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Prison-Industrial Complex
6 posts
Commentary: The Far-Reaching Effects of the Carceral State on Appalachian Communities
In 2019, local activists succeeded in stopping the construction of a new federal prison in Letcher County, Kentucky. …
W.Va. Lawmakers Consider Taking On Parole, Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform In 2020
It’s no secret West Virginia lawmakers are concerned about the state’s large incarcerated population. The Department of Military…
How Some Sheriffs Force Their Inmates Into Medical Debt
Sheriffs in multiple Alabama counties refuse to pay for some of their jail inmates’ health care needs. The…
The Phantom Promise: How Appalachia Was Sold on Prisons as an Economic Lifeline
As the coal industry declines, rural communities are seeking new economic stability—but prisons may not be the answer.…
Profiting Off Prisoners: State Inmates Mean Big Bucks for Local Jails
Rural jails in Kentucky are increasingly relying on income derived from payments for holding state prisoners in county…
Video Call Blues in the Knox County Jail
From the experience of a father’s forgiveness expressed with the pat of a hand, to a mother fixing…