Is contemporary activism against jails in New York State parallel to activism and advocacy in Ontario? In New York, these campaigns have included lobbying and protests to stop legislative funding for new or expanded jails. Some campaigns have focused on seeking justice for mentally ill people who have died in jail under ambiguous circumstances, often while in solitary confinement. The discussion will include a critical reflection on how to gauge success and failure in grassroots struggles. It will also speculate on some of the reasons why jails across North America are expanding even while overall prison population is shrinking.

Joshua M. Price is a Professor at Binghamton University. Since 2004, Professor Price has engaged in advocacy with and for currently and formerly incarcerated people in Broome County and across New York State. This work takes the form of collective research, community-university collaboration, and solidarity work.