Articles by Lucius Couloute
Prison Policy Initiative Policy & Communications Associate Lucius Couloute (full bio)
- New reentry simulator highlights the perils of life after prison
"ReEntry" was created by formerly incarcerated people to communicate the contradictions, difficult decisions, and unexpected events that make staying out of prison nearly impossible for people under community supervision.
Dec 5, 2023 - Comment letter: Florida’s Department of Corrections should not reduce visitation
In our letter to the Florida Department of Corrections, we explain why cutting visiting hours is bad policy and an inhumane practice.
May 31, 2018 - New report from Essie Justice shows women with incarcerated loved ones are traumatized by marginalization
Mass incarceration intensifies the financial and social burdens that already fall too hard on women.
May 14, 2018 - Target agrees to compensate thousands in discriminatory hiring case
A new court settlement illustrates the pervasiveness of criminal record discrimination in the United States.
Apr 11, 2018 - New Massachusetts reform package aims to protect in-person jail visits
The Massachusetts conference committee between the House and Senate recently reached an agreement on criminal justice reform which includes an important measure that will protect in-person jail visits.
Mar 26, 2018 - New data highlights pre-incarceration disadvantages
New research illustrates that many formerly incarcerated people never received a fair first chance at economic mobility, never mind a second one.
Mar 22, 2018 - Growing momentum in the fight to preserve in-person visits
New policy changes and legislative efforts designed to address correctional visitation policies are helping to chip away at the inhuman treatment of incarcerated people across the United States.
Mar 5, 2018 - Findings from Knox County, Tenn.: Replacing in-person visits with video calling is bad policy
A new report highlights how the replacement of in-person visits with video calling makes jails less safe, but more profitable for sheriffs.
Jan 30, 2018 - New poll shows mass incarceration is a Latinx issue
A new poll from Latino Justice PRLDEF shows that the Latinx community is deeply concerned about mass incarceration.
Jan 24, 2018 - Our favorite criminal justice research of 2017
Useful and under-exposed research from 2017 that contributed to our movement's understanding of key issues in criminal justice.
Dec 28, 2017 - The Guardian and Colorado Public Radio raise urgent questions about the video calling industry
Virtual jail "visits" are quietly sweeping the country. Fortunately, a surge of hard-hitting journalism is pushing back, illuminating the exploitative practice of eliminating family visits in favor of video calls.
Dec 14, 2017 - Comment letter: Maine’s Department of Corrections should not allow correctional facilities to eliminate in-person visitation.
After the Maine DOC solicited comments on the proposed changes to its visitation policies, we submitted a letter detailing why the elimination of in-person visits would hurt families.
Sep 7, 2017 - New report, What “Stop-and-Frisk” Really Means, argues that a return to stop-and-frisk would be a policing disaster
President Trump supports stop & frisk; but Black and Latino people know from experience that the result is discriminatory use of force.
Aug 17, 2017 - Voices that matter: Incarcerated people on video calling
If policymakers are legitimately concerned about making the transition out of correctional facilities as smooth as possible, they must incorporate the visitation-related concerns of incarcerated people. This post examines a few of those important concerns.
Aug 9, 2017 - Senator Tammy Duckworth introduces the Video Visitation and Inmate Calling in Prisons Act of 2017
Senator Tammy Duckworth recently introduced the Video Visitation and Inmate Calling in Prisons Act of 2017. This piece of legislation is an important step in the fight against exploitation in prisons and jails, and we encourage lawmakers, criminal justice professionals, and the general public to support its passing.
Jul 24, 2017 - Senior Policy Analyst Bernadette Rabuy presents on the harms of overcriminalization
On April 6th our Senior Policy Analyst Bernadette Rabuy took part in a panel discussion on overcriminalization and indigent legal care at Georgia State University.
Jul 11, 2017 - Vice News Tonight examines the exploitative video visitation industry
Vice News Tonight examines the growth of the exploitive video visitation industry; highlighting the human toll of switching from the real thing to an artificial – and costly – substitute.
Jun 28, 2017 - We’re hiring! Join the Prison Policy Initiative team
Are you interested in joining our dedicated team to find new ways of transforming the debate around criminal justice reform? If so, consider applying for our Communications Director position; designed for an experienced individual to immediately take over our existing media and public relations systems.
Jun 16, 2017 - For families of incarcerated dads, Father’s day comes at a premium
Over 1.5 million children have a father incarcerated in prison today. As Father's day approaches, millions of children will be without their fathers, and without the ability to pay the outrageous fees associated with speaking to them. State lawmakers should take the initiative to better regulate prison telecom companies, and most importantly, reduce the number of incarcerated people.
Jun 13, 2017 - Data confirms that police treat Black Americans with less respect
New research out of Stanford University substantiates what Black America has always known – that police officers treat Blacks differently than they do whites.
Jun 8, 2017 - Aging alone: Uncovering the risk of solitary confinement for people over 45
We estimate that more than 44,000 people 45 and older experience solitary in state prisons each year. As prisons continue to get grayer, policymakers must understand that denying older incarcerated people access to sunlight, exercise, and interaction with other people and spaces is both inhumane and fiscally irresponsible.
May 2, 2017 - Recognizing National Reentry Week and the harms of over-criminalization
It’s time to recognize that if we really care about taxpayers’ dollars, public safety, and the wellbeing of all communities, prisons and jails should be the last places we want to put people suffering from addiction.
Apr 28, 2017 - American Correctional Association says that video visitation should not replace in-person visits
We are thrilled to see the ACA support the common sense idea that emerging technologies should supplement, not replace, in person visits.
Apr 24, 2017 - Protecting incarcerated people and their loved ones from the video visitation industry
Some legislators are beginning to take notice of the abusive video visitation industry. Policymakers across the country should consider adopting legislation so that incarcerated people and their families are not prevented from face-to-face contact during difficult times.
Apr 10, 2017 - Senior policy analyst Bernadette Rabuy joins C-SPAN to discuss Mass Incarceration
Our senior policy analyst Bernadette Rabuy joins C-SPAN to discuss Mass Incarceration
Mar 27, 2017 - New report, Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2017, pieces together systems of confinement and provides 15 new infographics
With this year’s updated edition of Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie, we once again answer the essential questions of how many people are locked up, where, and why.
Mar 14, 2017
Recommended Reading:
The unmet health needs of people in prison
States fall far short of their duty to meet the health needs of incarcerated people.
All profit, no risk
The bail industry exploits cracks and loopholes in the legal system to avoid accountability, while growing its profits.
Compare your state's use of the prison to the world at large
Criminal justice policy in every region of the United States is out of step with the rest of the world.
Prison Gerrymandering Project
We are leading the movement to protect our democracy from the Census Bureau's prison miscount.
Events
- November 13-15, 2024:
Members of our Research and Advocacy teams will be attending the American Society of Criminology annual meeting in San Francisco from November 13 through the 15th. Please reach out if you’d like to set up a meeting. - November 14-16, 2024:
Members of our Research and Advocacy teams will be attending a convening at the University of Texas in Austin from November 14 through the 16th. Please reach out if you’d like to set up a meeting.
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