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Dangerous Conditions in Prisons/Jails
Nathaniel Brooks for The New York Times
Analysis
Why Did an Illinois Prison Fail to Stop 70 Fires?
Three key takeaways from our investigation of the epidemic of fires at the Joliet Treatment Center.
By
Shannon Heffernan
Redemption Songs
August 9
The Young Men Rapping and Beatmaking From a Youth Lockup
On “No Ceilings,” a young Portland lyricist asks, “If I confess all my sins, would they hang me for it?”
By
Maurice Chammah
News
August 4
Illinois Lawmakers Decry Prison’s ‘Gut-Wrenching,’ ‘Heartbreaking’ Conditions
After The Marshall Project found scores of fires set by men at a Joliet prison, legislators want improved fire safety and mental health treatment.
By
Shannon Heffernan
Feature
July 24
A Prison on Fire
Designed to help people with serious mental illness, Joliet Treatment Center repeatedly failed to prevent or respond to fires, despite two deaths.
By
Shannon Heffernan
Get Involved
July 21
Did You Wait Months for an Indictment in a Mississippi Jail?
The Marshall Project - Jackson wants to hear from you.
By
Caleb Bedillion
and
Ivy Scott
Cleveland
July 14
State Reverses Course, Finds Cuyahoga Jail Staff Failed to Start CPR in Wade’s Death
State inspectors said jail staff failed to provide CPR to Jennifer Wade after finding her unresponsive in her cell in February 2025.
By
Doug Livingston
,
Brittany Hailer
and
Mark Puente
Feature
July 14
Grievances in Federal Prison Rarely Succeed. Here’s How Prisoners Would Change That.
The Marshall Project surveyed people in federal facilities for advice about the complaint process — and how to fix it.
By
Aala Abdullahi
and
Christie Thompson
Feature
July 13
In Federal Prisons, Some Guards Use Fear and Violence to Stifle Complaints
Prisoners in federal facilities must file most grievances with the guards — a system they say exposes them to retaliation, including physical abuse.
By
Christie Thompson
and
Joseph Shapiro
Analysis
June 25
Hundreds of Calls for Help: What 911 Logs Reveal About the Local Jail
From assaults to suicide attempts, emergency calls can be a sign of problems that jails can’t handle on their own.
By
Ivy Scott
,
Brittany Hailer
and
Daja E. Henry
Feature
June 17
‘Rejected’: How Federal Prisons Stonewall Grievances and Deny Care for Years
A law forces people in federal prisons to file grievances before they can sue in court. But less than 2% of filings are granted.
By
Christie Thompson
,
Ilica Mahajan
,
Anna Flagg
and
Joseph Shapiro