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Closing Argument
New Scrutiny on Murder Charges Against People Who Don’t Actually Kill
Analysis
5 Things We Learned About Prison Book Ban Policies
Inside Story
The Rise of Life-Without-Parole Sentences
Elizabeth Holmes, a White woman with blonde hair, is visibly pregnant and walking with a female member of her defense team in a photo.
Analysis March 16
Elizabeth Holmes Has Two Young Children. Should That Keep Her Out of Prison?
Sending new moms to prison has devastating consequences. Some states are starting to rethink the practice.
By Nicole Lewis
Reginald Dean, a Black man, stands in front of a Dollar General store at night.
Feature March 14
Aggressive Policing in Memphis Goes Far Beyond the Scorpion Unit
Data shows Memphis police arrested more people – mostly Black men – than other Tennessee cities.
By Daphne Duret, Weihua Li and Marc Perrusquia
A Black woman and a White woman carried signs reading "DC Statehood is racial justice" during a protest.
Closing Argument March 11
How a Growing Political Fight Threatens Local Control of Criminal Justice
Anxiety about crime — and plain politics — are fueling efforts to supplant local rule, from Washington, D.C., to St. Louis and other localities.
By Jamiles Lartey
A group of people, including formerly incarcerated people, pose for a selfie with one of them holding out their phone, on a deck that overlooks a small pond nestled among some green trees.
Inside Story March 9
Glimpses of Prison Life, Through TikTok and TV
We see how glimpses of life behind bars go viral online, and talk with Piper Kerman about creating “Orange is the New Black.”
By Lawrence Bartley and Donald Washington, Jr.
A podcast logo set atop a blurry blue and yellow background. In the logo, a yellow figure balances on top of a tightrope made out of barbed wire. Below, in all caps: “Violation.”
Podcast March 8
Introducing ‘Violation,’ a Podcast From The Marshall Project and WBUR
Violence. Power. Privilege. The series explores these themes through one case — and pulls back the curtain on the secretive world of parole boards.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
A Black man, wearing a gray beanie and brown puffer jacket, sits in front of a touch screen monitor at a voting booth. He looks at the screen together with his daughter, who is wearing glasses, a floral shirt and pink jean jacket.
Closing Argument March 4
Crime Dominates Voters’ Minds and Politicians’ Tongues
Chicago’s mayoral runoff and other spring elections in cities such as Denver and Akron, Ohio, will hinge largely on crime and public safety issues.
By Jamiles Lartey
Left, a gravesite with a cross and decorated with flowers on a sunny day with blue skies; right: a White woman with medium-length brown hair wearing an orange shirt and leaning against a brown wall.
Inside Story March 2
Drug Addiction and the Paths to Prison
We learn how prosecutors can turn one of the darkest days in a mother’s life into a prison term, and hear Tarra Simmons’ journey from behind bars to writing laws.
By Lawrence Bartley and Donald Washington, Jr.
Feature March 2
The Mercy Workers
For three decades, a little-known group of “mitigation specialists” has helped save death-penalty defendants by documenting their childhood traumas. A rare look inside one case.
By Maurice Chammah
A black and white photograph shows a large electronic billboard with a closeup of an eye at the front of a store in New York.
Analysis February 27
What the Panic Over Shoplifting Reveals About American Crime Policy
Lawmakers consider bills to crack down on people ripping off retailers, even as some stores walk back claims about a growing theft problem.
By Nicole Lewis
A White woman in a pink jail uniform stands against a brick wall as she makes a phone call.
Closing Argument February 25
Fighting the High Cost of Prison Phone Calls
Tired of exorbitant phone bills, prisoners and their families are pushing to lower costs.
By Christie Thompson
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