In the first half of this article Emma Gant, Holly Mogford and John Moore explore the abolitionist principles that should underpin abolitionist organising in Cymru (Wales).

Charlotte Carney argues that the International Court focuses predominately on individuals from the global South, refuses to look at the structural causes of conflicts, such as colonialism and the global economic order, and relies on imprisonment. It creates an illusion of addressing conflict whilst effectively giving impunity to western leaders. It should be abolished.

Erika Severyns argues that if community music is to contribute meaningfully to abolitionist futures, community musicians must move beyond the language of empowerment and inclusion and towards structural critique. This means situating our practice explicitly within the context of carcerality rather than sidestepping the political conditions that shape our work.

Neda Naji, a left feminist writes about the ongoing repression in Iran and argues for an abolitionist response grounded in care.

abolitionist strategies, if given support, would be able to address some of the complex root causes of sexualised street harassment which include misogyny, patriarchy, economic inequality, and intersecting forms of marginalisation. It is these structures and norms that render some women more vulnerable to harm, particularly since that harm reflects entrenched norms emerging out of histories of “heterosexism, colonialism, and slavery.”

This week saw thousands in London demanding the government go-back on their announcement to make certain farms liable for inheritance tax. 

Why Abolitionists must resist the assisted dying bill.

Join us for our event in Leeds!

Tuesday 4 June 2024: Join us for the public launch of our new resource: ‘Addressing Gender-Based Violence: Carceral Reforms vs Abolitionist Strategies.’ Speakers include Leah Cowan, Lola Olufemi and Billy a frontline gender-based violence worker.

John Moore provides a brief reflection on last month’s event: Activating the Archives: Prisons, Abolition and Histories of Resistance organised by Martha O’Carroll and Margaret Malloch from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research.

Book review of Abolition Revolution by Aviah Sarah Day and Shanice Octavia McBean

S Lamble writes about the false promise of hate crime, arguing that longer sentences and widening criminalisation does not increase safety for women

We cannot simply do away the police - we need to address the conditions in which people feel that police are the only or best option for responding to harm in their lives. We must build other means for preventing and addressing harm that will actually keep us safe.