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An illustration shows Aaron Kinzer, who is currently incarcerated, facing his head up with his eyes closed in meditation. An outline of his face overlaps his body and an outline of the brain overlaps his head. Various silhouettes in exercising positions are displayed in the background.

Mental Health and Criminal Justice

The criminal justice system affects mental health in myriad ways, from police responding to people in crisis to prison staff’s overuse of solitary confinement. Our reporting examines the often long-lasting consequences for those involved.

Anna Sorokina for The Marshall Project
Life Inside
I Changed My Violent Prison Life in the Most Random Way: I Quit Drinking Soda
This simple act of self-denial forced me to admit that a major source of my life’s problems was my lack of self-discipline.
An illustration shows a bearded White man in a graduation cap, holding up a rolled-up diploma in his left hand. Drawn over his graduation robe are four sections: From left to right, they show a judge’s gavel, a crying man holding prison bars, a hand throwing a red soda can into a wastebasket, and a man reading a book while a butterfly flies nearby.
A collage shows two black-and-white images. The photo on the left shows three men sleeping on the floor of a jail. The film scan on the right depicts several incarcerated men sleeping or watching TV in Central Jail’s chapel.
News December 12, 2024
‘Sleep Don’t Come’: The Dangerous Problem of Sleep Deprivation Behind Bars
Moldy mattresses, 24/7 lights and constant noise contribute to a persistent health and safety crisis in prisons and jails.
By and
A photo collage of an illustrated black dog against a green backdrop is at the top left, an illustration of a yellow silhouette of a person walking on barbed wire with the word "violation" below the figure is at the top center, a photo of a magazine cover with a prison facility on the cover is on the top right. Beneath the top row, a photo of a mom and her three children playing in their living room appears on the left, and six different people's faces are in a collage on the right. A collage with the words "Inside Story" is on the bottom right, and a collage of cut out words such as "Criminal" "Con" "Felon" "Convict" "Offender" is on the bottom left.
Analysis November 15, 2024
10 Stories That Defined The Marshall Project’s First 10 Years
For a decade, our journalism has driven change and delivered information to millions, including people behind bars. We’re just getting started.
By The Marshall Project
An illustration of a Black man with a goatee and glasses seen from the waist up holding a pile of dirt in his hands from which a plant rises. He is surrounded by flowers and other plants.
Life Inside October 11, 2024
Life Inside, Remixed: How I Found Peace in the Prison Garden
Bobby Bostic was only 18 when he was sentenced to 241 years behind bars. To his surprise, weeds, water and soil put the St. Louis native on the path to healing.
By The Marshall Project
A dark-skinned woman, wearing a reflective safety vest, white T-shirt, blue jeans, yellow cap and gloves, takes items out of a tent located on a sidewalk. A camping chair, a backpack, a plastic bag and a water jug are in front of the tent. Two cars are parked next to the tent.
Closing Argument September 28, 2024
Unhoused People Have Property Rights Too
A recent Supreme Court decision spurred a crackdown on people experiencing homelessness. Here’s how some are still fighting back.
By
Feature July 30, 2024
This Company Promised to Improve Health Care in Jails. Dozens of Its Patients Have Died.
Turn Key Health Clinics has quickly expanded to jails in 10 states. Some of its policies and practices have endangered patients.
By , Brianna Bailey and Sachi Mcclendon
A crisis response team of three people, wearing cargo pants, turquoise shirts and fanny packs, talk to a medium-dark-skinned man sitting on a concrete wall. The man, wearing gray sweatpants, holds a water bottle in one hand.
Analysis July 25, 2024
Sending Unarmed Responders Instead of Police: What We’ve Learned
There are more than 100 response teams nationwide, but experts say more research on their impact is needed.
By
News July 18, 2024
Meet the New Generation of Unarmed First Responders in This New Podcast Series
“The Fifth Branch,” a podcast from The Marshall Project and Tradeoffs, examines new, alternative ways to respond to 911 crisis calls.
By
An illustration shows silhouettes of a close-up face, a side profile of a person, and an IV bag hanging from a pole. Prison bars are in the foreground.
Feature June 9, 2024
They Were in a Mental Health Crisis at a Hospital. This Is How They Landed in Jail.
Washington, like most states, has a law intended to protect health care workers. Instead, it’s led to prosecutions of people with severe mental illness.
By , Sydney Brownstone and Esmy Jimenez
An illustration shows a blue eye with a scene in its pupil. The scene is an outline of a person in an orange prison uniform sitting down on a bed, in the corner of their cell.
Life Inside February 9, 2024
My Biggest Daily Challenge in Prison Isn’t Violence. It’s the Monotony.
Boredom may seem like a small price to pay for committing a crime. But life on the inside isn’t so much a physical battle as it is a mental one.
By Jy’Aire Smith-Pennick
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