Correctional facilities have four main objectives: ensuring community safety, deterring crime, rehabilitating inmates, and punishing those sentenced to incarceration. Although jails and prisons are not intended to be comfortable, they must respect universally accepted standards of humane treatment.
To address these issues, it’s important for those who care to utilize unbiased reporting mechanisms, media coverage, academic research, and activism.
In August, two significant observances highlight critical issues within their respective countries’ prison systems: Canada’s Prisoners’ Justice Day on August 10 and Black August throughout the month. Both events call attention to poor prison conditions and advocate for reform and justice in this branch of the criminal justice system.
Historical Context and Significance
Prisoners’ Justice Day, which started in 1975, commemorates the unnecessary deaths of prisoners (by suicide) in Canadian prisons. It serves as a platform to spotlight poor conditions, policies, and practices within Canadian correctional facilities and advocate for prisoners’ rights. This day often involves direct actions, including hunger strikes, and advocacy efforts (both inside and outside of Canadian prisons) aimed at drawing attention to prison conditions.
Black August, which began in 1979, is a month-long event in the U.S. that honors Black political prisoners and commemorates significant events such as the birth of George Jackson and the Attica Prison uprising. This observance features educational events, commemoration ceremonies, and advocacy efforts, focusing on racial and systemic injustices within the American correctional system.
Importance of Recognition
Both Prisoners’ Justice Day and Black August emphasize the ongoing struggle for prison reform and justice. Common challenges in both Canadian and American prison systems include bureaucratic inefficiencies, resource limitations, and systemic issues that complicate efforts to implement effective reforms.
For example, in Canada, overcrowding has led to significant strains on healthcare services and increased violence within facilities. In the U.S., racial disparities and inadequate conditions often exacerbate the difficulties faced by inmates, as evidenced by high-profile and periodic riots in both state and federal facilties.
Conclusion
Recognizing Prisoners’ Justice Day and Black August is crucial for advancing prison reform in both countries. These observances bring attention to the struggles and contributions of prisoners and activists, underscoring the need for sustained education, engagement and meaningful reform.
Prisoners, as some of the most marginalized individuals in our society, deserve our attention and action to improve their conditions where they are warranted. To support these efforts, individuals can engage in advocacy, support reform organizations, and participate in awareness campaigns to promote systemic change.
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2024-08-08-at-5.16.41 PM.png506876Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2024-08-09 12:51:322024-08-09 12:51:32Recognizing Canada’s Prisoners’ Justice Day & United States’ Black August
When I think of a bar with character, I imagine a venue that is more than just a place to grab a drink. It is usually a venue steeped in history, sometimes filled with eclectic décor, and buzzing with the energy of its clientele, servers, and occasional performers. But what does it really mean for a drinking establishment to have character?
Bars can be categorized in many ways—dive bars, speakeasies, tiki bars, train station bars, and more. Although each type may have its own charm, they can often feel generic. A bar with character, however, stands out due to its unique and authentic atmosphere, historical significance, unpredictability, and the types of entertainment that occur in these environments. Acts in these settings are often not what you’d typically find in a bar. They tend to be more eclectic in content and performance style, with some offering an interactive experience. Patrons range from professionals to street people down on their luck.
Consider Grossman’s Tavern, on Spadina Rd. in Toronto’s Chinatown. There was a time when on any given Friday or Saturday night, in addition to up-and-coming blues musicians, you might encounter jugglers, fire eaters, and stand-up comics, transforming the bar into a lively variety show. Performers would pass the hat after their acts, reminding patrons of the precariousness of many an entertainers’ life.
In Denver, El Chapultepec, once a beloved jazz bar in the LoDo neighborhood, was renowned for its vibrant mix of musicians and music lovers. The back room with its pool table encouraged friendly competition. It was a venue where you could be surprised by an impromptu performance from a well-known headliner, who was playing elsewhere in town, who dropped in to play a set with house band, and try something new and eclectic.
Similarly, CasaMad/Casa Antoine in Turin’s Quadrilatero neighborhood welcomes guest musicians, adding an element of surprise to every visit. You never know who might show up to the venue with a mike, portable speaker, and a makeshift playlist and serenade the crowd at the outside tables or walking through the narrow cobblestone streets, making each night unique and memorable.
Bars with character are more than just places to drink; they are urban cultural hubs where stories are told, customers can have fun, and memories are made. They offer a sense of community and a touch of the unexpected, making every visit a new adventure.
Photo credit:
Photographer: Tomros
Title: Courtney leading the troops at Grossman’s.
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/52622619487_d2b7e7e3c6_w.jpg267400Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2024-08-04 07:43:042024-08-04 13:49:35Bars with Character and Characters
I’ve spent a considerable amount of time photographing graffiti and street art. My primary purpose is to document what I see, use it for future study or reference, and then selectively post it on my Instagram account.
During this process, I’ve learned a few things that might be helpful to others engaged in this kind of activity.
Keep It Simple
I try not to overly complicate what I take photos of and how I take the pictures. One reason I use a smartphone is that it’s convenient and sufficient for my purposes. Using a digital camera could offer more control, but I find it unnecessary for what I aim to achieve. This approach means I don’t need to worry about settings like aperture, depth of field, or lighting. Other than cropping, I avoid post-processing my images (e.g. using filtering capability on social media websites, etc).
Learn from the Masters
To improve my photographs, I spend time browsing through classic graffiti and street art books. The work of Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant, such as Subway Art, and Martha Cooper and Roger Gastman’s Spray Nation: 1980s NYC Graffiti Photographs are important in this respect. More contemporary photographers of graffiti not to be missed is Katherine Lorimer (a.k.a. Luna Park), the author of (Un)Sanctioned. I also follow a lot of instagram feeds that feature photos of graffiti and street art. I ask myself what I like about the photos and what I dislike. This helps me understand how the content can be captured and presented to the viewer. Then I then try to integrate this into my work.
Integrate Life into the Art
To remove the static feel of my photos of graffiti and street art, and to provide additional context, I often include people, animals, or means of transportation when possible, capturing the art as part of everyday life. This approach brings a dynamic element to the images and situates the graffiti and street art within its urban public space.
Revisit and Document Changes
I like to return to same surfaces where graffiti and street art has appeared, after a significant period to see what changes may have occurred. Although this isn’t always possible due to my travels, it adds a layer of historical documentation to my work.
Experiment with Angles
I take several photos of the graffiti from different angles and sometimes wait for people to walk into the frame. While I tend to photograph at eye level or the side of buildings, I also play with diagonal angles, which are frequent in my photos. This experimentation keeps my work varied and visually interesting.
Focus on Interesting Pieces
My goal is to find and photograph interesting pieces, including those that combine graffiti and street art or are placed in unusual settings. I’m rarely in search of a particular writer or artist; instead, photographing graffiti and street art is typically a spontaneous part of my urban exploration. Sometimes it is the contradictions inherent in the piece that captures my interest.
Capture the Moment
Sometimes, I stop my bike or car to take photos of a particular piece. When I have free time, I review my photos, narrow down the best images, and occasionally post them on Instagram. I also like to create videos for large walls or particularly intense images, adding another dimension to my documentation.
A lot of taking good photos of graffiti and street art can be achieved through experimentation. Thus taking multiple photos of the same item might end up producing something interesting and engaging.
Photo Credit
Photographer: Jeffrey Ian Ross, Ph.D.
title pleasure shop graffiti Turin
https://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_5639-rotated.jpg640480Jeffrey Ian Rosshttps://jeffreyianross.com/wp-content/uploads/jeffrey-ian-ross-logo-04.pngJeffrey Ian Ross2024-07-27 22:36:262024-07-30 18:07:00A Few Things I’ve Learned About Photographing Graffiti and Street Art
Recognizing Canada’s Prisoners’ Justice Day & United States’ Black August
/by Jeffrey Ian RossCorrectional facilities have four main objectives: ensuring community safety, deterring crime, rehabilitating inmates, and punishing those sentenced to incarceration. Although jails and prisons are not intended to be comfortable, they must respect universally accepted standards of humane treatment.
Incarceration should neither be life-threatening nor life ending for inmates. Meanwhile, globally, prisons face numerous challenges, including overcrowding, poor food, inadequate healthcare, and violence from both correctional personnel and fellow inmates.
To address these issues, it’s important for those who care to utilize unbiased reporting mechanisms, media coverage, academic research, and activism.
In August, two significant observances highlight critical issues within their respective countries’ prison systems: Canada’s Prisoners’ Justice Day on August 10 and Black August throughout the month. Both events call attention to poor prison conditions and advocate for reform and justice in this branch of the criminal justice system.
Historical Context and Significance
Prisoners’ Justice Day, which started in 1975, commemorates the unnecessary deaths of prisoners (by suicide) in Canadian prisons. It serves as a platform to spotlight poor conditions, policies, and practices within Canadian correctional facilities and advocate for prisoners’ rights. This day often involves direct actions, including hunger strikes, and advocacy efforts (both inside and outside of Canadian prisons) aimed at drawing attention to prison conditions.
Black August, which began in 1979, is a month-long event in the U.S. that honors Black political prisoners and commemorates significant events such as the birth of George Jackson and the Attica Prison uprising. This observance features educational events, commemoration ceremonies, and advocacy efforts, focusing on racial and systemic injustices within the American correctional system.
Importance of Recognition
Both Prisoners’ Justice Day and Black August emphasize the ongoing struggle for prison reform and justice. Common challenges in both Canadian and American prison systems include bureaucratic inefficiencies, resource limitations, and systemic issues that complicate efforts to implement effective reforms.
For example, in Canada, overcrowding has led to significant strains on healthcare services and increased violence within facilities. In the U.S., racial disparities and inadequate conditions often exacerbate the difficulties faced by inmates, as evidenced by high-profile and periodic riots in both state and federal facilties.
Conclusion
Recognizing Prisoners’ Justice Day and Black August is crucial for advancing prison reform in both countries. These observances bring attention to the struggles and contributions of prisoners and activists, underscoring the need for sustained education, engagement and meaningful reform.
Prisoners, as some of the most marginalized individuals in our society, deserve our attention and action to improve their conditions where they are warranted. To support these efforts, individuals can engage in advocacy, support reform organizations, and participate in awareness campaigns to promote systemic change.
Bars with Character and Characters
/by Jeffrey Ian RossWhen I think of a bar with character, I imagine a venue that is more than just a place to grab a drink. It is usually a venue steeped in history, sometimes filled with eclectic décor, and buzzing with the energy of its clientele, servers, and occasional performers. But what does it really mean for a drinking establishment to have character?
Bars can be categorized in many ways—dive bars, speakeasies, tiki bars, train station bars, and more. Although each type may have its own charm, they can often feel generic. A bar with character, however, stands out due to its unique and authentic atmosphere, historical significance, unpredictability, and the types of entertainment that occur in these environments. Acts in these settings are often not what you’d typically find in a bar. They tend to be more eclectic in content and performance style, with some offering an interactive experience. Patrons range from professionals to street people down on their luck.
Consider Grossman’s Tavern, on Spadina Rd. in Toronto’s Chinatown. There was a time when on any given Friday or Saturday night, in addition to up-and-coming blues musicians, you might encounter jugglers, fire eaters, and stand-up comics, transforming the bar into a lively variety show. Performers would pass the hat after their acts, reminding patrons of the precariousness of many an entertainers’ life.
In Denver, El Chapultepec, once a beloved jazz bar in the LoDo neighborhood, was renowned for its vibrant mix of musicians and music lovers. The back room with its pool table encouraged friendly competition. It was a venue where you could be surprised by an impromptu performance from a well-known headliner, who was playing elsewhere in town, who dropped in to play a set with house band, and try something new and eclectic.
Similarly, CasaMad/Casa Antoine in Turin’s Quadrilatero neighborhood welcomes guest musicians, adding an element of surprise to every visit. You never know who might show up to the venue with a mike, portable speaker, and a makeshift playlist and serenade the crowd at the outside tables or walking through the narrow cobblestone streets, making each night unique and memorable.
Bars with character are more than just places to drink; they are urban cultural hubs where stories are told, customers can have fun, and memories are made. They offer a sense of community and a touch of the unexpected, making every visit a new adventure.
Photo credit:
Photographer: Tomros
Title: Courtney leading the troops at Grossman’s.
A Few Things I’ve Learned About Photographing Graffiti and Street Art
/by Jeffrey Ian RossI’ve spent a considerable amount of time photographing graffiti and street art. My primary purpose is to document what I see, use it for future study or reference, and then selectively post it on my Instagram account.
During this process, I’ve learned a few things that might be helpful to others engaged in this kind of activity.
Keep It Simple
I try not to overly complicate what I take photos of and how I take the pictures. One reason I use a smartphone is that it’s convenient and sufficient for my purposes. Using a digital camera could offer more control, but I find it unnecessary for what I aim to achieve. This approach means I don’t need to worry about settings like aperture, depth of field, or lighting. Other than cropping, I avoid post-processing my images (e.g. using filtering capability on social media websites, etc).
Learn from the Masters
To improve my photographs, I spend time browsing through classic graffiti and street art books. The work of Martha Cooper and Henry Chalfant, such as Subway Art, and Martha Cooper and Roger Gastman’s Spray Nation: 1980s NYC Graffiti Photographs are important in this respect. More contemporary photographers of graffiti not to be missed is Katherine Lorimer (a.k.a. Luna Park), the author of (Un)Sanctioned. I also follow a lot of instagram feeds that feature photos of graffiti and street art. I ask myself what I like about the photos and what I dislike. This helps me understand how the content can be captured and presented to the viewer. Then I then try to integrate this into my work.
Integrate Life into the Art
To remove the static feel of my photos of graffiti and street art, and to provide additional context, I often include people, animals, or means of transportation when possible, capturing the art as part of everyday life. This approach brings a dynamic element to the images and situates the graffiti and street art within its urban public space.
Revisit and Document Changes
I like to return to same surfaces where graffiti and street art has appeared, after a significant period to see what changes may have occurred. Although this isn’t always possible due to my travels, it adds a layer of historical documentation to my work.
Experiment with Angles
I take several photos of the graffiti from different angles and sometimes wait for people to walk into the frame. While I tend to photograph at eye level or the side of buildings, I also play with diagonal angles, which are frequent in my photos. This experimentation keeps my work varied and visually interesting.
Focus on Interesting Pieces
My goal is to find and photograph interesting pieces, including those that combine graffiti and street art or are placed in unusual settings. I’m rarely in search of a particular writer or artist; instead, photographing graffiti and street art is typically a spontaneous part of my urban exploration. Sometimes it is the contradictions inherent in the piece that captures my interest.
Capture the Moment
Sometimes, I stop my bike or car to take photos of a particular piece. When I have free time, I review my photos, narrow down the best images, and occasionally post them on Instagram. I also like to create videos for large walls or particularly intense images, adding another dimension to my documentation.
A lot of taking good photos of graffiti and street art can be achieved through experimentation. Thus taking multiple photos of the same item might end up producing something interesting and engaging.
Photo Credit
Photographer: Jeffrey Ian Ross, Ph.D.
title pleasure shop graffiti Turin