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Jails

A photo, taken from a low angle, shows the outside of a light brown tower with narrow, horizontal windows. The pale blue sky is visible above the building.
Cleveland July 3
‘I’m About to Die Here’: What a Power Outage and Heatwave Were Like in a Jail With No AC
Cuyahoga County officials say no one incarcerated in the jail needed treatment for heat illness. People inside say it was life-threatening.
By and
An illustration with blue and yellow tones shows the shadow of a woman with long hair over a prison door with a narrow window. A man in distress is partially visible through the window.
Life Inside June 27
Why I Blew the Whistle on Extreme Confinement on Rikers Island
Social worker Justyna Rzewinski saw people with mental illness “deadlocked” in their cells for months without sunlight, human contact — or medication.
By Justyna Rzewinski
An illustration shows a grid of different jail cells with small or narrow windows, or no windows at all.
Analysis May 21
The Unbearable Darkness of Jail
Jails in St. Louis, Cleveland and Jackson, Mississippi, don’t provide direct access to sunlight and fresh air – even when their own policies require it.
By , and
A woman with long, wavy red hair, wearing a baseball cap and whose face is not visible, sits at a table looking out a window with blue curtains.
Cleveland May 16
Ohio Lawmaker Wants to Require Jails to Report Pregnancy Outcomes
The Cleveland Democrat says “all babies should count,” — regardless of whether their mother is behind bars — to ensure access to healthcare for pregnant women.
By , The Marshall Project, and Scott Noll, News 5 Cleveland
A Black man wearing a tan prison uniform holds a tablet while looking up at light, faded images of family members. On the left is a person in a graduation gown, in the center is a child running to a woman, and on the right is a woman helping a child ride a bicycle.
Life Inside May 9
When New Jersey Switches Prison Tablet Companies, I’ll Lose 10 Years of Family Memories
Writer Shakeil Price uses his JPay tablet as a hard drive for his photos and videos. He’ll soon have to mail it home or have it destroyed.
By Shakeil Price
A photo collage displays a jail, a brick building surrounded by wire fences, men in jail uniforms holding a burning fabric by a broken window, a demolition excavator, a badge that reads “City of St. Louis Division of Corrections” and a text clipping.
St. Louis April 21
St. Louis Jail Is a ‘Potential Powder Keg’
A facility built for progress reflects ‘decades of neglect’ and the city’s deepest struggles, from mental illness to systemic dysfunction.
By
[Use this form](https://airtable.com/appR7SW9BhPZGdXp9/pagoMplkqm6bNwKLQ/form) to tell us about your experience when someone died in custody.
Get Involved April 10
Did Your Family Member Die in Prison or Jail? What Happened Next?
Your insights help inform The Marshall Project’s reporting on what families go through when someone dies in custody.
By The Marshall Project
An illustration shows two people with a medium-dark skin tone pulling a model of a detention facility from opposite ends. Only their hands and arms are visible. One person is wearing a brown sheriff’s uniform while the other is wearing a beige suit.
Jackson March 26
A Court May Soon Control the Hinds County Jail. Here’s What May Happen Next.
When death and violence plagued the jail, the federal courts stepped in. We talked with an expert about what to expect from a receivership.
By
An officer in a navy uniform holds a walkie talkie while walking through a hall. There is an open gate in the foreground. Two people in orange uniforms with towels are walking in the background.
Closing Argument February 15
How Trump Is Trying to Expand the Already Colossal U.S. Prison System
The administration’s efforts — from mass deportation to harsher punishments for some crimes — rely on access to more prison and jail cells.
By
The Mississippi River is visible in the foreground of a photo, with the Gateway Arch in the center. Buildings are in the background, and a blue sky with clouds is visible.
Get Involved February 11
Got a Story About the Justice System in St. Louis? We’re All Ears
Your input helps us decide what issues The Marshall Project - St. Louis should dig into next.
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