Stark Raven: Prison Justice

Women raise their voices beyond the bars: Women's music in prison

Stark Raven — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 02:06:42 +0000

Music plays a part in almost everyone's life. Whether it be listening to it, singing, playing instruments or dancing.

Leah Abramson is someone who knows how important music can be. Putting energy into playing music during challenging times in her life has helped her stay grounded.

Women's Music Behind Bars.mp3

Penned In: A collection of literary creations from both sides of the fence

Stark Raven — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 20:26:32 +0000

Writing can be a lifeline for those in prison. Whether it be poems, fiction, personal stories or essays the expression is often therapeutic.

The Creative Writing Program at Matsqui federal prison is one initiative that encourages this self-expression.

Every Friday morning, outside volunteers drive out to the prison in Abbotsford to work with the men inside to encourage their writing. Writer Andrea Winterbottom has been volunteering with the program for the past year.

Andrea recently published an anthology of writing from both the prisoners, and some outside writers who are connected to the Creative Writing Program at Matsqui. It is called Penned In: A collection of literary creations from both sides of the fence.

Penned In_ Writing Behind Bars.mp3

Prisoners and their families face bureaucratic nightmare behind bars

Stark Raven — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 22:57:18 +0000

Our society sends people to prison for breaking laws. These are rules we are told to follow in order to ensure the effective, respectful functioning of our society.

There does seem to be an irony to the fact that the very institution where we send lawbreakers, is often devoid of the rule of law.

Dawn is one woman who has experienced this. She has seen her husband through several years in the federal prison system. They have both been dealing with the bureaucracy and arbitrary-ness behind the walls.

Dawn is currently supporting her husband in fighting a recent transfer to maximum security. One he says is unjustified and based on that very arbitrariness.

Prisoners and family struggle against ongoing bureaucratic nightmare.mp3

Prisoner writings as literature

Stark Raven — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 00:53:35 +0000

Deena Rymhs speaks to Stark Raven's Tiffany Chong about her new book "Cell Block Country: Prison Literature in Canada." Deena is a professor in the departments of English and Women and Gender Studies at the University of British Columbia.

Rabble - Deena Rymhs.mp3

Bill S-10: More mandatory minimums for drugs

Stark Raven — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 04:44:33 +0000

Creating mandatory minimum sentences for various drug crimes has long been on the Tories look tough on crime agenda.

Bill S-10_ Mandatory Minimums for Drug Crimes (aka US-style justice).mp3

Saving the prison farms: It's time for civil disobedience

Stark Raven — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:40:00 +0000

For more than 150 years, prisoners have had the chance to work on farms inside the prison system.

In February 2009, it was revealed that the Harper government was planning to shut down this longstanding program.

Once the word got out, a wave of opposition from across the country organized to defend the farms. People could not understand why the prison was closing, what they saw as an innovative, sustainable and effective program.

Even as the government carries forth with their plans, people are continuing to fight to keep the farms running. And some of them are using civil disobedience to get their message across.

Prison_Farms.mp3

Mass hunger strike at Toronto jail inspired by Prison Justice Day

Stark Raven — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:20:52 +0000

Inspired by Prison Justice Day, hundreds of prisoners started a hunger strike in Toronto on Monday August 9th.

Those being held at the Toronto East Detention Centre are protesting a number of conditions from inadequate healthcare to lack of food to unexplained lockdowns.

Lisa has heard about the conditions inside the jail firsthand. Her boyfriend has been detained there since May.

Stark Raven spoke with Lisa about what is happening inside the detention centre on the first day of the hunger strike.

If you want to offer support, know of media who would be interested in covering the story or know of organizations that could support the prisoners, please email Lisa at lisa84(at)rogers.com.

PJD_hungerstrike.mp3

Marking Prison Justice Day, on the inside and outside

Stark Raven — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:38:35 +0000

August 10th is an important day for prisoners. It is Prison Justice Day, a memorial day for those living in prison, their families and the community to remember those who have died behind bars.

Prisoners mark the annual day by fasting and refusing to work. On the outside community groups organize to raise awareness about inside conditions.

PrisonJusticeDay.mp3

Understanding Fetal Alcohol and why many of those affected end up in jail

Stark Raven — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 22:16:38 +0000

It is becoming clearer, that prisons are where a lot of people living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are ending up. And prison is the last place they should be to find the support and interventions they need.

Stark Raven spoke with Vancouver lawyer, David Boulding about FASD and its relationship to the criminal justice system.

David became an advocate and educator on FASD, after many years of making mistakes working with clients in the system who had FASD. In the past decade he has done dozens of workshops, presentations and written papers on FASD and the law.

For more information on his work, check out davidboulding.com

FASD and Prisons.mp3

Cutbacks all round (except for the prison building budget...)

Stark Raven — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:10:37 +0000

Are we becoming the next prison nation?

Even in this economic crisis, governments are managing to find billions of dollars to build new prisons.

Provincial governments are spending $3 billion dollars. The federal government? We don't know, as they aren't telling us what their plans actually are, even after numerous Access to Information requests.

But Justin Piche has been trying to find out. Justin is a Phd student who is studying prison expansion in Canada. He has also started up a campaign calling for a

Canadian Punishment Legislation Moratorium Campaign.

justinpiche.mp3

Keeping in touch across prison walls isn't easy

Stark Raven — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 01:54:41 +0000

Keeping in touch with loved ones behind bars can be a struggle.

Stark Raven spoke with Kristy, who has been trying to keep a relationship with her brother, who has been in prison for the past two years.

Kristy has learned first hand that the system, while on paper and in theory supports visitors, doesn't live up to its claims. She is finding a lot of barriers including a culture of suspicion, expensive phone charges, inaccurate ion scanning and drug detection at the gate, long travel times and a lack of support.

kristy_visit.mp3

Canada's role in torturing Afghan prisoners

Stark Raven — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:06:43 +0000

Canada's top military police investigator says he didn't investigate reports of torture in Afghanistan because he didn't know anything about it. The military police complaints commission is hearing testimony in Ottawa to determine how much Canadian soldiers knew about the torture of Afghan detainees who were transferred into Afghan custody. Grace Pastine is the Litigation Director for the BC Civil Liberties Association. She has been in Ottawa acting as counsel at these hearings.

Rabble - Grace Pastine.mp3

Deconstructing Psychiatry: Filmmaker and activist explore psychiatry's impact on their lives

Stark Raven — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:39:21 +0000

Vancouver filmmaker Cindy Lou Griffith's relationship with psychiatry started even before she was born. Her father had been committed to Riverview Mental Hospital as a young man and continued to be sent there for the next 30-plus years. But treatments of electro-shock therapy and harsh medications didn't do much to help him. She explores the impact of psychiatry on her father and others who've been part of the psychiatric system in a series of films. One of the people Cindy Lou documents is author and anti-psychiatry activist Irit Shimrat. They both spoke to Stark Raven's Tiffany Chong.

Rabble - Deconstructing Psychiatry.mp3

How much protection does Canada's child welfare system provide?

Stark Raven — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:04:17 +0000

Ottawa-based filmmaker Andree Cazabon's life took a hard turn when she ended up living on the street as a young teenager. The experience has driven her to produce a number of films about young people who end up living on the street, in the care of the government, or in jail. Andree speaks about her experience on the street and what can be done to care for youth better, and keep them from entering the criminal justice system. She is speaking in Abbotsford, BC this week at the Fraser Valley Criminal Justice Conference.

Rabble - Andree Cazabon.mp3

Dr. Sherene Razack on 'Reflections on Torture at Abu Ghraib'

Stark Raven — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:41:43 +0000

ShereneRazack.mp3