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Bureau of Prisons

A collage illustration shows pieces of two handwritten letters with large print reading “URGENT” and “This is an emergency issue – please help.” A typed letter from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons details the findings of an investigation into allegations of staff misconduct. Underneath these letters are images including the Thomson prison, handcuffs and a keyboard.
Feature November 15
A Warden Tried to Fix an Abusive Prison. He Faced Death Threats.
He was tasked with ending abuse at a federal penitentiary, but he says his own officers and the Bureau of Prisons stood in the way.
By , , The Marshall Project and Joseph Shapiro, NPR
An aerial view of a U.S. penitentiary in Thomson, Illinois. A white water tower, with the word "Thomson" painted on it is in the foreground, next to a grove of trees.
News July 6
‘This is Major Trauma’: New Accounts of Abuse at Federal Prison Prompt Calls for Investigations
More than 120 prisoners held at a special unit in Thomson Penitentiary reported mistreatment, lawyers’ committee report says.
By , The Marshall Project and Joseph Shapiro, NPR
News December 12, 2022
Federal Prisons Were Told to Provide Addiction Medications. Instead, They Punish People Who Use Them.
Congress directed the Bureau of Prisons to make Suboxone and other medications widely available, but only a small fraction of those who need the help have received it.
By and
An illustration shows an incarcerated individual within ripped pages of a calendar.
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
A White woman in a gray suit delivers a speech at a podium with the federal Bureau of Prisons logo on it. In the background, an American flag can be seen on the left and the U.S. Department of Justice flag on the right.
News August 4, 2022
She Tried to ‘Humanize’ Prisons in Oregon. Can She Fix the Federal System?
Inspired by European models, the new Bureau of Prisons director built a Japanese garden in one penitentiary and made official language less demeaning. But some are skeptical of lasting reform.
By
The federal prison complex in Thomson, Illinois.
News June 14, 2022
Lawmakers Call for Probe Into Deadly Federal Prison
Following a Marshall Project/NPR report detailing violence and abuse at the newest federal penitentiary, three members of Congress asked the Justice Department’s inspector general to investigate.
By , The Marshall Project and Joseph Shapiro, NPR
Life Inside January 14, 2022
People in the Scandal-Plagued Federal Prison System Reveal What They Need in a New Director
“This is kind of like AA: To move forward, first you have to admit there’s a problem.”
By
Lance Lowry, who recently retired after 20 years as a corrections officer, outside the Huntsville Unit in Texas.
News November 1, 2021
As Corrections Officers Quit in Droves, Prisons Get Even More Dangerous
Fewer guards lead to more lockdowns, rising tensions and scant access to healthcare.
By , , , Mike Sisak and
Coronavirus June 24, 2021
A State-By-State Look at 15 Months of Coronavirus in Prisons
The Marshall Project and The Associated Press collected data on COVID-19 infections in state and federal prisons every week. See how the virus affected correctional facilities near you.
By The Marshall Project
Sean McQuiddy contracted COVID-19 while at a federal prison in Forrest City, Arkansas.
News June 11, 2021
31,000 Prisoners Sought Compassionate Release During COVID-19. The Bureau of Prisons Approved 36.
As the pandemic worsened inside federal prisons, officials granted fewer releases.
By AND
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