Works of Justice
Works of Justice is a monthly newsletter from PEN America’s Prison and Justice Writing that spotlights key figures, writers, and artists who are critically reshaping the conversation on mass incarceration, advocacy, and justice in the United States.
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Inquiries may be sent to Malcolm Tariq ([email protected]), senior manager of editorial projects for Prison and Justice Writing.
Works of Justice Blog Posts
Unsealed: An Open Letter from No More Victims Road
In this open letter, Antwann Lamont Johnson, Sr. considers if the Department of Corrections actually contributes to harm reduction. More
Uprooting the Lie
In this personal essay, Dyego M. Foddrell reflects on how losing his mother while he was incarcerated inspired him to seek redemption for his past. More
Introducing Catherine LaFleur, the 2023-2024 Luis Angel Hernandez Poet Laureate with Exchange for Change and O, Miami
PEN America's Valentina Flores interviews Catherine LaFleur, the 2023-2024 Luiz Angel Hernandez Poet Laureate with Exchange for Change and O, Miami. More
Tommy Trantino on Perseverance and Protest
Jess Abolafia introduces Tommy Trantino, author of "Lock the Lock" (1974), who speaks with the Works of Justice podcast about his experience writing and making art on death row. More
Lost Lifelines, and the Harmful Effects of Prison Mail Scanning
Jess Abolafia discusses the challenges of digitizing mail to and from prison, and why it does more harm than good. More
The Legacy of Martin Sostre (1923-2015)
Moira Marquis pays homage to Martin Sostre, a self-taught jailhouse lawyer who won several lawsuits against censorship to secure the rights of incarcerated people. More
An Interview with Chicago Books to Women in Prison
PEN America’s Moira Marquis interviews Chicago Books to Women in Prison to learn more about why they choose to work exclusively with women’s prisons. More
Unsealed: The Blood and Ink of the Prison Pen
Leo Cardez reflects on the limited resources available to incarcerated writers by explaining what it's like to use a "prison pen." More
On Bridgeworks Oregon’s “Prisons Have a Long Memory: Life Inside Oregon’s Oldest Prison”
Moira Marquis reviews Tracy D. Schlapp and Danny Wilson's "Prisons Have a Long Memory: Life Inside Oregon's Oldest Prison" (Bridgeworks Oregon, 2022). More
Where It Hurts: How Book Bans Restrict Access to Healthcare
Kwaneta Harris explains how book bans restrict people who are incarcerated from learning about their reproductive health and other areas of healthcare. More
