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Drugs in Prison

Cleveland March 29
‘Like The Walking Dead’: Smuggled Drugs Fuel Chaos Inside Ohio Prisons
K2 use is soaring behind bars, causing unpredictable behavior, violence and death. So, why can’t prison officials stop the flow of the drug?
By Laura A. Bischoff, USA TODAY Network Ohio, and , The Marshall Project
Cleveland March 29
‘My Big Mistake’: How a Former Corrections Officer Became a Prison Drug Smuggler
In a common story of targeted coercion behind bars, Barbara Devine was fed up and quitting her prison job when incarcerated drug dealers pounced.
By
Cleveland March 29
Prison Workers Smuggle Drugs Into Ohio Facilities But Are Rarely Prosecuted
Guards and other employees bring in drugs that fuel a multimillion-dollar prison economy, leading to chaos, violence and death.
By , The Marshall Project, and Laura A. Bischoff, USA TODAY Network Ohio
Cleveland March 29
Meet The Drone Pilot Who Flooded Ohio Prisons With Drugs
Now he has an insider’s view of the havoc drug smuggling is unleashing behind bars.
By Laura A. Bischoff, USA TODAY Network Ohio
A White male corrections officer wears light blue latex gloves as he reviews a letter on a wooden table. A United States Postal Service box with mail is on the table to his right.
Closing Argument August 2, 2025
The Problem With Screening the Mail in Prisons
New York’s controversy over scanning mail in prisons reflects a national debate involving security and privacy.
By and
An illustration shows a closeup view of a man looking at a paper with the words “conduct report” at the top. Ripped scans of mail documents are layered on top of the illustration.
Cleveland June 23, 2025
How Ohio Prison Staff Open and Read Confidential Legal Mail
An anti-drug smuggling policy has slowed the delivery of time-sensitive court documents as prison staff read letters protected by attorney-client privilege.
By
Inside Out October 14, 2021
They Put Me in Solitary for Drugs I Didn’t Have
Lockups use unreliable tests to claim that lawyers are sending drugs to their clients behind bars.
By
News March 29, 2021
Texas Prisons Stopped In-Person Visits and Limited Mail. Drugs Got in Anyway.
Guards smuggle in most contraband, people who live in or work at prisons say.
By and Jolie Mccullough
Life Inside November 7, 2019
The Never-Ending Drug Hustle Behind Bars
“While I went to high school with casual weed smokers and worked at various jobs with weekend coke snorters, I was entirely unprepared for what I’ve seen in state prison.”
By Dan Rosen
The visitation room of the Kinross Correctional Facility in Michigan.
Looking Back April 9, 2019
When Prisons Cut Off Visits—Indefinitely
It’s been nearly 25 years since Michigan adopted a controversial visitation policy. Families have been fighting it ever since.
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