Prisons & incarceration

Publications10 November 2024

The global state of harm reduction 2024

Harm Reduction International map out availability of harm reduction services regionally and highlight key issues and populations that remain neglected, including indigenous, incarcerated and young people.

News16 October 2024

Global coalition supports resolution on the social reintegration of criminalised people at the 57th session of the Human Rights Council

One hundred twenty NGOs from 49 countries voice support for improving social reintegration support systems for former offenders—a group facing disproportionate risk of overdose and drug-related harm.

Publications1 October 2024

Criminal legal system engagement among people who use drugs in Oregon following decriminalization of drug possession

Smiley-McDonald et al. find that despite decriminalisation, people who use drugs in Oregon continued to face high levels of policing, incarceration and drug seizures, whilst awareness of decriminalisation remained low.

Publications1 October 2024

Diversion or death? The moral framework shaping bifurcated punishments for drug offences in Indonesia

Hoyle and Harry discuss how frameworks of morality, compassion and traditionalism shape criminal justice outcomes and punitive responses, informing efforts to challenge harsh penal policy and capital punishment in the region.

Publications25 September 2024

Cambodia: Barriers to accessing alternatives to incarceration for women and young people who use drugs

IDPC presents an analysis of the available alternatives to incarceration to show some of the barriers and challenges to accessing non-custodial measures.

Publications11 September 2024

Global Prison Trends 2024

PRI offers analysis of global challenges, including overcrowding, mental health issues, corruption, and the growing use of digital technologies, whilst also showcasing innovative solutions toward reform.

Publications11 September 2024

The crisis of overcrowded prisons in Indonesia: Barriers to accessing alternatives to imprisonment

IDPC and LBHM critically assess the country's punitive drug policies and their impact on prison overcrowding, recommending increased health-oriented provision and legal reforms.

Publications11 September 2024

Drug laws in Thailand: the limits of reforms to relieve prison overcrowding

IDPC discusses alternative measures to incarceration implemented in Thailand from the perspectives of practitioners and people involved in the criminal legal system.

Publications11 September 2024

“What I should be doing is harm reduction, if I’m doing my job right”: Engagement with harm reduction principles among prosecutors enacting drug policy reform in the United States

Rouhani et al. explore how US prosecutors use harm reduction principles to shape criminal justice outcomes for people who use drugs, revealing the potential for pro-drug policy reform.

News23 August 2024

King of Morocco pardons over 4,800 cannabis farmers

This measure is a recent step in the country's drug policy shift, aiming to develop alternative livelihoods and establish a legal cannabis market for medical and industrial purposes.

Publications13 August 2024

Involving people with lived experience in criminal justice reform: A focus on fragile and conflict-affected settings

PRI offer guidance to support policy makers and practitioners in involving people with lived experience of the criminal justice system in reform efforts.

Publications9 July 2024

Drug use stigma and reprisal: Barriers to prison needle exchange in Canada

De Shalit et al. conduct the first independent and national study of Canada's federal prison needle exchange program, determining that drug use stigma and anticipated or actual reprisal from correctional officers are preventing program uptake.

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