Prison Abolition

Question 1

What is prison abolitionism?

Answer 1

Prison abolitionism is a philosophy and movement advocating for the elimination of prisons.

Question 2

What are the key arguments against prisons?

Answer 2

Prisons fail to rehabilitate, deter crime, promote safety, and serve the needs of victims.

Question 3

What is the goal of prison abolition?

Answer 3

The goal of prison abolition is to create a society without prisons.

Question 4

What are the reasons prisons are considered ineffective?

Answer 4

Prisons have non-therapeutic environments, contribute to institutionalization, and do not effectively deter harmful behavior.

Question 5

How do prison abolitionists view safety and containment?

Answer 5

Prison abolitionists argue that prisons do not necessarily keep the public safe, as violence can occur within prison walls and the number of imprisonments is lower than the number of victimizations.

Question 6

What is the current criminal justice system’s failure in relation to victims?

Answer 6

The current system offers limited support and participation for victims, with little restitution and meaningful involvement in the criminal justice process.

Question 7

What is the relationship between prisons and societal freedom?

Answer 7

The absence of prisons alone does not guarantee societal freedom; just conditions addressing poverty, inequality, racism, discrimination, and harm are necessary for true freedom.

Question 8

How do abolitionists propose to address rehabilitation?

Answer 8

Abolitionists argue for community-based alternatives to prisons, which are often more effective at rehabilitating individuals and have fewer negative effects.

Question 9

Is there evidence to support the effectiveness of prisons in deterring crime?

Answer 9

There is little evidence to suggest that prisons effectively deter crime, as imprisonment rates are influenced by policy and capacity rather than crime rates.

Question 10

What are some key justifications for prison abolition?

Answer 10

Justifications include incompatibility with indigenous practices, the production of inequalities and injustice, and the pain caused by prisons.

Question 11

What is the incompatibility discussed in relation to prison abolition?

Answer 11

The incompatibility between the criminal justice system and tikanga Maori (customary practices and law).

Question 12

What is the impact of colonial imposition on the New Zealand criminal justice system?

Answer 12

It has led to the current system, which is based on Pakeha principles and is incompatible with Tikanga Maori.

Question 13

What are the key issues regarding the disproportionate imprisonment of Māori?

Answer 13

Racial and economic inequalities, with Maori being more likely to be arrested, charged, prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to imprisonment compared to non-Maori.

Question 14

What are the moral arguments against imprisonment?

Answer 14

Imprisonment requires the infliction of pain, does not undo the suffering caused, and adds to the overall amount of pain in society.

Question 15

What are some concrete harms of imprisonment?

Answer 15

Separation from communities, relationship breakdowns, solitary confinement, and high suicide rates among incarcerated individuals.

Question 16

What was the purpose of the Movement for Alternatives to Prison (MAP) established in the 1970s?

Answer 16

MAP advocated for prison abolition, arguing that reforms were ineffective in addressing the harmful effects of institutionalization.

Question 17

What distinguishes a prison abolitionist from a prison reformer?

Answer 17

Prison abolitionists aim to abolish prisons altogether, while prison reformers believe in improving the current system through humane and effective reforms.

Question 18

What are some key abolitionist strategies in New Zealand?

Answer 18

Abolitionist strategies in New Zealand include constitutional transformation, excarceration, decarceration, implementing a moratorium on new prison construction, pursuing negative reforms, and exploring alternatives to imprisonment.

Question 19

What is excarceration?

Answer 19

Excarceration refers to reducing the size and scope of the prison system by sending fewer people to prison through tactics such as decriminalization, diversion, and minimization.

Question 20

What is decarceration?

Answer 20

Decarceration aims to get people out of prison through tactics like eliminating remanding, early parole or release practices, restitution to victims, amnesties or pardons, and reviewing/reducing long-term sentences.

Question 21

What is the significance of constitutional transformation in prison abolition?

Answer 21

Constitutional transformation involves restructuring power relations between the Crown and indigenous people, such as in Aotearoa New Zealand, to address systemic issues and ensure full authority for indigenous practices in addressing harm.

Question 22

What are negative reforms in the context of prison abolition?

Answer 22

Negative reforms involve abolishing or removing elements that the prison system heavily depends on, such as solitary confinement, double-bunking, and strip searches.

Question 23

What are the challenges in proposing alternatives to imprisonment within prison abolition?

Answer 23

The challenges include avoiding a net-widening effect, ensuring reductions in the prison population, and providing clear, rational, and realistic alternatives that capture the imagination of the public.