InfoAnda - Ex-con's magazine focuses on advocacy, prison life

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

IBM launches faster and more cost-efficient mainframe | 22 July 2010
Thongchai withdraws from Masters with elbow injury | 10 April 2010
World leaders say Egypt transition must start now | 3 February 2011

Ship crews robbed in Gulf off Iraqi oil hub Basra | 16 August 2010

">Forum Views () ">Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Ex-con's magazine focuses on advocacy, prison life

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail Yahoo! Search Search: Sign InNew User? Sign Up News Home - Help Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Africa Europe Latin America Middle East North America Search Search: Ex-con's magazine focuses on advocacy, prison life By JOHN CURRAN,Associated Press Writer AP - Monday, May 25 WEST BRATTLEBORO, Vt. - To prison inmates, he's a jailhouse lawyer made good. ADVERTISEMENT To wardens, he's a thorn in the side. To prison advocates, Paul Wright is a success story: Once a killer, then a prisoner, now a journalist with a cause. He has carved out a niche with his Prison Legal News, a self-help magazine. The publication, known as PLN, does more than highlight mail censorship, sexual abuse by prison guards and prison overcrowding in its black-and-white pages. The nonprofit tabloid often takes on the role of prisoner advocate, going to court against states and private prison operators _ and winning money, reform and public attention for prisoners. "It's a voice from the inside, but it's a helluva lot more reasoned and balanced than you might think, even though the point of view is obvious," said Fred Cohen, coeditor of Correctional Law Reporter, a trade publication that serves prison officials. "It's advocacy, in the best sense." Wright, a former U.S. Army military policeman, started the monthly publication in 1990. Back then, he was inmate No. 930783 at Clallam Bay Correctional Center in Clallam Bay, Wash., where he served 16 years of a 25-year term for killing a cocaine dealer he was trying to rob. Now, he produces the 56-page tabloid from a split-level home on a cul-de-sac in West Brattleboro, Vt., where he moved after his release from prison in 2003. It's a long way from his jail cell, where Wright wrote the 10-page first edition on a typewriter, photocopied it and arranged for a contact on the outside to mail it to 75 prisoners he knew in Washington. It was immediately banned in all state prisons in Washington, prompting Wright and coeditor Ed Mead _ also a prisoner _ to file the first of dozens of legal challenges targeting regulations that barred inmates from receiving PLN and other publications. PLN has won similar court fights in Alabama, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon and California, where state prison officials agreed in 2006 to pay PLN $65,100 for five-year subscriptions for each of the state's 157 prison legal libraries to settle a lawsuit. The legal challenges aren't always about getting PLN into prisoners' hands. In 2007, the magazine won a $541,000 settlement in a public records lawsuit against the state of Washington that started with Wright's request for the identities of the Department of Corrections officials who participate in executions. "PLN is not fighting for cable TV or air conditioning for prisoners," said Rhonda Brownstein, legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center, in Montgomery, Ala. "What they're fighting for is basic human rights, and the basic human rights we're talking about are the right to be free from violence by other prisoners or guards, the right to adequate medical care, adequate mental health care and the right _ to an extent _ to freedom of expression." But it's the magazine that reaches deepest into prison cells and law libraries. Subtitled "Dedicated to protecting human rights," it uses lawyers, public policy experts, advocates and prison scribes as correspondents. The premise is simple, Wright says: "We're not telling prisoners 'Hey, here's how you make bombs.' We're not telling people 'Hey, you need to kill the guards in the morning.' Rather, what we're doing is we're telling them on a fundamental level `You're human, you have civil rights and you can use the civil system to enforce them,'" he said. The publication is stuffed with legal advice, tips on staying healthy behind bars and news about court rulings that involve prison labor, medical treatment in prisons and suicide prevention programs in prisons. Its correspondents have ranged from late civil rights attorney William Kunstler to imprisoned Philadelphia police officer killer Mumia Abu-Jamal. To prisoners, it's the Bible. After all, there's no hotter topic behind bars than the law. "Everybody wants the case that's gonna get them out of jail," said Carol Callea, director of legal education for inmate access to courts for Vermont prisons. "When something happens, they want to know about it." With no photos or color, and headlines like "Alabama Prisoner Awarded $90,000 for Work-Related Eye Injury" and "Pro Se Tips and Tactics," it's not a slick publication. And it doesn't have to be. It has a captive audience. About 80 percent of its 7,000 subscribers are incarcerated in the U.S. Subscriptions are cheaper in jail _ $24 a year for inmates, $40 for anyone not incarcerated, free for death row prisoners. Fans of the magazine say PLN's value lies in giving prisoners truthful, no-nonsense tips to fight their legal battles and, in the process, disenfranchising jailhouse lawyers peddling less reliable information. "It's really an extraordinary resource, and it's not just a resource for jailhouse lawyers, although it's certainly that," said Elizabeth Alexander, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's national prison project. "It's also a resource for prison rights advocates." Not that Wright hasn't made some enemies. "He's very bright, sometimes very effective," said Eldon Vail, secretary of the Washington state Department of Corrections, a frequent Wright target. "He has a world view shaped by his experience that isn't always right. He doesn't always preach a balanced view, but it's a prisoners' rights magazine and you don't expect that." Wright, a 43-year-old father of two, is articulate and plainspoken in person, but says he has no interest in becoming a lawyer. He's the one sought by lawyers and others to speak at seminars and conference, he says. With the nation's prison population surpassing 2 million people, he sees a growing market for Prison Legal News _ the only prisoners' rights publication with a national scope _ if only because it covers prison life with the inmates in mind. "Most of what passes for criminal justice coverage, it's press release journalism. The prosecutor's office or the warden's office or the DOC office issues a press release and that's all (reporters) do. "They don't seek any input from prisoners, prisoners' advocates, or whatever. It's just a totally one-sided story," he said. Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Sign in to recommend this article » 0 users recommend Related Articles: World 30 hurt in clash at Sikh temple in AustriaAFP - Monday, May 25 UK-World SummaryReuters - Monday, May 25 Darfur rebels seize town from Sudan troops: UNAFP - Monday, May 25 Iran summit vows to fight drugs, extremismAFP - Monday, May 25 Darfur fighters take Sudan army baseReuters - Monday, May 25 Most Popular – World Viewed Obama signs credit card reforms Smokers duped by light cigarettes: US court Vitamin D boosts brain power in middle-aged men Popular cereal is a drug, US food watchdog says Health chiefs warn against 'sneaky' flu virus View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Community - Intellectual Property Rights Policy - Help

Other News on Monday, 25 May 2009
British royal chauffeur suspended over security breach
Iran summit vows to fight drugs, extremism
Britain's Button wins Monaco Grand Prix
North Korea conducts nuclear test, faces more isolation | International |
Ecuador president nixes EU free trade deal
Darfur fighters take Sudan army base
World Bank chief warns about economic crisis
Iran says foreign troops no help to region's security | International |
British MPs claimed expenses for family hire: report
US military: Iraq attacks down nearly 60 percent
Sri Lanka's Tigers acknowledge leader's death | International |
GM, Chrysler face decisive week as deadlines loom
Israel to keep expanding settlements: Netanyahu
Myanmar says Thai meddling over Suu Kyi trial | International |
Facebook block ahead of Iran vote hampers youth
Gender issues worsen Iraq's medical woes
Hezbollah rejects report linking it to Hariri death
Darfur fighters take Sudan army base: peacekeepers | International |
Japan panel wants first strikes against enemies: report | International |
Iran hosts high-profile summit on drugs, extremism
Netanyahu: We'll build in existing settlements
Preacher dies after Sikh temple attack in Vienna | International |
US House Speaker Pelosi in China for climate talks
South Korea plans public funeral for ex-leader Roh | International |
Afghanistan's Karzai in Iran for terror, drugs summit
Gore, others urge CEOs to back climate change deal
Suicide car bomber kills 7 in Somalia, residents flee | International |
Netanyahu defies Obama on Israeli settlement freeze | International |
Heavy rains trigger flood alert in southern China
Sri Lanka pledges more democracy in Tamil zone
Indie filmmakers in Cannes still dreaming of 3-D | Technology |
Asian, European ministers to meet in Hanoi
Police chase ends with river rescue in upstate NY
Tigers admit leader dead; UN presses Sri Lanka over access
Australian flood waters create 'inland sea'
Search focuses on Calif., Mexico for mom, sick son
Australia stops boat of suspected asylum seekers
Terrorism arrests: snitch, sting, then controversy
Suu Kyi lawyers prepare defence in Myanmar trial
Bondsmen upset by policies that free more people
Japan to relax arms export ban: report
Ex-con's magazine focuses on advocacy, prison life
Democrats win Mongolia presidential poll: reports
Top U.S. military officer pushes Guantanamo closing
S.Korea bonds gain ahead of MSB auctions, maturity
Border Patrol chooses Canaan for new station
2 killed, 6 hurt in Ariz graduation party shooting
Seoul shares fall; ex-president's death weighs
China investors make deal for stake in NBA Cavaliers
Final exec faces sentence in SC firm's $275M bust
China's Hainan Airlines posts annual loss
Recession weighs heavily on aid to poor countries
Police: Officer kills Ohio man who took hostage
US, China set to grapple with economic concerns
Chinese traders leave as Kyrgyzstan closes markets
Danish 'Antichrist' provides Cannes' annual scandal
Porcupine, python strut catwalk for Russian zoo
YouTube star Susan Boyle through to talent show final
Cannes-winner Haneke probes dark secrets of bourgeois life
Gainsbourg crowned in Cannes for 'Antichrist' shocker
Haneke's chilling White Ribbon wins in Cannes | Entertainment |
'Night at the Museum' comes to life to claim top spot
Coco Chanel film brings curtain down in Cannes | Entertainment |
'White Ribbon' village drama ties up top prize at Cannes
Museum comedy beats Terminator at box office | Entertainment |
French 'Prophet' takes Cannes Grand Prix
Internet star Susan Boyle stuns again with Memory | Entertainment |
Haneke's 'White Ribbon' takes top prize at Cannes
Cannes Film Festival prize winners
Indie filmmakers in Cannes still dreaming of 3-D | Entertainment |
Theatre fans up in arms over Marcel Marceau auction | Entertainment |
Italian showman Benigni brings Dante to America | Entertainment |
ETA warns of new strategy for independence
Facebook block ahead of Iran vote hampers youth
Pakistani soldiers battle Taliban in Swat town | International |
Iran's Ahmadinejad rejects Western nuclear proposal | International |
Myanmar opens trial again, Suu Kyi may take stand | International |
Riots in India after Austrian Sikh killing | International |
Karadzic files motion detailing immunity deal | International |
Muslim nations link better ties with Israel to peace | International |
Afghan floods kill 94, make thousands homeless | International |
Atlantis lands after successful Hubble fix
Nokia starts roll-out of Apple App Store rival | Technology |
Craps player sets record at NJ casino
Iranian moderate candidate criticizes Facebook ban | Technology |
Congress to Obama: Gitmo plan before Gitmo money
YouTube star who witnessed shooting comes clean | Technology |
Bride is on board after Grand Central proposal
Correction: Giuliani-Harassment Arrest story
Man killed in NJ boating accident died of drowning
New Yorkers prepare for car-free Times Square
Deadly Indian riots after Sikh shooting in Austria
Huge lobster roll to be colossal creation
Police foil bomb attack at Philippine port
Vegas casinos try bargains to lure back visitors
Korea Hot Stocks
Kenya to enact laws regulating mobile phone banking | Technology |
Tamil Tigers admit leader is dead
China's herders plea for help as wolf packs return
Myanmar looms over foreign ministers' meeting
American diver missing off Malaysia
Thousands mourn former SKorea leader
Myanmar rejects ASEAN statement on Suu Kyi
Guru dies after Austrian temple clash: police
Kumble heroics not enough as Deccan win IPL
Popular film wins Cannes, but Antichrist lingers | Entertainment |
Museum comedy beats Terminator at box office | Entertainment |
Internet star Susan Boyle stuns again with Memory | Entertainment |
Small Explosion Damages New York City Starbucks; Residents Evacuated
San Diego Brush Fire Believed To Be Caused By Human Activity
First African-American To Lead NASA
Pelosi Leads Climate Change Delegation To China
U.S. Soldiers With H1N1 Flu Leave Kuwait
Obama Visits Tomb Of Unknown Soldier As Nation Marks Memorial Day
Ohio Man Who Believed Neighbor Kidnapped Parents Goes On Shooting Rampage; Shot Dead By Police
North Korea Conducts Second Nuclear Test; Ignites Tensions In Peninsula, Washington
Kim Jong Il, Obama Express Condolences After South Korean Leader's Suicide
Herbert York, Physicist Who Helped Develop Atomic Bomb And Later Advocated Arms Control, Dead At 87
Raise a glass to Hangover | Entertainment |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01