prison
Changing a brain to save a life: how far should rehabilitation go?
What's the difference between brainwashing and rehabilitation?
Study: You would spend 90 extra days in jail in a private prison
A new study suggests that private prisons hold prisoners for a longer period of time, wasting the cost savings that private prisons are supposed to provide over public ones.
America’s prison catastrophe: Can we undo it?
The US prison system continues to fail, so why does it still exist?
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18 min
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A normal tourist map, “but everything is negative”
'Critical Tourist Map of Oslo' offers uniquely dark perspective on Norway's capital.
Study: Private prisons result in more inmates, longer sentences
The Labour Economics study suggests two potential reasons for the increase: corruption and increased capacity.
Why are some psychopaths ‘successful’? It may depend on one personality trait
What makes some psychopaths better able to control their antisocial tendencies?
We spoke to hundreds of prison gang members – here’s what they said about life behind bars
Over 800 prisoners in Texas relate their experiences.
Algorithms identify repeat offenders better than judges
Can AI make better predictions about future crimes?
China tightens its grip on freedom in academics
Scholars often debate risking their livelihoods and personal safety in order to conduct research in certain areas.
California to ban ICE detention centers, private prisons
"People are not commodities!" said Assemblyman Rob Bonta.
How can felons be rehabilitated when prison labor is good for big business?
Until the use of prison labor is banned, many stakeholders will be incentivized to prevent felons from being rehabilitated.
FBI and ICE scan millions of DMV photos to find suspects, raising concerns
Researchers discover government agencies use facial recognition software on photos from local DMVs.
One man’s idea for the ‘greatest PTSD healing curriculum’ in America
Activist and Big Think reader Roy M. Arce explains his idea for a new community policing team and how it can halt vicious cycles of PTSD and homelessness.
Criminal reform: Why wake-up calls are windows of opportunity
Here's how we can use the concept of "impact impression" for criminal reform.
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5 min
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How the hard-man mask can affect a prisoner’s sense of self
What happens to a person's identity when they are forced to play a hypermasculine role just to survive?
700,000 people get out of prison each year. Let’s hire them.
The U.S. has a talent shortage and the formerly incarcerated have paid their debt to society. Let's solve two problems with one idea.
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5 min
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3 qualities of super resilient people
The formula for resilience? Hope, grit, and amnesia.
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4 min
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Why the Rosenhan Experiment still matters
One flew east, one flew west, eight shrinks flew into the cuckoo's nest.
Oil execs should be tried for crimes against humanity, essayist Kate Aronoff argues
Climate change is a dire threat, perhaps it is time to put the people who created and denied the problem on trial?
Why I wear my life on my skin
For Damien Echols, tattoos are part of his existential armor.
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5 min
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Reigning in brutality – how one man’s outrage led to the Red Cross and the Geneva Conventions
The history of the Geneva Conventions tells us how the international community draws the line on brutality.
Maps reveal how each U.S. state enforces drug laws differently
Drug use and arrests are rising overall, but those changes vary depending on the state.
I worked in the prison system for 5 years. Here’s what it does to a person.
Bishop Jahwar saw first-hand that prison often doesn't work as intended.
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4 min
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CIA considered using ‘truth serum’ on terror suspects after 9/11
A new report outlines how the CIA considered using a drug called Versed on detainees in the years following 9/11.
Dogma-free meditation for calming your mind
How to stay present and stop your mind from fixating.
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8 min
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Are you courageous enough to collaborate with your enemies?
Unlikely allies can solve society's most complex problems.
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7 min
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Innocent on death row: How I survived 18 years
Meditation with a mystical edge? Don't knock magick 'til you've tried it.
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12 min
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Kanye West’s 13th Amendment outburst was baffling, but worth considering
Kayne West's tweet that the United States should amend the 13th Amendment brought renewed attention to a flaw in its language.
Norway Voted to Decriminalize All Drugs. Should America Follow Suit?
Norway’s decision to push drug felons through treatment is a huge step forward.
Can Giving Ayahuasca to Prisoners Reduce Recidivism?
The Brazilian government has been trying to answer this very question in its ever-growing prison population, which has doubled since the year 2000.