Author Archives: k-sue park

About k-sue park

J.D. Candidate, Harvard Law School/ Ph.D Candidate, University of California, Berkeley, Fulbright Scholar, South Korea 2003-04

A reporter in a prison: view from Massachusetts

Posted on November 21, 2011 by k-sue park

Photo by Jessey Dearing for the Boston Globe Reporter David Abel visited Massachusetts prisons to try to break down the barriers of consciousness that prisons raise about prisoners’ daily environment and experience. Here, he describes the grimness of his experience … Continue reading →

Posted in Local, Prison Conditions | Leave a comment

Teach-In TOMORROW about the link between prisons and urban violence

Posted on November 14, 2011 by k-sue park

WHEN: Tuesday, November 15, 6-8pm WHERE: 4th Wall Project, 132 Brookline Ave (Fenway) Boston FREE to the Public WHAT: Police Deputy Superintendent Paul Joyce has repeatedly stated that recent surges of urban violence are directly linked to the prison system. … Continue reading →

Posted in Events | Leave a comment

MA Senate debates sentencing bill today

Posted on November 10, 2011 by k-sue park

From the Committee for Public Counsel Services: “Today at 1:00pm, the Massachusetts Senate will begin debate on S.2054 – An Act Relative to Habitual Offenders, Sentencing and Improving Enforcement Tools, a bill crafted by the Senate Committee on Ways & … Continue reading →

Posted in Legislation | Leave a comment

The link between new immigration laws and growth of private prisons

Posted on November 6, 2011 by k-sue park

This article describes the major role played by the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the country’s largest private prison company, in proposing and drafting what became the notorious Arizona Senate Bill 1070. The language and the title of the bill … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Immigration, Legislation | Leave a comment

Prisoner solidarity through hunger strike yields negotiation with prison officials

Posted on October 23, 2011 by k-sue park

The Guardian reports that the prisoners at Pelican Bay along with thousands of others in the California prison system ended their hunger strike last week after prison officials agreed to review their policies. However, as of that time, several hundred prisoners … Continue reading →

Posted in Prison Conditions | 1 Comment

Starving prisoners to cut costs

Posted on October 22, 2011 by k-sue park

In news related to this post from last month, the New York Times now reports that prisons in states around the country are cutting costs in this strapped economy by depriving prisoners of basic meals. Prisons have exploited the gray … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Prison Conditions | Leave a comment

The problem of recognizing the problem of recidivism

Posted on October 21, 2011 by k-sue park

Despite indications that federally funded reentry programs have effectively reduced recidivism during the last few years, the Senate has earmarked no funds for the Second Chance Act program that oversees them. In contrast, it has set aside nearly $300 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics | Leave a comment

Now, blanket visual cavity strip searches for minor offenses

Posted on October 12, 2011 by k-sue park

This article reports on how courts have begun to chip away at one of the last remaining, narrow bulwarks of Fourth Amendment protection for prisoners– constraints on the anything-prison-authorities-say-goes attitude toward strip searches in the case of minor offenders. While … Continue reading →

Posted in Prison Conditions | 2 Comments

Study demonstrates the counterproductive effects of incarcerating youth

Posted on October 12, 2011 by k-sue park

This study  confirms that incarcerating youth is toxic for both those youth and for society, by demonstrating that youth prisons do not reduce future offenses, waste taxpayer dollars, and expose youth to dangerous and abusive conditions. This commentary includes more useful observations … Continue reading →

Posted in Prison Conditions, Publications, Media and Advocacy, Youth | Leave a comment

Troy Davis’ legacy

Posted on October 12, 2011 by k-sue park

Please take a moment to read this excellent piece on the legal background of the Troy Davis case.

Posted in Death Penalty | Leave a comment