Topic: Prisons
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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Where do things stand at Guantánamo? Six basic questions answered.
President Obama this week pledged to “reengage” with Congress to find a way to close the terror detention camp at the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, naval base. The renewed focus comes as 100 of the 166 detainees are reported to be engaged in a hunger strike. Here is a brief look at where things stand now.
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The 25 best movie musicals of all time
The American Film Institute picks the best song-and-dance stories ever put on film.
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The 25 best country songs of all time (+video)
Check out Country Music Television's rankings of the best country music songs ever released.
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Briefing
After the 'sequester,' now what?
$85 billion in across-the-board cuts to defense and social programs took effect March 1. The cuts must occur this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Here's how things look.
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12 electrifying memoirs and biographies you might have missed
Check out these 12 recent memoirs and biographies that might have escaped your notice.
All Content
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Ukraine denies prison mistreatment of Tymoshenko
A Ukrainian prosecutor said Friday he is unaware of any alleged physical attacks on former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko in prison.
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5 true crime stories you don't want to miss
These five Edgar Award nominees are true-crime stories taken straight from real life.
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Catherine Rohr helps ex-cons return to society by learning to start businesses
Former venture capitalist Catherine Rohr founded the nonprofit Defy Ventures to train ex-prisoners in the ethical and other demands of becoming legitimate entrepreneurs.
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Family asks UN to help free former Peace Corps volunteer jailed in Nicaragua
Of the 725 US citizens in jail abroad, more than half are behind bars in Latin America. Jason Puracal was imprisoned in November 2010, and his family says the US hasn't done enough in his case.
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Taliban storm Pakistani prison: nearly 400 freed
Taliban militants armed with grenades battled their way into a prison in northwest Pakistan on Sunday, freeing close to 400 prisoners, including about 20 described by police as 'very dangerous.'
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Abu Hamza and 4 other terror suspects can be sent to US
Britain can extradite five terror suspects to the US, a European court ruled. Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri is accused of trying to set up an Al Qaeda training camp in Oregon.
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Supreme Court approves strip searches for minor offenses
Jail officials are justified in performing strip searches as a reasonable precaution to maintain safety and order at their facilities, the Supreme Court said Monday.
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Supreme Court lets stand ruling that sides with transgender inmates
A Wisconsin law barring state funding for hormone treatments or sex-change operations for transgender prisoners was struck down, a ruling upheld on appeal. The Supreme Court declined the case.
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Cover Story No child left alone: Volunteers mentor children of inmates
With 2.3 million inmates behind bars in the US, the goal of volunteers in mentor programs for the 2.7 million children of prisoners is: No child left alone. Despite government cuts in funding, the programs continue.
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Latin America Monitor Is El Salvador negotiating with criminal street gangs?
A deal with El Salvador's two biggest street gangs may signal a less militaristic security strategy, writes guest blogger Geoffrey Ramsey.
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Latin America Monitor Street gangs on the rise in South America: Are Central America's 'Maras' among them?
South American street gangs may not be as notorious as the violent 'maras,' but they pose a significant threat to security, writes guest blogger Geoffrey Ramsey.
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Rod Blagojevich, second Illinois governor headed for prison (+video)
Rod Blagojevich got on a flight for Colorado Thursday morning. By this afternoon, Blagojevich will trade his Oxxford suit for prison khakis
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Change Agent 5 urban garden programs that train inmates and help communities
Prison gardening programs teach inmates valuable skills, reduce recidivism, and provide those in need with fresh produce.
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Latin America Monitor Mexico to build eight new prisons after Zetas escape
But by focusing on the role overcrowding played in the Zetas riot and escape, is the Mexican government missing the bigger picture in terms of prison reform?
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Quran burning: Were prisoners hiding extremist messages in books?
The Pentagon has launched an investigation into the Quran burning at a US detention facility in Afghanistan. Prisoners might have used the books to pass secret messages, a spokesman says.
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Zetas break out of prison in Mexico. Who are they?
According to Mexican authorities, the Zetas have become the biggest drug trafficking organization in Mexico. On Feb. 19 Zeta members allegedly instigated a prison riot, killing members of the opposing Gulf Cartel, and covering up their escape. Here are four questions about the Zetas, answered.
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Mexico prison riot a cover for Zetas escape
Mexican prison guards may have helped 30 Zeta drug cartel members escape during a prison riot. Some 44 inmates were killed at the Apodaca prison in northern Mexico early Sunday.
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At least 40 die in Mexico prison riot
The deadly prison riot in northern Mexico started early Sunday morning in a high-security cell block.
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Latin America Monitor Honduras fire reflects dire state of prisons in Latin America
Honduras is among the worst in the region with severe overcrowding, but Latin American prisons are a daily human rights tragedy, writes guest blogger James Bosworth.
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Honduras prison fire kills at least 300 inmates
A deadly fire swept through a Honduran prison Tuesday night. Over 350 are still unaccounted for, as of Wednesday morning.
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Is Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show dissing shelter dogs? (+video)
The 2012 Westminster Kennel Club show is, er, dogged by controversy after dumping its long-time sponsor Pedigree over dog food ads that promote the adoption of sad-eyed shelter dogs.
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Latin America Monitor Are El Salvador’s gangs plotting to 'take down the system'?
The Salvadoran National Civil Police say gangs are planning attacks on security forces, but others believe the remark has more to do with politics.
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Haley Barbour pardons: Why were the forgiven so disproportionately white?
The fact that white convicts had a far better chance than black ones of getting a gubernatorial pardon from former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour may say more about racial misunderstanding than prejudice.
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Chapter & Verse 'Alcatraz' author Michael Esslinger: Why a prison fascinates us
With a new TV show focused on the famous penitentiary, author and historian Michael Esslinger debunks some of the most enduring Alcatraz myths.
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Four ways to relieve overcrowded prisons
America’s addiction to incarceration as a curb on crime must end. The evidence is staggering. Prison overcrowding is ubiquitous and shows few signs of abating: Between 1970 and 2005, the nation’s inmate population grew by 700 percent.In California, 54 prisoners may share a single toilet and 200 prisoners may live in a single gymnasium. As a result, the Supreme Court ruled in May 2011 that California prisons were in violation of the Eighth Amendment and its prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Here, attorney Arjun Sethi offers four solutions to improve the overcrowded US prison system.
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