I’ve finally had time this summer to try to touch bases with all of the forty-eight women who started in this project eight years ago. […]
Videotaping Strip-Searches: Good Intentions and the Road to Hell
Within the next months, Massachusetts’ legislators are expected to consider an amendment mandating that “Strip searches of inmates, including the videotaping thereof, shall not be […]
Access to Education: Further Thoughts
In a previous post I warned about what I call “fake” education; that is, education that drills students in self-blame and a sense of failure […]
Knowledge is Power (Except for When It’s Not)
Expanding access to higher education has been in the news recently. First, the Obama administration announced a plan making state and federal prisoners eligible for […]
Taking My Students to Prison
I recently read this powerful piece by Jean Trounstine. Jean has graciously agreed to let me repost it here, so that I can share it with […]
Alternatives to Incarceration: Be Careful What You Wish For
As awareness is growing of the financial and human costs associated with mass incarceration, we’re hearing talk from politicians on both sides of the aisle […]
Aswirl in a sad spiral, women in detox face human rights violation
Reprinted from the Boston Globe, August 19, 2014 The Aug. 14 editorial “Women get unequal treatment in court-ordered detox” underscored an egregious violation of human […]
Suicide is Painful
The week that Robin Williams’ suicide hit every media outlet in the country, my friend Joy drove into the woods, shot herself up with enough […]
White Women, Opiates and Prison
Author’s note: Race is hard to write about; so is class; so is gender. I struggle with articulating — especially in a short essay —Â […]
What Pennsatucky’s Teeth Tell Us About Class in America
Author’s note: Friends and colleagues who know that I’ve spent most of the past decade working closely with criminalized women have asked me what I […]