Life Inside
October 5
Rikers Island has been notorious for violence and neglect for decades. But detainees, corrections officers and officials tell us the New York City jail complex has plunged into a new state of emergency.
News and Awards
September 29
Award Shared with Mississippi Today Recognizes “Mississippi Penal System, Uncovered,” Series on Practices in State Prison System
Coronavirus
June 30
People who live and work in prisons worry they remain vulnerable, even as life behind bars returns to business as usual.
The System
November 13, 2020
Sure, prisons and jails are dangerous places. But everyday life inside isn’t as explosive as TV and movies make it look.
The System
November 11, 2020
The United States locks up more people per capita than any other developed country. Here’s why.
News
September 25, 2020
Trump speaks of "anarchy and mayhem" in cities. Here's what the data really shows.
News
August 11, 2020
In Texas, prisoners are opening their cells to chat—and to riot.
Feature
July 29, 2020
But you probably wouldn’t know it, because sheriffs rule them with little accountability. After one man's death in a notorious lockup, residents of a Missouri town fought back.
Feature
July 1, 2020
When COVID-19 threatened the jail in Tyler, Texas, an activist pressured her sheriff to make change.
Feature
February 20, 2020
Too many prisoners, too few officers leads to violence.