Special Topics

Articles and organizations focused on Solitary Confinement, Death Penalty, and other topics within prison justice work. Not exhaustive in any way. Please share additions or comments.

Solitary Confinement — expanded list

Death Penalty and Life Sentences — expanded list

More Special Topics

Transgender People in Incarceration

A recent Executive Order in the U.S. (Jan 2025) affects medical care, housing, and rape protections for transgender people who are incarcerated. Advocates for Trans Equality explains the order, what it means in practice, and ways to respond. A4TE also provides a policy guide “to increase safety and respect for transgender prisoners” (2018).
Learn more:

Feb 2025 update from Marshall Project

More updates from ACLU

April 2025 “We Have Become an Endangered Species“

“What the Survey of Prison Inmates tells us about trans people in state prison.” Prison Policy Initiative, March 31, 2023

CLEMENCY

Second Chances: FAMM actions include Second Look and Compassionate Release campaigns

Clemency Works: National Council of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls campaigns for compassionate release and an end to incarceration of girls and women.

L’Chaim! Mike Zoosman of L’Chaim! Jews Against the Death Penalty published this end-of-year editorial.

FAMM, National Council, and L’Chaim! also joined organizations standing with US Rep Ayanna Presley and outgoing Rep Cori Bush in December #ClemencyNow efforts. See Dec. 10 press conference

PAROLE

“Punishment Beyond Prison 2023,” millions under probation and parole. Prison Policy Initiative, May 2023.

Ben Austen Discussion with Interfaith Action for Human Rights (video recording). Author of Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change in discussion with Rabbi Charles Feinberg, Interfaith Action for Human Rights. 

Correction: Parole, Prison, and the Possibility of Change. Ben Austen (MacMillan, 2023). (publisher’s link)

ADDITIONAL TOPICS

Survived and Punished (S&P) national collective dedicated to ending the criminalization of survival. NY affiliate offers Mutual Aid kit

How Many in the Prison Population Are Jews?” (Prison Insight June 16 )

Building Jewish Life Behind Bars (Jewish Current, Feb 2023)



“One in Five” — Incarceration rate in the US for Black men is DOWN (from 1 in 3) to 1 in 5.