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State policies and the failures of the justice system
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TL;DR
- Three-quarters of nations have abolished the death penalty, yet state-sanctioned killings have increased in the United States.
- Legal discourse regarding cruel and unusual punishment has not prevented states from attempting to execute individuals again after a failed lethal injection.
- Tennessee is constructing more high-security youth prisons, a strategy that experts argue contradicts data showing such facilities lack rehabilitative value.
- Kwaneta Harris is organizing a menopause support network in a Texas prison to address the lack of care for the aging incarcerated population.
- Approximately 4,500 inmates are scheduled for early release by June 2027 to alleviate prison overcrowding.
- Idaho law includes an exemption that prevents the prosecution of faith-healing parents for neglect, even when children die.
From the curator
State policies regarding incarceration and legal exemptions often fail to provide safety or rehabilitation for those within the system. The ProPublica article reports that Tennessee is building more high-security youth prisons despite research indicating these facilities are not rehabilitative. Meanwhile, the 19th article describes how incarcerated individuals like Kwaneta Harris are creating their own support networks to address gaps in menopause care that correctional facilities fail to provide.
Claire Dunmore
Curated for this issue
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