Newly revealed documents reveal that MI5 taught Brazilian secret police the techniques deployed by the 1964-85 military dictatorship in horrific prisons like Rio de Janeiro’s House of Death. SARA VIVACQUA reports
Latest editorial
Prison staff stand together for safety
Unions are laying down their red lines for relaxing Covid-19 restrictions, reports Charley Allan
CHRISTOPHE DOMEC speaks to the France Insoumise politician facing constant persecution from French authorities
It can be hard to discern conspiracy theory from reality and under the Trump regime the two might just be the same thing, writes Linda Pentz Gunter
ALAN SIMPSON says responses to the Golders Green attacks risk deepening divides across our country
Capturing the general strikes history is a vital part of our struggles today, posits HENRY FOWLER
On a tumultuous day in Welsh politics DAVID NICHOLSON looks at the key issues for progressives in Wales to grapple with the rise of the far right
PRISONS have always been dangerous places to work, and the past decade of austerity cuts to staffing and resources have made them even less safe, with recorded assaults on staff more than tripling to over 10,000 a year.
But the coronavirus crisis has brought a new deadly risk to workers — not just prison officers but educators, healthcare staff, cleaners, caterers, administrators, probation officers and more, many of whom are classed as vulnerable to infection.
Richard Coker, professor of public health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, recently described prisons as “epidemiological pumps” and warned: “The risk of exposure of Covid-19 to prisoners and staff when new cases enter a prison is far, far greater than the risk to individuals in the wider community.”
Similar stories
Our members face serious violence, crumbling workplaces and exposure to dangerous drugs — it is outrageous we still cannot legally use our industrial muscle to fight back and defend ourselves, writes STEVE GILLAN
MARK FAIRHURST highlights the main issues facing officers in a long neglected service, and raised by front-line delegates at POA conference last week, including understaffing, violence, bullying and the ongoing denial of workers’ right to strike