danby | BDN By Brian Sonenstein, opinion guest column • April 11, 2020 8:00 am Updated: April 11, 2020 11:06 am Click here for the latest coronavirus news, which the BDN has made free for the public. You can support our critical reporting on the coronavirus by purchasing a digital subscription or donating directly to the newsroom.
Brief Exposure To Solitary Confinement May Increase Mortality After Prison
This article was published in partnership with Solitary Watch Those who experience even short stints in solitary confinement died at higher rates in the five years following their release from prison than those who did not, according to a new study. The study, which was published in The Lancet: Public Health and focused on former prisoners in Denmark, found the causes of death were consistent with high mortality among former prisoners in the United States and Europe.
Even Brief Exposure to Solitary Confinement May Increase Risk of Death After Prison
This article is published in partnership with Shadowproof. Those who experience even short stints in solitary confinement died at higher rates in the five years following their release from prison than those who did not, according to a new study. The study, which was published in The Lancet: Public Health and focused on former prisoners in Denmark, found the causes of death were consistent with high mortality among former prisoners in the United States and Europe.
All 50 States Report Prison Understaffing
Editor’s Note 🔓 We’ve unlocked this edition of our members-only newsletter. Become a member for $5/month or more to gain access to interviews with our reporters, arts and culture reviews, and bulletins like this one. Every state in the nation has reported prison staffing shortages since 2017, according to research by Shadowproof.
All 50 States Report Prison Understaffing
× You have 2 more free articles available this month. Subscribe today. Loaded on April 1, 2020 by Brian Sonenstein published in Prison Legal News April, 2020, page 14 Share: Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on G+ Share with email by Brian Sonenstein, Shadowproof Every state in the nation has reported prison staffing shortages since 2017, according to research by Shadowproof.
Decriminalizing Sex Work Is Popular Among Democrats, Independents
New polling shows a majority of American voters support decriminalizing sex work. A majority of Americans somewhat or strongly support the decriminalization of sex work. Nearly half of voters surveyed supported ending the policing of sex work, according to a January poll administered by Data For Progress and YouGov Blue. Sixty-four percent of Democrats, 55 percent of independents, and 37 percent of Republicans indicated they support decriminalization.
Trump's New Commission Looks Like a Platform for Pro-Police Propaganda
On January 22, Attorney General William Barr swore in 18 members of a White House commission on policing.
Inside Donald Trump's New Commission On Law Enforcement
Attorney General William Barr swore in 18 members of a White House commission on policing.
Immigrant Rights Activists Barred From Visiting Alabama Detention Facility
Immigration and detention officials canceled visits at the Etowah County Detention Center following a protest calling for the facility’s closure and the abolition of immigration detention. Freedom For Immigrants (FFI), a nonprofit immigrant rights group, has organized visitation projects with over 4,500 volunteers from local groups like the Etowah Visitation Project (EVP). The visitation projects exist at 69 prisons and jails in 26 states.
Officials ignored warnings before massive ‘gladiator fight’ at Soledad State Prison in California
by Brian Sonenstein The head of California’s prison system visited the Correctional Training Facility (CTF) in Soledad the day before dozens of prisoners were injured and hospitalized in a fight, which prisoners and advocates say was entirely predictable. During the visit, prisoners say they told California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Secretary Ralph Diaz they wanted an end to the violence. Dozens of fights have broken out at CTF and other state prisons over the last year.
California Prison Officials Ignored Warnings Before Massive 'Gladiator Fight'
3 years ago The head of California’s prison system visited the Correctional Training Facility (CTF) in Soledad the day before dozens of prisoners were injured and hospitalized in a fight, which prisoners and advocates say was entirely predictable. During the visit, prisoners say they told California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Secretary Ralph Diaz they wanted an end to the violence. Dozens of fights have broken out at CTF and other state prisons over the last year.
Number Of People Incarcerated In U.S. Is Far Higher Than 2.5 Million
The most popular statistic regarding the United States’ prison system is that there are 2.5 million people incarcerated. However, this figure significantly under-represents the number of people caged in this country each year. According to a new analysis released by the Prison Policy Initiative, at least 4.9 million people are arrested and jailed each year. Those individuals are disproportionately poor, Black, and lack access to education and health care.
Pundits Rewrite History To Defend Biden's Record Of Dog-Whistle Politics
Editor’s Note Update – July 2: In the aftermath of the first Democratic presidential debate for the 2020 primary, Joe Biden has received much attention for making common cause with segregationists and opposing busing, especially because of how Kamala Harris confronted him on stage. It has led “moderates” to acknowledge his weakness as candidate while also asking, why should the past be re-litigated?
Breaking Down Elizabeth Warren's Proposal For Banning Private Prisons
Editor’s Note The following was sent out to subscribers to the weekly newsletter, “Keeping The Issues Alive.” It granted subscribers early access before it was published for the general public at Shadowproof. To receive the weekly newsletter, subscribe for $5/month: SUBSCRIBE NOW Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren published a policy proposal to ban private prison facility management and place stronger controls on the outsourcing of services in the criminal legal system.
Alabama Prisoners on Hunger Strike Demand End to Inhumane Conditions
Four Alabama prisoners are on hunger strike at the Limestone Correctional Facility in Harvest, Alabama.State of Alabama, Public Domain Four Alabama prisoners are on hunger strike at the Limestone Correctional Facility in protest against corruption, abuse, and a lack of accountability for inhumane conditions in the state prison system.
Alabama Prisoners On Hunger Strike Demand DOJ End Brutal Treatment
Four Alabama prisoners are on hunger strike at the Limestone Correctional Facility in protest against corruption, abuse, and a lack of accountability for inhumane conditions in the state prison system. The hunger strike is a response to a call to action from a coalition of prisoner rights groups, including the Free Alabama Movement (FAM) and Unheard Voices O.T.C.J., as well as incarcerated activists Kinetik Justice and Swift Justice. Five prisoners were on hunger strike initially.
Prisoners, Activists Halt Federal Prison Project On Former Coal Mine
Federal prisoners and grassroots activists defeated plans by the United States government to embark on the most expensive prison construction project in the country’s history. The plans for a federal prison and labor camp in Letcher County, Kentucky, would have cost at least $444 million and resulted in serious and longstanding negative consequences for the environment and public health. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) initially released a “record of decision” in March 2018 for the 800-acre site.
Let's Not Rewrite History to Defend Joe Biden's Record of Dog-Whistle Politics
An emerging defense of Joe Biden’s Democratic presidential campaign is that many of his questionable political acts occurred during a “different time.” When it comes to the 1994 “crime bill,” it is excused as a product of a time when the United States was more tolerant of racial injustice than it is today. Biden wrote the legislation that became the law signed a few months prior to the first midterm election of Clinton’s presidency.
Pundits Rewrite History to Defend Joe Biden's Record of Dog-Whistle Politics
An emerging defense of Joe Biden’s Democratic presidential campaign is that many of his questionable political acts occurred during a “different time.” When it comes to the 1994 “crime bill,” it is excused as a product of a time when the United States was more tolerant of racial injustice than it is today. Biden wrote the legislation that became the law signed a few months prior to the first midterm election of Clinton’s presidency.
Pundits Rewrite History To Defend Biden's Record Of Dog-Whistle Politics
An emerging defense of Joe Biden’s Democratic presidential campaign is that many of his questionable political acts occurred during a “different time.” When it comes to the 1994 “crime bill,” it is excused as a product of a time when the United States was more tolerant of racial injustice than it is today. Biden wrote the legislation that became the law signed a few months prior to the first midterm election of Clinton’s presidency.
Taking Away Voting Rights Does Nothing to Solve Violence
Element5 Digital / Unsplash Maya Schenwar returns to “Beyond Prisons” to discuss voting rights, the current political landscape, and her forthcoming book. Maya is the editor-in-chief of Truthout. She is also the author of Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn’t Work and How We Can Do Better and the co-editor of the Truthout anthology Who Do You Serve, Who Do You Protect? Police Violence and Resistance in the United States.
The Shameful Moralizing On Prisoner Voting Rights
Editor’s Note We’re pleased to publish this preview of our member newsletter, “Keeping The Issues Alive,” which provides a closer look at the stories we’re following at Shadowproof. Subscribe for $9/month and receive this weekly newsletter: SUBSCRIBE NOW Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders was asked during a CNN Town Hall about voting rights for prisoners. The questioner tested Sanders by using people convicted of sexual assault and “terrorists” as totemic prisoners.
Alabama Prisoners Tied To Anti-Violence Program Put In Isolation
Eight Alabama prisoners have followed in the footsteps of incarcerated activist Robert Earl Council by initiating a hunger strike, arguing they, like Council, were arbitrarily placed in solitary confinement. Council, who has organized with other prisoners for years with the Free Alabama Movement, ended his hunger strike on March 14 after refusing food and liquids for one week. He was assured by Commissioner Jeffrey Dunn that he would be moved to general population.
Alabama Officials Won’t Say Why Prison Strike Leader Is In Isolation
An Alabama prisoner, who has faced retaliation for organizing incarcerated workers for years, began a hunger strike on March 7 after he was transferred to another prison and thrown in solitary confinement in the middle of the night. As of March 13, Robert Earl Council (aka Kinetik Justice Amun) had refused food and liquids for one week.
New Records Raise Questions About CA's Execution Protocol
Documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union Of Northern California (ACLU) point to numerous serious concerns about the state’s proposed regulations for single-drug lethal injection in executions. They also point to issues with the legal staff, who write the regulations.
Connecticut Lawmakers May Curtail Discrimination Against Ex-Prisoners
Connecticut could become the first state in the nation to prohibit discrimination against people with criminal records. The legislation, known as HB 6921 or “An Act Concerning Discrimination Based On A Person’s Criminal History,” would target inequity in housing, employment, insurance, education, credit, and state programs and accommodations. An estimated 40,000 people in Connecticut have criminal records—roughly twice the total number of people under correctional supervision in the state.
Help Shadowproof Publish Another Round Of Excellent Reporting
Shadowproof will soon publish another exciting round of freelance reporting, but we need your help to pay our writers a decent wage for their work. Can you donate $20 so we can pay writers to contribute to Shadowproof? We’ve been busy curating important reporting for you at Shadowproof over the last few months. Kevin and I have covered Venezuela and California prisons respectively.
More Reports Of 'Gladiator Fights' Surface In California Prisons
Another fight between rival prisoner groups took place at the state prison in Corcoran, California on the morning of February 20. The fight happened during what the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (CDCR) calls “incremental release,” when small groups of prisoners are released onto the yard together for recreation. Prisoners, their families, and advocates argue officials are scheduling incrementals with members of racial groups they know are in conflict.
California prisoners say videos show ‘gladiator fights’ at Soledad State Prison
Why snatch 936 acres of rich farmland, growing crops to feed California and the world, and make it hell on earth for 5,250 men, crammed in at 158.5 percent of capacity?
California Prisoners Say Videos Show ‘Gladiator Fights’ At Soledad Facility
California prisoners released video recordings of two prisoner fights they say were set-up by officials at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California. It is now the second facility to report so-called “gladiator fights” after prisoners spoke out about similar incidents at the state prison in Corcoran. The videos were provided after Shadowproof published reports on a hunger strike at the state prison in Corcoran over arranged prison fights at that facility.
Torture in Corcoran: Endless lockdown and gladiator fights, again
by Brian Sonenstein Braving the storm for their loved ones inside, families and supporters of prisoners locked down in the huge Corcoran State Prison in California’s Central San Joaquin Valley protest the four-month lockdown and gladiator fights and demand the prisoners’ demands be met.
Corcoran Prisoners Under Lockdown Plead For End To 'Gladiator Fights'
Prisoners in 3C Unit at the state prison in Corcoran, California who went on hunger strike in January are speaking out after the warden backed out of negotiations to end a months-long lockdown and violence orchestrated by prison officials. At its peak, 270 people participated in the Corcoran hunger strike, in which prisoners refused food trays for three weeks in January.
Warden Went Back On Promises After Hunger Strike
This article was updated at 5:30 PM East with comments from CDCR. Hundreds of California prisoners, who led a hunger strike against an oppressive and months-long lockdown, suspended their protest following negotiations with the warden and the fulfillment of two of their six demands. But advocates for the incarcerated say negotiations may now be falling apart, and the hunger strikers are contemplating their next move.
Educational Opportunities for Incarcerated People: Lack of education contributes to stigma and discrimination for those released from prison
Expanding education opportunities for incarcerated people may be the next frontier in criminal justice reform. Advocates believe such efforts will improve employment rates, lift people out of poverty, and interrupt cycles of incarceration. Reformers are particularly interested in overturning the ban on Pell Grants for prisoners. Pell Grants are federal education awards that help low-income people afford a post-secondary education.
'Culture Of Fear' In Federal Prisons May Undermine First Step Act
Wardens and other senior officials in the federal prison system engage in gross misconduct, avoid consequences by disrupting investigations and disciplinary proceedings, and encourage a “culture of fear and retaliation,” according to a report from a subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Forced Prison Detox in a Public Health Crisis?: New DA Sahrbeck expected to push controversial legislation to jail people with substance use disorder
Cumberland County’s next district attorney, Jonathan Sahrbeck, claims he will push for new legislation to force people into “drug abuse treatment” as part of his plan to confront opioid addiction. Sahrbeck spoke highly of a controversial Massachusetts law known as “Section 35” throughout the campaign, which gives courts the power to force people into treatment for a substance use disorder (SUD). It’s a carceral response to a public health crisis that is familiar to Maine.
Forcing Treatment in a Public Health Crisis: New DA Sahrbeck expected to push controversial legislation to involuntarily commit people with Substance Use Disorder
Cumberland County’s next district attorney, Jonathan Sahrbeck, claims he will push for new legislation to force people into “drug abuse treatment” as part of his plan to confront opioid addiction. Sahrbeck spoke highly of a controversial Massachusetts law known as “Section 35” throughout the campaign, which gives courts the power to force people into treatment for a substance use disorder (SUD). It’s a carceral response to a public health crisis that is familiar to Maine.
Maine's Mysterious Prison Deaths: Why do Department of Corrections officials routinely ignore requests for information?
People are dying in Maine’s prisons. Thanks to the total lack of transparency and oversight enjoyed by the Maine Department of Corrections, we have little information as to why. In April, 48-year-old Jeremiah Young died at Maine State Prison. Eight months later, state medical and law enforcement officials still refuse to provide any details about what transpired.
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