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Medical Treatment in Prison

A video still shows a cell door in a prison hallway. A fire can be seen inside through the cell's window.
Analysis August 11
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
A video still shows firefighters standing in a prison hallway. A cell door with black soot is open on the left.
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.
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An illustration shows flames behind a prison cell door as smoke billows into a green hallway.
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
An illustration with a purple background shows a woman rubbing her neck because of aches and pains. To her right is a setting sun in orange that blends into her right arm.
News July 22
Guide: How to Navigate Perimenopause and Menopause in Prison
Experiencing perimenopause and menopause in prison can be difficult. Here is some practical advice from medical experts and from incarcerated women who have done it.
By Kwaneta Harris and
An illustration shows three people on patient beds inside a dark room, with the orange sky visible through the window. On the right side, there are dark silhouettes of dialysis machines and tubes with puddles of water on the floor.
Feature December 16, 2025
Women Are Sent to This Federal Prison for Dialysis. They Say It’s Killing Them.
Patients at Carswell medical prison in Texas describe unsanitary conditions, missed treatments and substandard care.
By Kaley Johnson
[Use this form](https://airtable.com/appR7SW9BhPZGdXp9/pagDZ0cMp3LJ9uimP/form) to tell us about how menopause and perimenopause affects women behind bars.
Get Involved December 16, 2025
What’s It Like to Go Through Menopause in Prison? We Want to Know
Your insights will help inform a guide about the critical life stage that we’ll share with incarcerated people.
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A person wearing a blue medical gown is holding a breathing tube while lying on a hospital bed. A handcuff is locked onto a bar of the bed.
Closing Argument December 13, 2025
What’s So Scary About Treatable Conditions Behind Bars?
Medicines, procedures, and specialists can be scarce in prison, or people don’t get them until it’s too late.
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A collage shows images of clippings of a court case, a prison facility and a nurse with a stethoscope writing on a clipboard.
St. Louis December 8, 2025
Nurses Say Staff Shortage at Missouri Prison Means Skipped Medication, Long Waits for Care
Current and former employees at Jefferson City Correctional Center say the shortage is causing unrest. They blame the state’s contractor, Centurion Health.
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An illustration of a family at the start of a path looking toward their relative in the distance, at the end of the path. Panels of black-and-white photo collages, including family photos, surround the illustration.
Life Inside September 26, 2025
When Their Loved Ones Died Behind Bars, These Families Had to Sleuth for the Truth
After a family member passes away in prison or jail, people are often left with basic questions. To get answers, they have to get creative.
By , and
Protesters, wearing puffer jackets, beanies, gloves and pants, stand on the side of the road holding signs such as: "70% doesn't equal 100%," "Trying not to die in 2025," and "Essential not expendable." In the background, a road sign reads "Greene Correctional Facility."
Closing Argument July 26, 2025
New York’s Prison Guard Strike Ended Months Ago. For Some, Life-Threatening Effects Persist.
Staffing shortages mean incarcerated people are not getting vital medical care, programming and other services.
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