Search About Newsletters Donate
Please Don’t Scroll Past This

The current state of our criminal justice system represents one of America’s most glaring human rights issues. Many parts of it have grown lazy, corrupt and inefficient. Thankfully, real change is possible. The Marshall Project has proven time and again that our journalism can change laws, inform new policies, and improve the lives of real people. Please join us before the end of the year. Your gift will help hold those in power accountable and drive real change — right as the criminal justice system needs it most.

Life Inside ·

Life Inside, Remixed: The Emotional Toll of Visiting a Son in Jail

Ymilul Bates’ first visit to her son exposed her to cold, distant corrections officers and left her with a question: Did they know her son was loved?

Ymilul Bates’ son went to jail in Richmond, California, at age 19. During her first visit, she wonders if the gruff corrections officers can see him the way she does: as a gentle, well-loved young man who made a mistake.

This essay, animated by Paige Money and voiced by Bates, is part of “Inside Story,” The Marshall Project’s groundbreaking video series distributed online and in correctional facilities across the U.S.

Watch the latest season, with new episodes landing every Thursday at 11 a.m. ET on The Marshall Project’s website and YouTube channel. You can also watch episodes on the Scripps News network on Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT.

Tags: Corrections Officers Richmond, California California Jails Mothers sons Inside Story Life Inside Animation