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Inside Out
July 1, 2021
Prisons Have a Health Care Issue — And It Starts at the Top, Critics Say
When coronavirus hit federal prisons, the top officials had no health care experience.
By
Keri Blakinger
Life Inside
September 30, 2022
How I Survived a Year in ‘the Hole’ Without Losing My Mind
In prison, going to “the hole” can mean spending 23 hours a day alone in a tiny cell. Here, incarcerated author Michael J. Nichols shares his top 10 tips for enduring long stretches of “administrative segregation.”
By
Michael J. Nichols
News and Awards
February 2
The Marshall Project Partners with VICE World News to Launch New Criminal Justice TV Series
Inside Story brings news, interviews and profiles into U.S. prisons and jails.
By
The Marshall Project
News
October 21, 2015
Top Cops and Prosecutors Form Alliance to Battle Crime and Prison Crowding
New group backs bipartisan proposals to ease drug sentencing, solitary confinement.
By
Simone Weichselbaum
News
November 24, 2015
The $33 Test in Prison That Could Save Countless Lives on the Outside
Treating Hep C isn’t cheap, but experts say it’s cost-effective.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
News
February 22, 2016
Why Some Prisons are Spending Millions on a Pricey New Drug
Corrections facilities are ground zero for treating hepatitis C — but at a cost.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Life Inside
January 28, 2021
I Did 340 Pushups a Day to Prepare for the TV Version of Prison. Then I Got There.
After a steady diet of shows like “Oz,” I was convinced that prison would be a paradise for monsters. Turns out, the abuse I experienced came directly from the system.
By
Benjamin Boyce
Feature
January 22, 2018
Bad Boys
How “Cops” became the most polarizing reality TV show in America.
By
Tim Stelloh
News
November 15, 2016
Outside Groups Set Spending Record in Judicial Races
More than $19 million spent on campaigns for top court seats in 27 states.
By
Christie Thompson
Feature
July 12, 2020
A Year After Prison, He Has a Job, a Fiancée—And a Week Left of Freedom
Richard Midkiff spent 23 years behind bars. A dispute over his decades-old plea deal could send him back for 15 more.
By
Eli Hager
The System
November 13, 2020
Life Behind the Wall
Sure, prisons and jails are dangerous places. But everyday life inside isn’t as explosive as TV and movies make it look.
By
Nicole Lewis
and
Annaliese Griffin
Looking Back
September 5, 2018
A Police Pioneer on Her Unfinished Business
Portland’s first female chief, Penny Harrington, recalls the steep climb to the top.
By
Ivonne Roman
Cleveland
June 15
New Bias Complaints Continue to Target Top Cuyahoga County Judge
Already temporarily removed from a divorce case, Judge Leslie Ann Celebrezze is slated to answer new allegations by June 22.
By
Mark Puente
Inside Story
March 9, 2023
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.
Death Sentences
July 16, 2021
Everyone on Death Row Gets a Lawyer. Not Everyone Gets a Kim Kardashian.
The case of Rodney Reed — whose innocence claims were championed by the reality TV star — raises questions about celebrities’ role in the criminal justice system.
by
Keri Blakinger
and
Maurice Chammah
Commentary
December 18, 2019
Our 2019 Picks for Criminal Justice in Movies, TV and Podcasts
The Marshall Project staff shares some of our favorite things to watch and listen to.
By
The Marshall Project
News
September 29, 2016
Chicago’s Ousted Top Cop Talks to Common About Race, Guns and Mistrust
A new docu-series, ‘America Divided,’ explores inequality, issue by issue.
By
The Marshall Project
Jackson
January 19
The 5 Most Powerful People in Mississippi’s Hinds County Justice System
Four judges and the top prosecutor decide the fate of thousands in Hinds County courts each year. Here are their backstories.
By
Daja E. Henry
News and Awards
April 12, 2016
The Marshall Project Named ‘World’s Best Designed Website’
Society for News Design’s top digital award.
By
The Marshall Project
News
June 29, 2016
A Professional Bounty Hunter Who Likes the Bail System Just the Way It Is
A star of reality TV, Beth Chapman takes on those who say money bail is unfair.
By
Alysia Santo
Quiz
December 16, 2018
Can You Pass Our 2018 Quiz?
Test your memory on some of the year’s top criminal justice stories.
By
Nicole Lewis
News
December 23, 2020
We Investigated How Police Use Dogs as Weapons. Here’s How You Can Do It Too.
Our top tips for journalists from the partnership that produced “Mauled.”
By
The Marshall Project
News and Awards
May 23
The Marshall Project Honored in 16 Categories by the Society for News Design
Nonprofit newsroom covering criminal justice earns top distinctions, ranging from social media design to infographics to data visualization.
By
The Marshall Project
Life Inside
February 11, 2021
When The Prison Banned Board Games, We Played Chess In Our Minds
“At the heart of our mental chess game lies a profound lesson: The difference between being content or distraught is a matter of perspective.”
By
Harlin Pierce
Closing Argument
July 22
‘Concrete Coffins’: Surviving Extreme Heat Behind Bars
Record temperatures in much of the U.S. threatening more people in prisons.
By
Jamiles Lartey
Feature
February 28, 2015
Attica’s Ghosts
A savage beating, a culture “beyond repair.”
By
Tom Robbins
Feature
October 24, 2019
The Kim Foxx Effect: How Prosecutions Have Changed in Cook County
The state’s attorney promised to transform the office. Data shows she’s dismissed thousands of felonies that would have been pursued in the past.
By
Matt Daniels
Justice Talk
April 25, 2016
Join Today's Discussion on Juvenile Justice
Today from 11 AM to 5 PM EST, we'll be talking juvenile justice with Digg. Brush up by reading some of the best reporting we could find on the topic, and then bring your questions for the experts.
By
Eli Hager
and
Blair Hickman
Closing Argument
January 6
Federal Prisons Are Over Capacity — Yet Efforts to Ease Overcrowding Are Ending
The Bureau of Prisons’ system is in trouble and needs serious upgrades on several fronts.
By
Shannon Heffernan
News
April 24, 2015
Why is it So Hard for the Justice Department to Curb Police Abuse?
Ask the experts in a Facebook chat Friday at noon ET.
By
Blair Hickman
Q&A
November 23, 2015
The Filmmaker Who’s Taking on Taser
A new documentary criticizes TASER International and the studies behind their safety claims.
By
Christie Thompson
Closing Argument
August 5
Federal Judge Eyes a ‘Last Resort’ Fix for New York City’s Jails
Record deaths at Rikers Island may lead to a federal takeover as criticism mounts.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Feature
June 28, 2015
This is Rikers
From the people who live and work there.
By
The Marshall Project
The System
October 30, 2020
The State of Bail Reform
Bail reform is state-by-state and full of fits and starts. Some activists are taking direct action, raising funds to bail out defendants too poor to pay.
By
Beatrix Lockwood
and
Annaliese Griffin
Feature
November 20, 2020
Superpredator: The Media Myth That Demonized a Generation of Black Youth
25 years ago this month, “superpredator” was coined in The Weekly Standard. Media spread the term like wildfire, creating repercussions on policy and culture we are still reckoning with today.
By
Carroll Bogert
and
Lynnell Hancock
The Lowdown
August 28, 2015
Weekends in Jail for Rape?
Why people get sentenced to “weekend jail.”
By
Corey G. Johnson
Life Inside
July 31, 2015
Bored in Jail? Walk to Canada.
The imagined journey of Steven Ray Epperson.
By
Maurice Chammah
News
January 12, 2015
Going Viral
The great (make-believe) Ebola outbreak.
By
Maurice Chammah
News
May 14, 2015
Would You Rather …
... die a (probably) painless death or live 50 years in solitary?
By
The Marshall Project
News
November 4, 2022
Florida’s Voter Fraud Arrests Are Scaring Away Formerly Incarcerated Voters
DeSantis made a spectacle of arresting voters with felony convictions. Now, some eligible voters are opting out of midterms even beyond Florida.
By
Nicole Lewis
and
Alexandra Arriaga
Graphics
December 5, 2014
A Department of Defense Gift Guide 2014
Just pay shipping and handling.
By
Tom Meagher
,
Andy Rossback
and
Lisa Iaboni
News
August 11, 2015
Why Three Counties That Loved the Death Penalty Have Almost Stopped Pursuing It
A closer look at get-tough DAs.
By
Simone Seiver
Life Inside
February 13, 2015
Love in Solitary
A relationship told through letters.
Compiled by
Caroline Grueskin
Feature
July 30, 2017
Fearful of Court, Asylum Seekers are Banished in Absentia
Under Trump, an Obama strategy unravels
By
Julia Preston
Feature
September 24, 2019
Detained
How the United States created the largest immigrant detention system in the world.
By
Emily Kassie
First & Latest
September 30, 2015
Georgia Executed its First Woman in 70 Years
A closer look at why female executions are so rare.
By
Simone Weichselbaum
Feature
February 12, 2016
Kendrick Lamar, the Grammys and the Year in Socially Conscious Music
Black Lives Matter took center stage in 2015’s hip-hop and R&B.
By
Simone Weichselbaum
and
Pedro Burgos
Cleveland
January 11
How Cuyahoga County Picks Attorneys to Represent Children
Ohio sets rules for fairly appointing attorneys and the qualifications they must meet to be paid.
By
Rachel Dissell
and
Doug Livingston
, The Marshall Project and
Stephanie Casanova
, Signal Cleveland
News
December 4, 2014
The Garner Decision in Black and White
Reckoning with the great justice divide.
By
Andrew Cohen
News
January 25, 2017
Against the Trump Tide
Away from Washington, a new breed of prosecutors takes first steps.
By
Eli Hager
Case in Point
December 4, 2017
“Complete Balderdash”
A judge balks at a corporate plea deal he can’t see
By
Andrew Cohen
News
August 1, 2018
More Ex-Prisoners Can Vote — They Just Don’t Know It
Do states have an obligation to educate formerly incarcerated people about their new rights?
By
Eli Hager
News and Awards
September 20, 2016
Coming Soon: We are Witnesses
A video exploration of our criminal justice system.
By
The Marshall Project
Closing Argument
August 27, 2022
How Gun Policy Is Scrambling to Keep Up With Gun Culture
Legislators are cracking down on gun advertisements, “ghost guns” and more. Can these efforts spur real change on gun violence?
By
Jamiles Lartey
Closing Argument
August 26
Cruel Summer: When Basic Survival Can Become Illegal
Extreme heat heightens the tensions between homeless communities and the police.
By
Geoff Hing
Closing Argument
September 23
Juvenile Detention Centers Face One Scandal After Another
Despite repeated efforts at reform, allegations of mistreatment mount at youth facilities across the country.
By
Lakeidra Chavis
Life Inside
March 25, 2016
How I Survived ‘Ninja Shakedown’ Cell Searches
Fear and anxiety during a three-day lockdown.
By
Wayne Snitzky
Life Inside
July 7, 2015
What’s in a Prison Meal?
The ongoing fight for more, and better, prison food.
By
Alysia Santo
and
Lisa Iaboni
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
Southside
November 2, 2018
Cellmates
Lee Harris spent years in prison without hope, until an unlikely friendship led to a years-long crusade to prove his innocence.
By
Tori Marlan
Death Sentences
April 5, 2021
Death Penalty for Mass Shooters? Depends On Where They Strike.
The men arrested in recent killings in Atlanta, Boulder, Colorado, and Orange, California, could face very different sentences if convicted.
By
Maurice Chammah
and
Keri Blakinger
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
Analysis
November 1, 2018
Criminal Justice on the Tuesday Ballot
Our roundup: drugs, policing, juries, even slavery.
By
Nicole Lewis
Analysis
December 21, 2020
Some of Our Best Work of 2020
From the sweeping impacts of COVID-19 to the protests against racial injustice, 2020 was a year like no other.
By
Terri Troncale
News
November 5, 2020
We’re Tracking 7 Ballot Measures That Could Change Criminal Justice
Find out whether voters said yea or nay to legalizing drugs, allowing people on parole to vote and run for office, and more.
By
Marshall Project Staff
News
September 2, 2020
The Former Prisoners Fighting California’s Wildfires
“When people are in need, they don’t give a shit where you’re from or what your history is.”
By
Christie Thompson
News
April 4, 2018
Why Are Joe Biden and the NRA Endorsing State Judges?
Wisconsin shows off the new normal in judicial elections: political, expensive and often about something else.
By
Christie Thompson
Feature
December 21, 2017
The Big Business of Prisoner Care Packages
Inside the booming market for food in pouches, clear electronics, pocket-less clothing and other corrections-approved goods.
By
Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge
Feature
December 14, 2020
Police Use Painful Dog Bites To Make People Obey
Police are allowed to use “pain compliance.” But experts say dog bites are too unpredictable and severe.
By
Abbie VanSickle
and
Challen Stephens
News and Awards
March 1, 2022
Dacrie Brooks Joins The Marshall Project as Director of Communications
Experienced storyteller will lead media and public affairs, support growing Audience Engagement operation.
By
The Marshall Project
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 25, 2019
I Got To Leave Prison For A Few Hours—It Broke My Heart
“When the van pulls back up to the rear gates of the prison... it's almost a relief.”
By
Byron Case
Closing Argument
April 29, 2023
When ‘Shoot-First Culture’ Meets ‘Fear and Paranoia’
In less than a week, seven people were shot after doing the ordinary — ringing a doorbell or turning around in a driveway.
By
Jamiles Lartey
Feature
March 24, 2015
How Actual White-Collar Criminals Should ‘Get Hard’
Advice from America’s prison coaches.
By
Caroline Grueskin
Life Inside
November 15, 2014
Dying in Attica
An aging bank robber faces the end.
By
John J. Lennon
Feature
March 9, 2015
Doubts from Death Row
More questions about the Willingham case.
By
Maurice Possley
Commentary
February 5, 2018
Reentry: a Triptych
“What name for this thing we’ve become? For stigma, close as kin?”
By
Reginald Dwayne Betts
Feature
July 23, 2018
New York on ICE
How Donald Trump’s war on immigrants is playing out in his hometown.
By
The Marshall Project
Life Inside
November 29, 2018
The Big Chill
I had never been locked up before. No one told me that prison would be so cold.
By
Tracy Meadows
News
December 23, 2015
What Everyone Gets Wrong About Christmas Pardons
It’s not true that prisoners get released during the holidays
By
Caroline Grueskin
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
News
December 2, 2014
Therapists in Blue
Can New York’s police learn to handle the mentally ill?
By
Dana Goldstein
Crime on the Ballot
October 16, 2016
Ferguson Still Haunts Missouri — And Not The Way You Might Think
The city’s unrest emerges as a wedge issue in the governor’s race.
By
Eli Hager
Feature
May 4, 2016
American Sheriff
David Clarke, the Trump-loving, pro-mass-incarceration Fox News favorite, is challenging criminal-justice reform—and stereotypes.
By
Maurice Chammah
Feature
September 3, 2018
A Turbulent Mind
Andrew Goldstein's crime set in motion a dramatic shift in how we care for the violent mentally ill. Including for himself—when he's released this month.
By
John J. Lennon
and
Bill Keller
Feature
June 3, 2015
Nigerians are Flocking to Work in Texas Prisons
An immigration trend changes the face of corrections.
By
Maurice Chammah
Feature
July 26
How One Alabama County Declared War on Pregnant Women Who Use Drugs
Some women were prosecuted for smoking marijuana before they even knew they were expecting.
By
Amy Yurkanin
, AL.com
The System
October 21, 2020
Race and Policing
Police forces in the U.S. were originally founded to secure private property—including human beings.
by
Jamiles Lartey
and
Annaliese Griffin
Just Say You’re Sorry
May 1, 2023
In a Texas Cold Case, a Potential Murder Witness Slowly Realizes He’s a Suspect
In ‘Just Say You’re Sorry,’ a new Marshall Project podcast, we meet a famed Texas Ranger and a prisoner who says he was railroaded.
By
Maurice Chammah
Life Inside
November 4, 2022
When It Comes to Voting in Jail, the Devil Is in the Details
Most people in New York City jails are eligible to vote. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy for them to register or cast their absentee ballots. That’s where volunteers come in.
By
Alexandra Arriaga
Coronavirus
December 8, 2021
How Prisons in Each State Are Restricting Visits Due to Coronavirus
As COVID-19 spread earlier this year, prison facilities across the country suspended visits from family and lawyers. Several months into the pandemic, some states are easing those restrictions. We’re rounding up the changes as they occur.
By
Katie Park
Feature
January 4, 2016
This Boy’s Life
At 16, Taurus Buchanan threw one deadly punch—and was sent away for life. Will the Supreme Court give him, and hundreds like him, a chance at freedom?
By
Corey G. Johnson
and
Ken Armstrong
Feature
July 10, 2015
Life Without Parole
Inside the secretive world of parole boards, where your freedom may depend on politics and whim.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
The System
November 4, 2020
The Truth About Trials
“We put together the most cumbersome and expensive trial system that the world has ever seen, and then we decided we can’t do it for all but a tiny, tiny portion of people.”
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
,
Abbie VanSickle
and
Annaliese Griffin
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
Feature
May 13, 2015
Willie Horton Revisited
We talk to the man who became our national nightmare. Thirty years later, does he still matter?
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
and
Bill Keller
Analysis
March 30, 2018
The Myth of the Criminal Immigrant
The link between immigration and crime exists in the imaginations of Americans, and nowhere else.
By
Anna Flagg
Coronavirus
May 1, 2020
Can’t Make Bail, Sit in Jail Even Longer Thanks to Coronavirus
With grand juries suspended, people who get arrested lose a route out.
By
Simone Weichselbaum
News
January 18, 2017
How Obama Disappointed on the Death Penalty
Two commutations this week was less than many had hoped for.
By
Maurice Chammah
Commentary
July 26, 2017
Our Long, Troubling History of Sterilizing the Incarcerated
State-sanctioned efforts to keep the incarcerated from reproducing began in the early 20th century and continue today.
By
David M. Perry