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News
December 20, 2015
Spotting the ‘Red Flags’ of Abusive Prison Guards
Under pressure, New York says it will better track correctional officers
By
Tom Robbins
Commentary
May 28, 2015
How Nebraska Repealed the Death Penalty
A deep-red state shows the way, with conservatives in the lead.
By
Shari Silberstein
The Frame
July 14, 2021
“Spaces of Detention” Takes You Inside the Facilities That Criminalize Undocumented Immigrants
Photographer, artist and anthropologist Cinthya Santos-Briones partners with formerly detained immigrants to shine a light on the insular “architecture of punishment” in New Jersey.
by
Ariel Goodman
Death Sentences
June 29, 2022
The Supreme Court Let The Death Penalty Flourish. Now Americans are Ending It Themselves.
As Roe v. Wade ends, a look back at how the court reversed itself on capital punishment — spurring an anti-death penalty movement.
By
Maurice Chammah
News
December 21, 2017
Reimagining Prison with Frank Gehry
Prison as college campus. Prison as wellness center. Prison as monastery.
By
Bill Keller
The Frame
June 13, 2020
Shining a Light on Life Behind Bars
“The Writing on the Wall” art installation lets incarcerated people speak for themselves.
By
Adria Watson
News
December 17, 2014
Peeping Toms
Do prison inmates have a right to privacy?
By
Alysia Santo
Life Inside
September 22, 2022
The Art of Bidding, or How I Survived Federal Prison
When Eric Borsuk went to prison with his two best friends, they found their ‘bid’ — their purpose — together. Then one day, everything changed.
By
Eric Borsuk
Commentary
May 22, 2016
Pretty in Pink Handcuffs
We’re going to shackle you while you give birth, but you’ll look great.
By
Bill Keller
News
February 2, 2017
Watch: A New Documentary’s Rare Access Inside Solitary
A filmmaker spends a year inside a Virginia supermax facility.
By
Celina Fang
Closing Argument
June 24, 2023
What the Fight Over Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ Reveals About Policing of Protests
Opponents of the proposed police training facility have launched a petition for a vote — and some face charges as domestic terrorists.
By
Jamiles Lartey
Life Inside
April 12
I Had a Tough Job at My Brooklyn Jail: Keeping Men From Taking Their Own Lives
As a suicide prevention aide, I had to make sure my fellow detainees didn’t harm themselves. It was surprisingly easy to get such a complex job.
By
Rashon Venable
Closing Argument
November 11, 2023
Supreme Court Takes on Gun Cases as State Laws Shift
The court is considering the safety of victims of domestic violence, bump stocks and more.
By
Jamiles Lartey
The Frame
March 13, 2016
The Radio Show That Reunited Inmates and Families
“Shout outs” on the air led to van rides to the supermax.
by
Lisa Iaboni
Life Inside
January 26, 2017
The Implications of Trying to Kill Yourself on Death Row
Is dying sooner better than being executed later?
By
George T. Wilkerson
News
August 14, 2017
Crowdsourcing the Charlottesville Investigation
The mixed blessing of an internet posse.
By
Maurice Chammah
and
Simone Weichselbaum
Feature
March 22, 2019
Inside the Battle to Close Rikers
Can New York City build its way out of mass incarceration?
By
Maurice Chammah
Feature
July 10, 2020
Freed From Prison, Dead from COVID-19, Not Even Counted
Officials’ missteps at Butner made it the deadliest federal lockup.
By
Joseph Neff
and
Dan Kane
Feature
October 2, 2020
When Police Violence Is a Dog Bite
An Alabama man killed by a K-9 officer was one of thousands of Americans bitten by police dogs every year. Few ever get justice.
By
Abbie VanSickle
,
Challen Stephens
,
Ryan Martin
,
Dana Brozost Kelleher
and
Andrew Fan
Feature
September 8, 2023
Migrants Desperate for Jobs Trapped in Asylum Maze
Hundreds of thousands were eligible to apply earlier for work permits, but the government only began alerting them last week.
By
Julia Preston
Life Inside
October 6, 2016
How a Phone Changed My Life on Death Row
“I felt like a virgin on my wedding night — eager to put this thing to use, not sure if it’ll hurt.”
By
George T. Wilkerson
Life Inside
October 25, 2018
Freaky Friday, Prison-Style
At a Kentucky prison, inmates and staff switch places during a “re-entry to society” role-playing game.
By
Derek R. Trumbo, Sr.
News
December 23, 2014
PowerPoint Justice
When prosecutors slide around the law.
By
Ken Armstrong
Life Inside
August 4, 2022
Prison Money Diaries: What People Really Make (and Spend) Behind Bars
We asked people in prison to track their earning and spending — and bartering and side hustles — for 30 days. Their accounts reveal a thriving underground economy behind bars.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Life Inside
December 6, 2018
Should I Have Let My Friend on Death Row Kill Himself?
“We don’t live on death row; we wait to die.”
By
Paul Brown
Commentary
November 13, 2018
Voters Want Criminal Justice Reform. Are Politicians Listening?
Midterms show wide support across party lines for changing the system.
Daniel Gotoff
and
Celinda Lake
Crime on the Ballot
November 9, 2016
Law and Order Trumps Reform
There’s a new sheriff in town.
By
Bill Keller
News
January 20, 2015
The Near Death of Mark Christeson
He was nearly executed because his lawyers missed a filing deadline. Now the Supreme Court has weighed in on what should happen next.
By
Ken Armstrong
The Lowdown
November 19, 2014
Fakeup
How women in prison remake makeup.
By
Simone Weichselbaum
Analysis
August 28, 2019
Is It Time to Remove Immigration Courts From Presidential Control?
Calls grow to create an independent court system that protects immigration judges from political pressure.
By
Julia Preston
Life Inside
January 10, 2019
Why Showering in Prison Is Hell
“Step by step, I shuffle forward amid the mass of bodies, waiting to get inside.”
By
Jason Wright
Life Inside
January 22, 2016
How I Experience Female Contact in Prison
On being pent up.
By
Rahsaan Thomas
Commentary
May 21, 2015
The ‘South Texas Family Residential Center’ Is No Haven
It’s an internment camp.
By
Carl Takei
Feature
February 3, 2016
Policing the Future
In the aftermath of Michael Brown's death, St. Louis cops embrace crime-predicting software.
By
Maurice Chammah
, with additional reporting by
Mark Hansen
Life Inside
July 19, 2018
It’s Surprisingly Tough to Avoid Snitching in Prison
How hard could it be not to betray your friends?
By
George T. Wilkerson
Life Inside
January 11, 2018
The Curious Case of the Prisoners in the Wrong Cellblock
A mystery unfolds during an urgent phone call.
By
Sterling R. Cunio
Life Inside
November 15, 2018
Even My Dreams Are Behind Bars
After being locked up for years, a prisoner’s ability to see freedom fades.
By
Felix Rosado
Español
March 5, 2021
Lo que las personas en prisión deben saber sobre la vacuna contra el COVID-19
Más de 100 personas encarceladas en todo el país nos plantearon sus preguntas sobre la vacuna. A continuación explicamos si es segura, cuándo estará disponible y más
Por
Ariel Goodman
.
Life Inside
August 25, 2016
What I've Learned Cutting Hair in Jail
“They look tired, ragged, and sick, more so than they thought they would.”
By
Andre Lyons
Q&A
March 2, 2016
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Remembers Rodney King and the L.A. Riots
‘Rodney King is in the lineage of Emmett Till, Medgar Evers, Trayvon Martin — that lineage of violation.’
By
Bill Keller
Analysis
December 16, 2016
Why Congress May Bring Criminal Justice Reform Back to Life
Four reasons a bipartisan bill has a better chance than you think
By
Bill Keller
News
March 29, 2016
DOJ Tells Prisons to Put Safety First in Housing Transgender Inmates
Rules from 2012 are too often ignored, advocates say.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
News
January 4, 2018
The Latest Big Win for Prison Privatization
It just got a lot harder to send a care package to New York prisoners.
By
Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge
News
August 6, 2018
Senators Take Aim at Bail Industry Backers
Cory Booker and Sherrod Brown, both Democrats, want answers from the insurance industry.
By
Joseph Neff
News
March 12, 2015
Why Is the FBI so White?
The nation diversifies. The bureau, not so much.
By
Simone Weichselbaum
Life Inside
May 5, 2016
My Father Killed Two People
On living with, and sharing, that information for a lifetime.
By
Pamela Brunskill
Life Inside
May 17, 2018
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things on Death Row
Not even an extra boiled egg.
By
Timothy White
News
October 24, 2017
Innocent, Disabled and Vulnerable
A judge protects an exonerated man from his lawyer.
By
Joseph Neff
News
July 1, 2015
How the Law Will Adapt to Oregon’s Legalized Pot
Expunged arrest records, and new jobs for police dogs.
By
Maura Ewing
,
Carl Stoffers
,
Simone Seiver
and
Eli Hager
Analysis
July 13, 2015
The President Goes to Prison
But Congress is the place to watch.
By
Andrew Cohen
Commentary
August 15, 2018
What ‘Enemies Of The People’ Truly Means — And Why The Media Are Not
Journalists expose systems that don’t work, and officials often agree.
By
Carroll Bogert
Commentary
July 3, 2018
Revolutionary Moments in Law Enforcement
Had British authorities and their soldiers exercised de-escalation tactics, would the United States exist today?
By
Robin Washington
Life Inside
January 29, 2016
What It’s Like to Be Moved From Cell to Cell, Prison to Prison
An endless shuffle takes a toll.
By
Arthur Longworth
Life Inside
January 12, 2017
My Best Friends in Prison are Frogs, Turtles, and Raccoons
Sharing space with open-minded visitors from beyond the walls.
By
Joseph Dole
News and Awards
May 26, 2020
The Marshall Project and Sundance Institute Announce Short Film Grantees
Films offering new perspectives on criminal justice in the United States to be made through a new initiative from The Sundance Institute and The Marshall Project
By
The Marshall Project
Commentary
August 12, 2016
End Prisons-for-Profit
A scathing report calls for “better oversight.” That’s not enough.
By
Carl Takei
Analysis
November 6, 2020
“Law and Order” Still Reigns in State Supreme Court Elections
A Nevada state supreme court candidate was one of very few nationwide to run on a message of reform. Most campaigns leaned on “tough on crime” strategy yet again.
By
Christie Thompson
Feature
September 24, 2017
How Conservatives Learned to Love Free Lawyers for the Poor
By reframing the issue around the evils of big government, Republicans are notching victories that have eluded more liberal legislatures.
By
Alysia Santo
Feature
November 17, 2020
We’re Tracking Police Dog Bites Across the Country
Police dogs bite thousands of Americans each year, including innocent bystanders, children, police officers, even their own handlers. The Marshall Project—in collaboration with AL.com, IndyStar and the Invisible Institute—examined more than 150 serious cases nationwide.
By
The Marshall Project
News
August 3, 2015
How the Supreme Court Made It Legal for Cops to Pull You Over for Just About Anything
Even hanging an air freshener.
By
Ken Armstrong
Commentary
June 26, 2015
Fact-Checking Season 3 of Orange Is the New Black
A former CO — and first-time OITNB-watcher — weighs in.
By
Carl Stoffers
News
December 14, 2016
Let’s Go to Prison!
A national field trip to Incarceration Nation, under the shadow of Donald Trump
By
Eli Hager
Coronavirus
May 21, 2020
Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort Got to Leave Federal Prison Due to COVID-19. They’re The Exception.
Just a small fraction of federal prisoners have been sent home. Many others lack legal help and connections to make their case.
By
Joseph Neff
and
Keri Blakinger
Feature
April 7, 2018
The Price of Innocence
Two brothers did 31 years for someone else’s crime. Then things went bad.
By
Joseph Neff
Commentary
July 21, 2015
What Harper Lee Got Right
“Go Set a Watchman” puts the “white savior” notion in its place.
By
Gilbert King
Feature
October 31, 2023
Prosecutors in These States Can Review Sentences They Deem Extreme. Few Do.
Five states now allow prosecutors to seek shorter sentences in old cases. Louisiana shows why many DAs haven’t.
By
Matt Nadel
and
Charlie Lee
Violation
December 11, 2023
The Court Ruling Jacob Wideman Was Waiting For
A “Violation” podcast update brings listeners the latest news in Wideman’s case, including his reaction to a ruling that leaves him few paths to freedom.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
News
October 30, 2017
‘Restorative Justice’ for Shoplifting? A Court Calls It Extortion
A company’s program, used by Walmart and others, bypasses the cops.
By
Jessica Pishko
News
August 2, 2017
Guess Who’s Tracking Your Prescription Drugs?
Your doctor, your pharmacist... and the police.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Analysis
July 18, 2016
Two Parties, Two Platforms on Criminal Justice
The Republicans nod to reforms, then take a sharp right turn.
By
Maurice Chammah
Life Inside
March 16, 2017
The Death Row Basketball League
Always playing against the clock.
By
Lyle May
Life Inside
May 12, 2016
What I’ve Learned as a Jail Doctor
And the case I’ll never forget.
By
Alia Moore
Life Inside
July 31, 2015
Bored in Jail? Walk to Canada.
The imagined journey of Steven Ray Epperson.
By
Maurice Chammah
News
November 4, 2019
How More Than 50 Women Walked Out of a Prison in Oklahoma
The state slashed sentences for more than 500 people convicted in low-level drug and theft cases.
By
Cary Aspinwall
Coronavirus
April 22, 2020
Is Domestic Violence Rising During the Coronavirus Shutdown? Here’s What the Data Shows.
Reports of domestic abuse in three cities have dropped. But police and experts say that may be a problem.
By
Weihua Li
and
Beth Schwartzapfel
News
July 13, 2015
For the First Time, Vermont Will Search Prison Staffers
The drug use that plagues the state now haunts its cellblocks.
By
Carl Stoffers
Analysis
February 12, 2016
Justice Reform, RIP?
The vaunted bipartisan drive to enact federal criminal justice reform is not quite dead. But its pulse is faint.
By
Bill Keller
The Lowdown
September 25, 2016
What Trump and Others Get Wrong About ‘Sanctuary Cities’
Ahead of the presidential debate, setting the record straight on a hot-button immigration issue.
By
Christie Thompson
News
February 11, 2020
Newsrooms Rethink a Crime Reporting Staple: The Mugshot
Confronted with the photos’ lasting impact, some news websites no longer use them as click-bait.
By
Keri Blakinger
Life Inside
January 25, 2018
The Misery of “Medical Chain”
When a trip to the hospital means spending hours on a cramped bus handcuffed to another prisoner.
By
Deidre Mcdonald
News
December 19, 2018
Okay, What’s the Second Step?
Now that the First Step Act passed, prison reformers are already making lists.
By
Justin George
News
February 25, 2020
The Beto Effect: Transforming Houston's Criminal Justice System
New judges change courtroom culture as well as bail rules.
By
Keri Blakinger
Coronavirus
April 8, 2020
Trump Administration Tells Some Business Owners “Do Not Apply” for Coronavirus Loans
SBA says people with criminal records aren't eligible for some emergency loans, even though experts say the law doesn't exclude them.
By
Eli Hager
Commentary
March 19, 2015
The Petri Dish
Georgia has become the laboratory of criminal justice reform.
By
Andrew Cohen
Commentary
October 28, 2018
Chicago Cop Jason Van Dyke's Record Was a Warning Sign
Can the conviction of Chicago cop Jason Van Dyke finally force policing into the 21st century?
Johanna Wald
Life Inside
August 16, 2018
What It’s Like to be a Cutter in Prison
"This isn’t a place that provides treatment, help, or even empathy to those who suffer from stress, depression, and mental illness."
By
Deidre Mcdonald
News
December 15, 2014
A Vet and His Demons
Does he belong in a prison or a hospital?
By
Maurice Chammah
Analysis
August 12, 2015
When Heroin Hits the White Suburbs
Suddenly it’s not a crime problem, it’s a health problem.
By
Andrew Cohen
News
October 28, 2015
Is Halloween Really More Dangerous for Kids?
A lack of evidence doesn’t stop cities from rounding up sexual offenders on the holiday.
By
Anat Rubin
News
November 21, 2017
43 States Suspend Licenses for Unpaid Court Debt, But That Could Change
Lawsuits say the practice severely penalizes those too poor to pay.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Life Inside
December 1, 2016
‘Please Find My Grandson’
What I saw tracking down the mentally ill in jail.
By
Margaret Altman
News
December 19, 2014
Havana vs. Rikers Island
Where would you rather do time?
By
Clare Sestanovich
Coronavirus
November 22, 2020
Where Coronavirus Is Surging—And Electronic Surveillance, Too
In Chicago and elsewhere, the number of people wearing an ankle monitor has jumped in recent months due to the pandemic.
By
Eli Hager
News
July 10, 2018
License to Clip
A movement to let the formerly incarcerated cut hair and drive taxis is gaining ground.
By
Ashley Nerbovig
Life Inside
April 8, 2021
“Nobody Wants to Be Identified as a Victim”
Oakland activist Carl Chan reveals how fear of retaliation, mistrust of police, language barriers and technology gaps fuel underreporting of anti-Asian violence.
By
Carl Chan
as told to
Michelle Pitcher
The Frame
August 3, 2021
“Espacios de reclusión” se adentra en los lugares que criminalizan a los inmigrantes indocumentados
La fotógrafa, artista y antropóloga Cinthya Santos-Briones colabora con inmigrantes ex reclusos para arrojar luz sobre la insular “arquitectura del castigo” en Nueva Jersey.
by
Ariel Goodman
Inside Out
September 2, 2021
Some prison labor programs lose money — even when prisoners work for pennies
Officials claim programs provide skills, but critics say there’s little evidence.
By
Keri Blakinger
Life Inside
April 29, 2021
Nothing Has Made Me Feel More American Than Going to Jail
I was born in D.C. to South Indian parents. But it wasn’t until I had to negotiate the criminal justice system that I fully realized what many Americans of color have to deal with.
By
Ravi Shankar
Life Inside
May 13, 2022
I Got the Prison Transfer I Fought For. My Feelings Were Surprisingly Mixed
Demetrius Buckley’s long-awaited transfer to a lower-security prison means more time outside of his cell and a chance to see his daughter. But the transport process was like everything else in prison: slow, confusing and casually cruel.
By
Demetrius Buckley