Prison Reform: Prison reform is the attempt to fix our current system of imprisonment to create a more effective, just penal system.
Prison Abolition: The prison industrial complex abolition movement asks us to consider whether or not the prison system is actually broken, or if it might in fact be a mechanism for maintaining racism, sexism, and capitalism. PIC abolitionists seek to both end imprisonment, policing, and surveillance, and simultaneously to defend and create institutions that can pro-actively and genuinely ensure our health, wellbeing, and safety.
Prison abolitionists present a broad critique of the modern criminal justice system, which they believe to be racist, sexist, and classist. They also see Prisons and the prison system as an ineffectual way to reform criminals, decrease crime and reconcile the victims of crime.
Prison Industrial Complex (PIC): Rachel Herzing, in collaboration with Critical Resistance, defines the PIC as a term used to describe the overlapping interests of government and industry that use surveillance, policing, and imprisonment as solutions to what are, in actuality, economic, social, and political "problems."
For a broader investigation of this definition look here http://www.defendingjustice.org/overview/herzing_pic.html
Bail: This is where a person is awaiting a court appearance or trial and is not remanded in custody (held in a prison or remand centre). It can be ‘unconditional’ whereby, other than surrendering to the court at the specific date and time, there are no constraints on their activities; or it can be ‘conditional’ where the court places conditions on the person such as where they must reside, where they can go and what they can and cannot do before their next court appearance. Sometimes a person must get somebody else to put up a Surety or bond as a guarantee that the person won’t abscond.
Felony: A serious criminal conviction, which, under United States federal law, is punishable by death or imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
Closed Prison: A prison with a wall; where prisoners are not allowed to leave the premises.
Parole: A system that allows prisoners to be released before their sentence is over. The parole board must approve their release.
Parole Board: a panel of people who decide whether an offender should be released from prison on parole after serving at least a minimum portion of their sentence as prescribed by the sentencing judge.
