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Articles by Bernadette Rabuy

Prison Policy Initiative Senior Policy Analyst Bernadette Rabuy (full bio)

• Jails and prisons are suspending visits to slow COVID-19. Here’s what advocates can do to help people inside.
  Send our letter to your local jail, asking them to make video and phone calls free.
  Mar 17, 2020
• John Oliver exposes the high fees and low wages in prisons, citing our work
  In case you missed it, John Oliver exposed the high fees and low wages pervasive in prisons and jails on last Sunday's episode of Last Week Tonight. Oliver cited our....
  Aug 9, 2019
• California policymakers renew the struggle for in-person visits
  California's AB 964 would require in-person visits in all California jails
  Mar 30, 2019
• Voices that are pushing the envelope – best commentary of 2018
  Our picks for writing that propels reform by offering a more complete understanding of mass incarceration.
  Dec 27, 2018
• Our favorite investigative criminal justice reporting of 2018
  Reporters are deepening our understanding of complex facets of the criminal justice system and illuminating paths to reform. We share some of our favorites.
  Dec 27, 2018
• A few thoughts on legislative compromises
  We've had to make tough compromises in our work to protect in-person jail visits. We share some of the considerations we confronted in the hopes of supporting other advocates.
  Nov 20, 2017
• Video Conferencing Enthusiasts Slam Replacement of In-Person Jail Visits with Video Calls
  Video conferencing enthusiasts agree: video calls are not the same as in-person visits
  Sep 26, 2017
• California legislators continue fighting for in-person jail visits
  California legislators hold hearing on video calls and sharply criticize the dangers of banning in-person visits
  Sep 6, 2017
• Pretrial detention costs $13.6 billion each year
  Our new report looks at the big picture to find that mass incarceration costs $182 billion per year; and we also calculate the cost of locking people up before trial.
  Feb 7, 2017
• Support for in-person visitation continues to grow
  From state and federal legislation to the press, support for in-person visits continues to grow.
  Feb 1, 2017
• President Obama’s parting reminders on criminal justice reform
  President Obama's article speaks to some of the most important lessons we've learned in our work to end mass incarceration.
  Jan 10, 2017
• Voices that are pushing the envelope – best commentary of 2016
  Our favorite criminal justice commentaries of 2016 that shined light on the too often forgotten areas of criminal justice reform
  Dec 29, 2016
• Our favorite investigative criminal justice reporting of 2016
  Best investigative news reporters that find new ways to shed light on the complicated problems of the criminal justice system in 2016.
  Dec 29, 2016
• New Jersey legislation aims to protect in-person visits from video visitation
  New Jersey bill aims to protect in-person jail visits from video visitation
  Dec 22, 2016
• The life-threatening reality of short jail stays
  New BJS data shows suicide is still the leading cause of death in local jails. And most suicides occur shortly after jail admission.
  Dec 22, 2016
• Analysis shows people in NYC jails would be better served in the community
  A recent analysis finds that the most frequently incarcerated in New York City jails struggle with mental illness and are locked up for low-level offenses
  Nov 16, 2016
• New report reveals huge variations in correctional control among states
  New report provides big picture of mass incarceration with pie charts for each state and D.C.
  Jun 1, 2016
• Have we gone too far myth busting criminal justice reform? Drug policy is still important
  We didn't get mass incarceration from War on Drugs alone, but drugs play an important role in less discussed stages of criminal justice systems
  May 23, 2016
• Detaining the poor: New report finds that people detained pretrial are too poor to afford money bail
  New report finds people unable to meet bail are poorest of the poor.
  May 10, 2016
• Attorney General Loretta Lynch cites PPI this National Reentry Week
  Attorney General uses pie chart report and jails matter blog post to show how many people are affected by justice system
  Apr 28, 2016
• What families can expect to be charged for phone calls
  The federal courts have issued a second stay of the FCC's October 2015 order. Families should expect caps and bans on ancillary fees.
  Mar 24, 2016
• New report, Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2016, pieces together systems of confinement and provides further detail about local jails
  This Pi Day, the Prison Policy Initiative has an updated version of its mass incarceration pie chart, including more detail on jails and new infographic slideshows
  Mar 14, 2016
• We’re hiring! Join us as a Policy Fellow
  We're hiring for a Policy Fellow to produce cutting edge research
  Mar 1, 2016
• Report asks if electronic messaging in prisons and jails is innovation or exploitation?
  New report finds electronic messaging in prisons and jails is a product of questionable value at inflated prices
  Jan 21, 2016
• Massachusetts is one step closer to ending license suspensions for drug offenses
  Massachusetts House unanimously votes to end unnecessary license suspensions for drug offenses
  Jan 15, 2016
• 2015’s Criminal Justice Victories
  2015 was a year of big victories for the Prison Policy Initiative. Beyond a record number of ground-breaking reports, our campaigns won major policy changes.
  Dec 29, 2015
• Our best data visualizations in 2015
  2015 was another big year for ground-breaking data visualizations from the Prison Policy Initiative. These are our 10 favorites.
  Dec 29, 2015
• Our favorite reports by our colleagues in 2015
  Our colleagues helped build momentum for criminal justice reform by providing key research and proposing reforms that could help our nation reduce its overuse of incarceration. Our favorites from 2015.
  Dec 29, 2015
• Our favorite news stories about our work in 2015
  Earlier today, we published our list of the best investigative criminal justice journalism of 2015. Here at the Prison Policy Initiative we enjoy seeing journalists....
  Dec 28, 2015
• Best investigative criminal justice journalism of 2015
  As 2015 winds to a close, the Prison Policy Initiative wanted to recognize eight investigative news stories that brought public attention to key issues in criminal justice reform.
  Dec 28, 2015
• Winnable and under-discussed justice reform ideas for 2016
  Eleven ideas for criminal justice reforms that are ripe for legislative victory.
  Dec 21, 2015
• New report, Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2015, reveals 2.3 million people are locked up in the U.S. and why
  U.S. locks up more than 2.3 million people in prisons, jails, and other facilities on any given day. New report provides foundation for long overdue conversation about criminal justice reform.
  Dec 8, 2015
• John Oliver explains how we set formerly incarcerated people up to fail
  Oliver illustrates the various ways that we set formerly incarcerated people up to fail and says we're all responsible
  Nov 11, 2015
• We’re hiring! Join the Prison Policy Initiative team
  We're hiring for a Policy & Communications Associate! Please apply and spread the word.
  Oct 22, 2015
• Separation by Bars and Miles: New report finds that great distances make prison visits few and far between
  New report finds great distances discourage prison visits
  Oct 20, 2015
• In-person family visits will return to Austin, Texas
  Travis County, Texas will bring back in-person visits that were replaced with video visits in 2013
  Sep 30, 2015
• Meeting new board members: Khalilah L. Brown-Dean
  Meet PPI board member and associate professor of political science, Khalilah L. Brown-Dean
  Sep 9, 2015
• New BJS report shows suicide in jails is a national crisis
  New BJS report shows that suicide in jails has been leading cause of death from 2000-2013.
  Aug 4, 2015
• Shut out and locked up: New report provides the pre-incarceration incomes of the imprisoned
  Incarcerated people are disproportionately shut out of the economy even before they are locked up
  Jul 9, 2015
• New animation illustrates the real size of Connecticut Sentencing Enhancement Zones
  New animation illustrates that at huge distances such as 1,500 feet, sentencing enhancement zones can't work.
  Jun 18, 2015
• Securus ends its ban on in-person visits, shifts responsibility to sheriffs
  Securus will no longer require that jails ban in-person visits, shifting moral responsibility to the sheriffs
  May 6, 2015
• Meeting new board members: Jason Stanley
  Jason Stanley is a Professor of Philosophy at Yale and the author of the upcoming book How Propaganda Works
  Apr 15, 2015
• Arkansas DOC to implement Securus video visits
  Arkansas DOC will be first state prison system with Securus video visits
  Apr 15, 2015
• John Oliver does it again: How municipal violations can ruin lives
  Oliver explains how municipalities lock people up for failure to pay traffic fines
  Mar 23, 2015
• Join our Young Professionals Network!
  New opportunity for working people to improve our criminal justice system
  Feb 18, 2015
• New videos: Video visitation is not “just like Skype”
  4 short comedy videos reject that video visits are "just like Skype"
  Feb 18, 2015
• No surprise: Securus refund disaster
  I waste 25 minutes for a visit that never happens, and Securus gets to keep my money anyway.
  Feb 3, 2015
• Multnomah County Sheriff reverses ban on in-person visits in Portland jails!
  Portland jails will now let families visit via video or in-person
  Jan 29, 2015
• Department of Justice study: Video visitation is not an invitation to ban in-person visitation
  DOJ study on video visitation: In-person visits are a best practice that should be protected
  Jan 28, 2015
• Prison and Jail Video Visitation: A forward-looking idea implemented badly
  New Prison Policy Initiative report finds video visitation actually punishes families
  Jan 14, 2015
• Our favorite news stories about our work in 2014
  Today, we share the most important news stories of 2014 that we played a role in
  Dec 23, 2014
• Best investigative criminal justice journalism of 2014
  As 2014 winds to a close, the Prison Policy Initiative recognizes the eight sorely needed investigative news stories that did the most to bring public attention to criminal justice reform.
  Dec 22, 2014
• Alicia Keys calls for movement-building, not just social justice tweets
  Musician Alicia Keys calls for movement-building and uses PPI data
  Nov 12, 2014
• Sheriff Joe Arpaio phases out in-person visits in Maricopa
  Infamous Sheriff Joe Arpaio replaces in-person visits with video visitation
  Nov 10, 2014
• Prison bankers cash in on captive customers
  Center for Public Integrity releases first part of a series on web of prison bankers, private vendors, and corrections agencies profiting off families of the incarcerated.
  Sep 30, 2014
• Governor Brown signs prison anti-sterilization bill
  Governor Brown signs California prison anti-sterilization bill into law.
  Sep 26, 2014
• BJS victimization figures show slight decline in violent crime
  While recent BJS figures showed an increase in total incarcerated population, crime figures show a decrease in violent crime.
  Sep 18, 2014
• Sesame Street tells 2.7 million children they’re not alone
  Sesame Street's series on incarceration, with videos, activities, and tips for parents, providers, and caregivers
  Sep 18, 2014
• Governor Brown, end sterilization abuse in California today
  SB 1135 is a no-brainer. Governor Brown, end sterilization abuse in CA today.
  Sep 12, 2014
• Get to Know Our Summer Intern, Sophia Robohn
  Today, I had the opportunity to sit down with Sophia Robohn, a Hampshire College student who has been interning at Prison Policy Initiative. Read below to learn more....
  Aug 11, 2014
• Should a one-point difference in I.Q. mean the death penalty? SCOTUS says no.
  Supreme Court struck down Florida decision that Freddie Lee Hall was eligible for execution with an IQ score of 71, above the cutoff of disability at 70.
  May 28, 2014

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