Search About Support Us
Recent stories from The Marshall Project.
News April 17
Sessions Punishes Everyone
Angry at Chicago, he cuts off police aid for all
By Simone Weichselbaum
News April 17
Should America Give Refuge to Abused Women?
Trump seems to say, not anymore.
By Julia Preston
News April 12
Seven Years Behind Bars for Two Joints — And Now He’s Free
Bernard Noble, whose case became a symbol of harsh drug laws, walks out of a Louisiana prison.
By Nicole Lewis and Maurice Chammah
News April 5
Silencing Arthur Longworth
A prizewinning writer is punished for acting like a free man.
By Eli Hager
News April 4
Why Are Joe Biden and the NRA Endorsing State Judges?
Wisconsin shows off the new normal in judicial elections: political, expensive and often about something else.
By Christie Thompson
News March 28
The Uncertain Fate of College in Prison
Obama revived Pell grants for prisoners, but the program faces a cloudy future.
By Nicole Lewis
News March 28
Rikers Doesn't Put Teens in Solitary. Other New York Jails Do.
Even after the high-profile death of Kalief Browder, jails in the rest of the state routinely isolate juveniles.
By Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge
News March 20
The DAs Who Want to Set the Guilty Free
‘Sentence review units’ would revisit harsh punishments from the past.
By Eli Hager
News March 15
If You Can’t Kill It, Join It
Trump’s nominee to this panel called it “an overfed lemur.”
By Justin George
News March 15
Why Oklahoma Plans to Execute People With Nitrogen
The state knows shockingly little about how this would work.
By Eli Hager
News March 8
Convicted of a Drug Crime, Registered with Sex Offenders
In Kansas, even many minor drug offenders must appear on the state’s public registry. A new bill would change that.
By Maurice Chammah
News February 26
👀 👀 👀 the Prosecutors
Court Watch NYC is the latest local group monitoring the criminal justice system as it happens.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News February 26
How Bad is Prison Health Care? Depends on Who’s Watching
A federal judge considers $1 million in fines for one state’s “pervasive and intractable failures.”
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News February 23
A “Death Spiral” for Police Unions?
Cops v. Trump on union clout.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News February 14
A Drug Company Says This Shot Will Keep You Out of Prison
Johnson & Johnson uses the prospect of jail time to market a schizophrenia drug.
By Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge
News February 7
Mississippi Moonlighting
Congressional hopeful, district attorney, debt collector.
By Nicole Lewis
News January 29
North Carolina Fixes a Glitch — For One Guy
After a Marshall Project story, a man serving nine years in jail is moved to a prison.
By Joseph Neff
News January 28
Defrauded in Prison? Call This Guy
A young California lawyer helps long-term inmates with their white-collar problems.
By Eli Hager
News January 26
The Bureau of Prisons Yields to a Chaplain’s Conscience
The bureau relents in a stalemate over pepper spray.
By Justin George
News January 24
The Ultimate Insider Art
On Tennessee’s death row, the old aphorism applies: art is long, life is short.
By Jeremy Olds
News January 23
Nine Years With No Sunshine
A glitch in North Carolina law is trapping people for years in unequipped jails.
By Joseph Neff
News January 17
Trump Justice, Year One: The Demolition Derby
Here are nine ways the law-and-order president has smashed Obama’s legacy.
By Justin George
News January 16
When Your Prison Becomes Your Paycheck
Some states are welcoming back ex-offenders to work behind bars.
By Maurice Chammah and Joseph Neff
News January 12
New York Cancels Private Prison Care Packages Program
An uproar over cost, selection — and coloring books.
By Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge
News January 9
The DOJ Decision That Could Mean Thousands More Deportations
Sessions considers tying the hands of immigration judges.
By Christie Thompson
News January 7
The Check is in The Mail (For Real)
A California county will issue refunds to parents wrongly billed for their kids’ incarceration.
By Eli Hager
News January 4
The Latest Big Win for Prison Privatization
It just got a lot harder to send a care package to New York prisoners.
By Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge
News January 3
What to Know About the Death Penalty in 2018
Here are the most important places to keep an eye on.
By Maurice Chammah
News January 3
How New York Could Change the Game for Its Criminal Defendants
Soon after a Marshall Project story, the governor proposes changes to an “outdated” evidence law.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News December 21, 2017
Reimagining Prison with Frank Gehry
Prison as college campus. Prison as wellness center. Prison as monastery.
By Bill Keller
News December 13, 2017
What the Doug Jones Election Means for Criminal Justice Reform
The Alabama Democrat represents the flip-side of his predecessor.
By Justin George
News December 8, 2017
How Hard is it to Count Violent Crimes?
A new survey finds it’s more difficult than you might think.
By Yolanda Martinez
News December 7, 2017
What’s Christian in the Season of Trump?
Awakening Evangelicals to an “outrageous” system.
By Justin George
News November 30, 2017
Adolescence with an Ankle Bracelet
What it’s like to spend your teenage years tethered to Big Brother.
Christopher, as told to Eli Hager
News November 29, 2017
No Mercy for Judges Who Show Mercy
North Carolina’s plan to stymie judges who waive fines and fees.
By Joseph Neff
News November 28, 2017
Where the Poor Face the Death Penalty Without a Lawyer
A budget crunch in Louisiana leads to an unusual wait list.
By Eli Hager
News November 27, 2017
How Do You Clear a Pot Conviction From Your Record?
It depends on where you live. (Californians, you’re in luck.)
By Lee V. Gaines
News November 21, 2017
43 States Suspend Licenses for Unpaid Court Debt, But That Could Change
Lawsuits say the practice severely penalizes those too poor to pay.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News November 9, 2017
The Unique Sexual Harassment Problem Female Prison Workers Face
When women report abuse from the men in their custody.
By Alysia Santo
News November 8, 2017
New York Courts Say: Hand It Over
A new order reminds prosecutors to show their evidence.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News November 7, 2017
A Timely Prison Project? Or a G.O.P. Congressman’s Boondoggle?
Even the Trump administration casts doubt on the $444-million plan.
By Eli Hager
News November 2, 2017
Can Jared Kushner Save Criminal Justice Reform?
“Fat chance!” is giving way to “Well, maybe…”
By Justin George
News October 31, 2017
I Did It Norway
Some American prisons are singing a European tune.
By Maurice Chammah
News October 30, 2017
‘Restorative Justice’ for Shoplifting? A Court Calls It Extortion
A company’s program, used by Walmart and others, bypasses the cops.
By Jessica Pishko
News October 24, 2017
Innocent, Disabled and Vulnerable
A judge protects an exonerated man from his lawyer.
By Joseph Neff
News October 20, 2017
Prisons and the Deluge
For prisoners in a hurricane, there’s nowhere to run.
By Yolanda Martinez, Anna Flagg and Andrés Caballero
News October 11, 2017
California Ends Practice of Billing Parents for Kids in Detention
The change comes months after a Marshall Project investigation.
By Eli Hager
News October 10, 2017
What Is Prison Like for Women and Girls?
The Marshall Project teams up with Teen Vogue to listen.
By Alysia Santo
News September 25, 2017
A Chaplain’s Conscience vs. the Bureau of Prisons
Stalemate over a can of pepper spray.
By Justin George
News September 24, 2017
What To Do With Violent Sex Offenders
The Supreme Court considers whether “civil commitment” is just prison by another name.
By Maurice Chammah
News September 20, 2017
When a Mental Health Emergency Lands You in Jail
Colorado just outlawed jail for people in a psychiatric crisis, but plenty of states still do it.
By Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge
News September 19, 2017
The Double Limbo of Dreamer-Soldiers
The Army wanted Pfc. Cho. Now it’s not so sure.
By Julia Preston
News September 19, 2017
Why Many Deaf Prisoners Can’t Call Home
Faulty and outdated technology is pervasive, and upgrades are slow in coming.
By Christie Thompson
News September 1, 2017
Why Do Cops Need Bayonets?
Um, because they’re free.
By Simone Weichselbaum and Justin George
News August 30, 2017
Nevada Plans to Use Fentanyl in Upcoming Execution
Medical professionals say the state’s new lethal injection protocol “doesn’t make much sense.”
By Maurice Chammah
News August 28, 2017
How ICE Uses Secret Police Databases to Arrest Immigrants
Recent lawsuits claim the agency is targeting people for deportation based on spurious allegations of gang connections.
By Christie Thompson
News August 25, 2017
The Great Escape? Par for the Course.
“These guys were absolutely jaw-dropping in their incompetence.”
By Eli Hager and Alysia Santo
News August 23, 2017
Can a General Conquer the Federal Prison System?
Mark Inch is about to find out.
By Justin George
News August 14, 2017
Crowdsourcing the Charlottesville Investigation
The mixed blessing of an internet posse.
By Maurice Chammah and Simone Weichselbaum
News August 9, 2017
What’s the Punishment for Theft? Depends On What State You’re In
You can go to prison in Florida for a $300 crime, but it’s $2,500 in Wisconsin.
By Marella Gayla
News August 8, 2017
When the U.S. Deports You — And Keeps All Your Stuff
Border officials are supposed to return personal belongings to people who are deported to Mexico but often don’t.
By John Carlos Frey
News August 2, 2017
Guess Who’s Tracking Your Prescription Drugs?
Your doctor, your pharmacist... and the police.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News August 1, 2017
Ending Solitary for Juveniles: A Goal Grows Closer
Recent rulings in a half-dozen states signal new momentum.
By Eli Hager
News July 27, 2017
Can Sex Sell Peace?
An adman thinks it can help.
By Justin George
News July 23, 2017
Condemned to Death — And Solitary Confinement
Arizona is set to become the latest state to move away from automatic isolation for death row inmates.
By Gabriella Robles
News July 21, 2017
How Fake Cops Got $1.2 Million in Real Weapons
A federal sting reveals lax oversight in the Defense Department’s gear giveaway program.
By Eli Hager
News July 18, 2017
How to Count the Hidden Prisoners
A new study examines the lingering impact of war-on-crime policies.
By Manuel Villa
News July 13, 2017
When a Witness Confronts the Accused: Is a Courtroom I.D. Fair?
So far, two states say not always, and try to limit the practice.
By Marella Gayla
News July 13, 2017
We Saw Monsters. She Saw Humans.
Scharlette Holdman, pioneering foe of the death penalty, dies at 70.
By Maurice Chammah
News July 12, 2017
Federal Watchdog Finds Mentally Ill Are Stuck in Solitary
A new report contradicts a claim from the Bureau of Prisons.
By Justin George
News July 5, 2017
One Bit of Good News for Immigrants in Detention
As a federal program grows, more mentally ill immigrants have access to attorneys.
By Christie Thompson
News June 22, 2017
The Mental Health Crisis Facing Women in Prison
A new study shows a striking disparity between incarcerated men and women.
By Manuel Villa
News June 21, 2017
A Federal Court Asks Jurors to Confront Their Hidden Biases
But is a novel video tutorial the best way? The jury is still out.
By Marella Gayla
News June 20, 2017
How ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Are Helping Immigrants Outwit ICE
Communities across the country are defying the Trump administration on immigration.
By John Carlos Frey
News June 18, 2017
He Walked Out of Prison After 11 Years — Now the State Wants Him Back
After 18 months of freedom, Robert Woodall may be headed back behind bars.
By Marella Gayla
News June 14, 2017
For Corrections Officers and Cops, a New Emphasis on Mental Health
An intensive study and new programs to combat stress that often goes overlooked.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News June 12, 2017
Where Crossword Puzzles Count as Counseling
A new lawsuit alleges poor care for mentally ill inmates at one of the highest security prisons in the country.
By Christie Thompson
News June 6, 2017
Justice Department Probes Alleged Abuses on Prison Transport Vans
Almost a year after our story, a preliminary investigation looks closely at one case.
By Alysia Santo and Eli Hager
News May 31, 2017
What Are Inmates Learning in Prison? Not Much.
A new survey of 2,000 federal prisoners reveals big gaps in teaching reentry skills.
By Justin George
News May 23, 2017
The New Tool That Could Revolutionize How We Measure Justice
A small nonprofit gathers criminal justice statistics, one county at a time.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News May 17, 2017
Crime Victims Stand to Lose Aid, If Obamacare Goes Away
Without it, state compensation funds would again bear more of the burden.
By Alysia Santo
News May 16, 2017
How Prosecutors Are Fighting Trump’s Deportation Plans
Some D.A.’s urge new discretion on pleas, sentences.
By Christie Thompson
News May 11, 2017
How to Leak Stories to The Marshall Project
Your guide to becoming a source
By The Marshall Project
News May 11, 2017
Jury Clears the Prosecutor Who Sent Cameron Todd Willingham to Death Row
John Jackson did not commit misconduct in 1992 case, a jury finds.
By Maurice Possley
News May 10, 2017
Comey Fired: A Reading Guide
Here’s what you need to know about the “Tuesday Night Massacre.”
By Andrew Cohen
News May 10, 2017
A Fresh Take on Ending the Jail-to-Street-to-Jail Cycle
For troubled repeat offenders, a chance at a supportive place to live.
By Christie Thompson
News May 8, 2017
Treating Cancer with Ibuprofen
Medical care is already bad for immigrant detainees. Will Trump policies make it worse?
By Christie Thompson
News April 28, 2017
Just Another Week in Hell
The news from your local lockup is not good.
By Ken Armstrong
News April 26, 2017
Congressman Calls for Probe into Private Prisoner Transport
Rep. Ted Deutch, a Florida Democrat, keeps up pressure on the House.
By Eli Hager and Alysia Santo
News April 23, 2017
At Least 61,000 Nationwide Are in Prison for Minor Parole Violations
But the number is probably far higher, Marshall Project survey shows.
By Eli Hager
News April 16, 2017
The Immigration Policy That Ate the Justice Department
Under Sessions’ latest orders, the border is everywhere.
By Julia Preston
News April 14, 2017
The Fine Print in New York’s Raise the Age Law
Thousands of juveniles could still head right to adult court.
By Eli Hager
News April 13, 2017
Probation-for-Profit Just Got Less Profitable
Georgia squeezes “offender-funded” supervision.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News April 10, 2017
Here are the 7 men Arkansas plans to execute this month
The cases of the condemned capture much of the debate for and against the death penalty.
By Maurice Chammah
News March 23, 2017
Another Death on a For-Profit Extradition Vehicle
Federal officials promised last year to look into the mistreatment of detainees, but little has changed.
By Eli Hager and Alysia Santo
News March 20, 2017
Cops Win Another Round Pursuing the Prosecutor Who Pursued Them
A judge rules against Marilyn Mosby in the Freddie Gray case.
By Eli Hager
News March 16, 2017
A New Florida Prosecutor Says ‘No’ to the Death Penalty
But the tough-on-crime establishment fights back.
By Eli Hager
News March 14, 2017
Prosecutor: It’s Terrorism. Suspect: ‘I Was Just Saying Something Stupid’
If it was just a crazy, drug-induced outburst, is it worth 7 years in prison?
By Maurice Chammah
News March 12, 2017
Was Evan Miller ‘The Rare Juvenile’ Who Deserved Life Without Parole?
Now 28, he’ll be re-sentenced, unless the court finds him ‘irreparably corrupt.’
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News March 7, 2017
The Seismic Change in Police Interrogations
A major player in law enforcement says it will no longer use a method linked to false confessions.
By Eli Hager
News March 3, 2017
Philadelphia Will Stop Billing Parents When Their Children Are Incarcerated
The announcement comes just hours after we highlighted the practice.
By Eli Hager
News March 2, 2017
Your Kid Goes to Jail, You Get the Bill
For 40 years, many parents have had to pay for their children's incarceration, but that may be changing.
By Eli Hager
News March 1, 2017
A Better Way to Treat Addiction in Jail
Medications are effective, but jails are still slow to provide them.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News February 14, 2017
A Case of Torture and Grammar
Sometimes justice is just weird.
By Ken Armstrong
News February 12, 2017
If Kids Ran Juvie
Suggestions from the people who know juvenile detention best.
By Eli Hager
News February 8, 2017
“If Someone is Bringing Drugs into Mar-a-Lago, Police Could Try to Seize it.”
Donald Trump faces a fight on asset forfeiture.
By Maurice Chammah
News February 5, 2017
Sessions May Resist Federal Oversight of Police, But There’s Another Option
A California law offers a way for states to reshape troubled departments.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News February 2, 2017
Watch: A New Documentary’s Rare Access Inside Solitary
A filmmaker spends a year inside a Virginia supermax facility.
By Celina Fang
News January 25, 2017
Against the Trump Tide
Away from Washington, a new breed of prosecutors takes first steps.
By Eli Hager
News January 18, 2017
How Obama Disappointed on the Death Penalty
Two commutations this week was less than many had hoped for.
By Maurice Chammah
News January 18, 2017
24,000 Defendants Get a New Chance at Justice in Drug-Lab Scandal
Some deportees gain, too, but no one knows how many are affected.
By Christie Thompson
News January 16, 2017
When Are You Too Stoned to Drive?
The question is trickier than you’d think for police, and the courts, to answer.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News January 5, 2017
A Parole Hearing in New York, With a Governor’s Blessing This Time
A ‘60s radical faces very different political atmosphere than her co-defendant did a decade ago.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News December 20, 2016
Child Support Relief Coming for Incarcerated Parents
In the last days of the Obama administration, regulators quietly ease the child support burden on parents in prison.
By Eli Hager
News December 14, 2016
Let’s Go to Prison!
A national field trip to Incarceration Nation, under the shadow of Donald Trump
By Eli Hager
News December 12, 2016
Was the Robber 6-foot-3 or 5-foot-6?
Testing the reliability of video analysis.
By Maurice Chammah
News December 7, 2016
Federal Official Urges Probe of ‘Abuse’ on Private Prisoner Transport
It is the latest call for an investigation of the for-profit extradition industry.
By Eli Hager and Alysia Santo
News November 29, 2016
The Crucial Immigration Case About to Hit the Supreme Court
With Trump’s pledge to deport millions, bail hearings become an even bigger issue.
By Christie Thompson
News November 18, 2016
8 Ways Jeff Sessions Could Change Criminal Justice
From police to prosecutions to prisons, the AG holds wide sway.
By Eli Hager, Alysia Santo and Simone Weichselbaum
News November 15, 2016
Outside Groups Set Spending Record in Judicial Races
More than $19 million spent on campaigns for top court seats in 27 states.
By Christie Thompson
News November 9, 2016
What Trump’s Win Means for Chicago and Baltimore’s Cops
The president-elect may soon upend an Obama-era police reform tactic.
By Maurice Chammah
News October 25, 2016
Does the First Amendment End at the Prison Gate?
An inmate’s novel is the latest test.
By Eli Hager
News October 23, 2016
If Prisoners Ran Prisons
Five Texas inmates say what they’d do differently.
By Maurice Chammah
News October 17, 2016
Kalief’s Mother on Her Torment “I miss my son. I miss him so much.”
By The Marshall Project
News October 5, 2016
Making the Case Against Banishing Sex Offenders
Legislators won’t touch the subject, but courts are proving more sympathetic.
By Maurice Chammah
News October 3, 2016
When the Cops Take Your Urine by Force
Police want a sample. They can do it the easy way, or they can do it the hard way.
By Ken Armstrong
News September 29, 2016
Chicago’s Ousted Top Cop Talks to Common About Race, Guns and Mistrust
A new docu-series, ‘America Divided,’ explores inequality, issue by issue.
By The Marshall Project
News September 27, 2016
In Some States, Raising the Age for Adult Court Is the Easy Part
But in South Carolina, making the juvenile system more humane will be much harder.
By Eli Hager
News September 27, 2016
A Primer on the Nationwide Prisoners’ Strike
Prisoners can be forced to work without pay — the Constitution says so.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News September 27, 2016
After #Debates2016: What You Need to Know About Stop and Frisk
Collected from around the web by Marshall Project staff.
By The Marshall Project
News September 22, 2016
The Criminal Justice Reform That Could Actually Reach Obama’s Desk
In a year of inaction, a bill that changes the way we treat juveniles makes some headway.
By Eli Hager
News September 22, 2016
How Mexico Saves Its Citizens from the Death Penalty in the U.S.
A fund is designated to train, pay and advise American defense lawyers.
By Maurice Chammah
News September 21, 2016
Do Prison Strikes Work?
Amid a current prison work stoppage, here are five strikes and how they turned out.
By Christie Thompson
News September 20, 2016
The Most Dangerous Neighborhood, the Most Inexperienced Cops
In Chicago and elsewhere, rookies are cannon fodder while vets police the safer neighborhoods.
By Andrew Fan
News September 13, 2016
When an Old Law Makes It Hard to Fix a Troubled Jail
A federal statute from the Carter era favors negotiation, but that can take a long time.
By Alysia Santo
News September 6, 2016
Mississippi Limits Prison Visits to Immediate Family
A strict new policy begins after "a security violation".
By Christie Thompson
News August 25, 2016
Revisiting Attica Shows How New York State Failed to Fulfill Promises
A new book brings attention to the deadly 1971 prison uprising. Reporters for The New York Times and The Marshall Project describe what has changed since then, and what hasn’t.
By Michael Winerip, Tom Robbins and Michael Schwirtz
News August 23, 2016
Bail Reformers Aren’t Waiting for Bail Reform
They’re using charity to set poor defendants free.
By Alysia Santo
News August 21, 2016
Does College Hazing Defy the Laws It Spawned?
Many states bar dangerous rituals, but little seems to change.
By Josiah Bates
News August 18, 2016
What You Need to Know About the Private Prison Phase-Out
With the feds cutting back, the companies are down but not out.
By Maurice Chammah
News August 16, 2016
Chicago’s Civilian Review Board: Will the New One Be Better?
Advocates seek more independence from police involvement.
By Deonna Anderson
News August 10, 2016
The Obama Criminal Justice Reforms That Trump Could Undo
A close look at the “executive actions” that the sweep of a pen could end.
By Eli Hager
News August 9, 2016
Merger Put on Hold for Prisoner Transportation Company Facing Federal Scrutiny
A proposed deal between Prisoner Transportation Services and its closest rival is delayed after an objection is filed.
By Eli Hager and Alysia Santo
News August 5, 2016
Company in Deadly Prisoner Transportation Investigation Puts New Safety Measures in Place
The moves by Prisoner Transportation Services come a month after a Marshall Project story.
By Eli Hager and Alysia Santo
News July 27, 2016
Trump on the Limits of Trump
“We have far too much imperialism in the chief executive.”
By Simone Weichselbaum
News July 27, 2016
Are Cop-Killings on the Rise?
Only if you look at very limited data.
By Maurice Chammah
News July 25, 2016
Trump Denounces Chicago on Gun Violence, But Is He Leaving Something Out?
A lot of those guns come from neighboring Indiana, the state his running mate leads.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News July 20, 2016
Did the Cop-Killers Have PTSD?
We may never know, because “it is so easy to fall through the cracks.”
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News July 12, 2016
U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch Will Probe Private Prisoner Transport Industry
Her pledge to lawmakers comes after a Marshall Project investigation into deaths and abuses in the industry.
By Eli Hager
News July 12, 2016
Who Loves Pokémon Go? The Police.
Officers seize on the latest craze for fun — and plenty of safety tips.
By Jonathan Gomez
News July 8, 2016
Coverage of the Dallas Police Ambush
Collected from around the web by Marshall Project staff.
By The Marshall Project
News July 8, 2016
Recent Stories About Police Shootings
Collected from around the web by Marshall Project staff.
By The Marshall Project
News June 29, 2016
A Professional Bounty Hunter Who Likes the Bail System Just the Way It Is
A star of reality TV, Beth Chapman takes on those who say money bail is unfair.
By Alysia Santo
News June 22, 2016
How a Lawyer Gave Up Corporate Work to Help Exonerees Re-enter Society
When being innocent isn’t enough, you need Jon Eldan.
By Rachel Siegel
News June 21, 2016
Are Traffic Stops Prone to Racial Bias?
An attempt to find out confronts a frayed patchwork of data across the country.
By Vignesh Ramachandran and Katie Kramon
News June 19, 2016
When You’re Busted at the Music Festival, Who Ya Gonna Call?
Some defense lawyers have learned to specialize in the realm of excess.
By Alysia Santo
News June 9, 2016
The Scandal-Singed DAs Who Want to Be Judges
For decades, California prosecutors covered up unethical deals with jailhouse informers.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News June 7, 2016
How Easy Would It Be to Recall the Judge in the Brock Turner Case?
A high-profile sexual-assault case provokes demands for pulling the judge off the bench, but such a remedy is rare.
By Eli Hager
News May 31, 2016
Want to Clear Your Record? It’ll Cost You $450
In Tennessee and other states, former felons can’t always afford it.
By Maura Ewing
News May 24, 2016
For Some Prisoners, Finishing Their Sentences Doesn’t Mean They Get Out
The special problem of being a sex offender.
By Christie Thompson
News May 19, 2016
When Parole Boards Trump the Supreme Court
The high court has said most kids shouldn't be sentenced to life without parole, but some prisoners' fate are in the hands of politics.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News May 6, 2016
America’s Loudest Sheriffs: A Reading Guide
Milwaukee’s David Clarke is the latest in a long line of controversy-courting lawmen
By Maurice Chammah
News May 2, 2016
Do Public Defenders Spend Less Time on Black Clients?
Some suspect “implicit bias” is not just a problem for police, prosecutors, and judges.
By Maurice Chammah
News May 1, 2016
Here’s the New Application that Former Inmates Need to Get Back the Vote in Iowa
How the state defines “simple.”
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News April 28, 2016
A Death Sentence in Louisiana Rarely Means You’ll be Executed
Over the last 40 years, reversals have become commonplace.
By Maurice Chammah
News April 14, 2016
Should Prisoners Be Allowed to Have Facebook Pages?
A new policy in Texas limits inmates’ access to social media, creating a First Amendment conundrum.
By Maurice Chammah
News April 11, 2016
The State That is Taking on the Prison Guards Union
For decades, New York state’s corrections officers union has held the power in disciplinary decisions.
By Michael Winerip, Michael Schwirtz and Tom Robbins
News April 5, 2016
Can the Troubled Cleveland Police Handle a Volatile Republican Convention?
Operating under federal oversight, officers will be scrutinized for how they use force.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News March 30, 2016
Obama Commutes the Sentences of 61 Federal Prisoners
An attempt to further level out crack cocaine sentencing disparities.
By Eli Hager
News March 29, 2016
DOJ Tells Prisons to Put Safety First in Housing Transgender Inmates
Rules from 2012 are too often ignored, advocates say.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News March 29, 2016
Why Some Prisoners With HIV Get Better Treatment Than Others
A new report says care varies widely between Louisiana’s jails and prisons.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News March 16, 2016
Should Hard-line Prosecutors Be Nervous?
After voters oust two prosecutors for failing to hold police accountable, maybe.
By Christie Thompson
News March 3, 2016
There Are Still 80 ‘Youth Prisons’ in the U.S. Here Are Five Things to Know About Them
They’re harsh, dangerous and isolated — and may be around for a while.
By Eli Hager
News February 25, 2016
Listen to Our First Collaboration with “This American Life”
“An Anatomy of Doubt,” a young woman’s story of rape and redemption, debuts Friday.
error in byline
News February 22, 2016
Why Some Prisons are Spending Millions on a Pricey New Drug
Corrections facilities are ground zero for treating hepatitis C — but at a cost.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News February 16, 2016
Watch a Video From “Mariposa and the Saint,” a New Play About Solitary Confinement
The work is based on years of letters between Julia Steele Allen and Sara Fonseca.
By Alysia Santo
News February 9, 2016
Congress Acts to Mark Passports of Sex Offenders
Target of legislation is sex-traffickers; critics call it a ‘scarlet letter.’
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News February 4, 2016
Six States Where Felons Can’t Get Food Stamps
Few holdouts remain, as drug-war-era bans on benefits are lifted.
By Eli Hager
News February 2, 2016
Old Convictions, New Science
Texas tackles debunked forensics.
By Maurice Chammah
News January 28, 2016
Why Getting Sued Could Be the Best Thing to Happen to New Orleans’ Public Defenders
The ACLU takes the cash-poor agency to court to force the cash-poor legislature to pay.
By Eli Hager
News January 27, 2016
San Quentin Puts on a Happy Face
A field trip to California’s oldest prison.
By Bill Keller and Neil Barsky
News January 27, 2016
Security Warnings by U.S. Preceded California Jail Break
Three inmates had a 16-hour head start after fleeing lock-up that had ‘poor supervision.'
By Alysia Santo
News January 25, 2016
The Supreme Court May Have Just Granted Thousands of Prisoners a Chance of Freedom
The Montgomery ruling says juveniles sentenced to life without parole must get a shot at a new sentence or parole.
By Andrew Cohen
News January 25, 2016
The Secret Hints for Winning Parole
Brush your teeth, sit up straight, and prepare for disappointment.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News January 19, 2016
Massachusetts Mobilizes to Treat Addicted Moms
Jail time increasingly gives way to residential programs.
By Meredith Derby Berg
News January 7, 2016
Gun Control is One Thing, But What About Bullets?
Prohibitions exist, but almost no enforcement.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News January 5, 2016
Why Do Obama’s Gun Initiatives Sound Kind of Familiar?
Perhaps because he’s been here before.
By Eli Hager
News January 5, 2016
Penny Beerntsen, the Rape Victim in ‘Making A Murderer,’ Speaks Out
“My testimony sent an innocent person to prison…. I absolutely wanted the earth to swallow me.”
By Christie Thompson
News January 4, 2016
How We Counted the Juveniles Sent to Prison for Life
A law practice finds thousands whose sentences could be affected by Miller v. Alabama
By John Mills
News December 28, 2015
Miami’s Notorious Jail Fights Back Against Rape
A 5-year turnaround is cited as a model of prevention.
By Alysia Santo
News December 24, 2015
About That Unbelievable Story
A note on the joys of collaboration
By Stephen Engelberg and Bill Keller
News December 23, 2015
What Everyone Gets Wrong About Christmas Pardons
It’s not true that prisoners get released during the holidays
By Caroline Grueskin
News December 22, 2015
Deck the Dorm: A Christmas Contest in a Kentucky Jail
The Louisville jail holds an annual competition to bring cheer to a tough time of year
By Alysia Santo & mashable
News December 20, 2015
Spotting the ‘Red Flags’ of Abusive Prison Guards
Under pressure, New York says it will better track correctional officers
By Tom Robbins
News December 18, 2015
Rape is Rape, Isn’t It?
It depends on who is counting, and what they count.
By T. Christian Miller and Tom Meagher
News December 18, 2015
A Brutal Crime, Often Terribly Investigated
“An Unbelievable Story of Rape” by The Marshall Project and ProPublica underscored the need for improving rape investigations. Here’s how.
By Ken Armstrong and T. Christian Miller
News December 18, 2015
John Oliver’s Year in Criminal Justice
A roundup of clips and one-liners from one of the most vocal critics of our prison system.
By Christie Thompson
News December 17, 2015
The Best Reporting on Rape
A Marshall Project reading list.
By Pedro Burgos and Blair Hickman
News December 16, 2015
How We Reported ‘An Unbelievable Story of Rape’
A roundup of interviews and documents.
By Ken Armstrong and T. Christian Miller
News December 15, 2015
Why Did It Take the Feds So Long to Probe Chicago Cops?
The Laquan McDonald killing was preceded by years of documented violence.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News December 14, 2015
What Angola's Resigning Warden Is Leaving Behind
For 20 years, Burl Cain both punished and preached.
By Maurice Chammah
News December 14, 2015
The Bureaucracy of Mercy
Why hasn’t President Obama freed more prisoners? Maybe that’s the wrong question.
By Bill Keller
News December 11, 2015
How a Stranger Helped One Man Rebuild His Life After Prison
‘I never thought people would care.’
By Tom Robbins
News December 9, 2015
Highlights From Our Death Penalty Discussion
Journalists Liliana Segura, Gabriel Dance and Maurice Chammah took your questions about the death penalty and criminal justice reporting. Here are some of the highlights.
By Pedro Burgos
News December 9, 2015
Could Trees Help Stop Crime?
Researchers think turning more vacant lots green might work.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News December 7, 2015
The Death Penalty in 2015
Join us for a chat on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. about the state of the death penalty in 2015, and what's to come in 2016
By Maurice Chammah
News December 4, 2015
What it’s Like to be a Cop Involved in a Mass Shooting
“It keeps replaying on a loop: you smell it and see it and hear it.”
By Christie Thompson
News December 2, 2015
Another Police ‘Reformer’ Takes a Fall
Chicago’s chief became a political liability.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News November 24, 2015
The $33 Test in Prison That Could Save Countless Lives on the Outside
Treating Hep C isn’t cheap, but experts say it’s cost-effective.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News November 19, 2015
The Unfolding Campaign to Save the Death Penalty
Supporters rally around a more efficient system of execution.
By Maurice Chammah
News November 13, 2015
Need Cash to Hire a Lawyer? Try Crowdfunding
When raising money the old-fashioned way just won’t do.
By Caroline Grueskin
News November 12, 2015
Kentucky’s Protracted Struggle to Get Rid of Bail
‘Is there any better way than money’?
By Alysia Santo
News November 11, 2015
What’s In a Date?
For registered sex offenders in California, quite a lot.
By Anat Rubin
News November 10, 2015
Could Virtual OBGYN Services Help Stop Miscarriages? One Arkansas Jail Hopes So
Prodded by lawsuits, one jail moves to curb fetal deaths.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News November 6, 2015
Is the U.S. Ready for Safe Injection Rooms?
A widespread heroin problem could open the door to a once-radical idea.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News November 3, 2015
Will Pennsylvania Do Away With Elections for Supreme Court?
An expensive, tough-on-crime race tests the current system.
By Christie Thompson
News October 28, 2015
Is Halloween Really More Dangerous for Kids?
A lack of evidence doesn’t stop cities from rounding up sexual offenders on the holiday.
By Anat Rubin
News October 26, 2015
So Many Defendants, So Little Time
Inside Utah’s troubled indigent defense system.
By Alysia Santo
News October 22, 2015
Obama Defends Black Lives Matter Movement in Talk With The Marshall Project
Editor-in-Chief Bill Keller moderates a White House talk with law enforcement leaders.
By Maurice Chammah
News October 22, 2015
The FCC Looks into the Prison Telephone Racket
Phone home, go broke.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News October 21, 2015
What to Know About Our Conversation with President Obama Tomorrow
Join the conversation by submitting your question for President Obama.
By The Marshall Project
News October 21, 2015
Top Cops and Prosecutors Form Alliance to Battle Crime and Prison Crowding
New group backs bipartisan proposals to ease drug sentencing, solitary confinement.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News October 20, 2015
New York City Jail Guards Are Fighting to Keep Their Records Secret
Amid abuse charges, union acts to ‘protect our officers.’
By Alysia Santo
News October 19, 2015
13 Words That Could Mean Freedom for Many
The debate over the federal ‘residual clause.’
By Caroline Grueskin
News October 9, 2015
Meet the Federal Prisoners About to be Released
A profile of the 6,000.
By The Marshall Project
News October 8, 2015
Were These Transgender Prisoners Paroled — Or Just Kicked Out?
Three prisons were ordered to provide transgender health care. Three prisoners were suddenly set free.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News October 6, 2015
A Rural Sheriff Stares Down the Justice Department
In North Carolina case on racial profiling, U.S. suffers its first loss.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News October 1, 2015
How to Fight Modern-Day Debtors’ Prisons? Sue the Courts.
Alec Karakatsanis’s quest to stop courts from punishing poor people who can’t pay their fees.
By Alysia Santo
News October 1, 2015
Ask Bernie Sanders About Criminal Justice, He’ll Talk About Economics
Sidestepping the issue since his days as mayor of Burlington.
By Eli Hager
News September 22, 2015
Life Without Parole: For Juveniles, 5 Tough Counties
New study places a quarter of the sentences in a handful of urban areas.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News September 17, 2015
Five Things You Didn’t Know About Clearing Your Record
A primer on the complicated road to expungement.
By Christie Thompson
News September 16, 2015
In New York, Padlocked Jumpsuits for Prison ‘EXPOSERS’
An effective way to curb behavior, or ‘an extreme form of restraint’?
By Jie Jenny Zou
News September 14, 2015
The Problem With Hiring Liars to Catch Crooks
Can you really trust an informant who’s been arrested in 43 states?
By Ken Armstrong
News September 10, 2015
‘I’m Just Happy to Be Alive’
An Alabama man, wrongfully convicted, overcomes a judicial override to gain his freedom.
By Andrew Cohen
News September 4, 2015
A Phone Call From Jail? Better Watch What You Say
A confession, a threat—it’s probably taped. And admissible.
By Ken Armstrong
News August 31, 2015
In the Execution Business, Missouri Is Surging
Defense lawyers call it a crisis; the state says it’s just doing its job.
By Maurice Chammah
News August 28, 2015
Back on the Agenda: Nebraska’s Death Penalty
A grassroots effort aims to restore what the legislature just ended.
By Maurice Chammah
News August 27, 2015
When Prisons Need to Be More Like Nursing Homes
Finding new ways to treat the growing pool of older, ailing inmates.
By Maura Ewing
News August 26, 2015
Doubting Jennifer Herndon
An appeals lawyer who has represented more than a half-dozen men put to death in Missouri faces questions about her competency.
By Ken Armstrong
News August 23, 2015
A New York Prison-Yard Search and 10 Cases of Frostbite
Barehanded, inmates are ordered to grip a metal fence in 10-degree weather.
By Alysia Santo
News August 18, 2015
A Second Jailhouse Snitch Claims a Secret Deal With Texas Prosecutor
Another death penalty case, another accusation of misconduct.
By Maurice Possley and Maurice Chammah
News August 17, 2015
When ‘Broken Windows’ Meets Tinted Windows
In New York, darkened car windows lead to more police encounters than stop and frisk.
By Alysia Santo
News August 14, 2015
Narcan: It Saves Lives. Does It Enable Addicts?
For frustrated police, it’s a quick fix but no solution.
By Carl Stoffers
News August 13, 2015
Life After Nebraska’s Death Penalty
How other states dealt with their death rows after killing capital punishment.
By Simone Seiver
News August 11, 2015
Why Three Counties That Loved the Death Penalty Have Almost Stopped Pursuing It
A closer look at get-tough DAs.
By Simone Seiver
News August 10, 2015
What Care Do Prisons Owe Transgender Inmates?
A California case may decide.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News August 10, 2015
What We’ve Learned About Racial Disparity in Policing Since Ferguson
A brief overview of the numbers.
By Andrew Cohen
News August 10, 2015
The Woman Who Spent Six Years Fighting a Traffic Stop
Getting caught in a speed trap in a small Louisiana town.
By Ken Armstrong
News August 7, 2015
No Pets for Pariahs
Postscript on the travails of a teenage sex offender.
By Maura Ewing
News August 7, 2015
The Man Held on $9,999,999 Bail
How a Tennessee judge ensured that an accused cop-killer would not go free.
By Alysia Santo
News August 5, 2015
If You Commit Murder, Do You Have the Right to Vote?
The evolving state of voting rights for prisoners.
By Christie Thompson
News August 4, 2015
Why Jails Have More Suicides than Prisons
A new report and a growing phenomenon.
By Maurice Chammah and Tom Meagher
News August 3, 2015
How the Supreme Court Made It Legal for Cops to Pull You Over for Just About Anything
Even hanging an air freshener.
By Ken Armstrong
News July 30, 2015
Obama Is Reinstating Pell Grants for Prisoners
But will politics eventually trump cost and data?
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News July 23, 2015
Federal Prisons Could Release 1,000 Times More Drug Offenders Than Obama Did
New, retroactive sentencing guidelines begin to kick in.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News July 22, 2015
The Sandra Bland Breakthrough
It’s not just black men who matter.
By Maura Ewing
News July 22, 2015
What You May Have Missed in the Sandra Bland Video
And it has nothing to do with the arrest itself.
By Eli Hager
News July 13, 2015
For the First Time, Vermont Will Search Prison Staffers
The drug use that plagues the state now haunts its cellblocks.
By Carl Stoffers
News July 10, 2015
Nine Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Parole
For example: Most states don’t require board members to have any experience with the criminal justice system.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News July 8, 2015
Stung by Abuses at Rikers, New York City Acts on Bail Reform
But the new program would not have helped Kalief Browder.
By Alysia Santo
News July 7, 2015
Cosby in Context
Seven facts about rape.
By Dana Goldstein
News July 2, 2015
Is Google More Accurate Than the FBI?
In tracking deaths by police, the tech world might beat Uncle Sam.
By Mark Hansen
News July 1, 2015
The Case for Smoking in Prison
When cigarettes are outlawed, only outlaws have cigarettes.
By Alysia Santo
News July 1, 2015
How the Law Will Adapt to Oregon’s Legalized Pot
Expunged arrest records, and new jobs for police dogs.
By Maura Ewing, Eli Hager, Simone Seiver and Carl Stoffers
News June 29, 2015
Controlled Substances
Are U.S. drug companies against the death penalty? Sort of.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News June 26, 2015
‘You’re Really Being an Asshole, Officer.’
The law on cursing at cops.
By Ken Armstrong
News June 25, 2015
New Jersey Moves to Keep Kids Under 15 From Adult Court
Age restriction would be toughest in the nation.
By Dana Goldstein
News June 25, 2015
Ohio Gets a Third Chance to Kill Michael Keenan
A case so messy one judge says it’s an argument for abolishing the death penalty.
By Ken Armstrong
News June 22, 2015
School Ties
Columbia students rally to get their school to divest from private prison companies.
By Clare Sestanovich
News June 22, 2015
What to Read: The Charleston Massacre
Selected news and comment from this morning’s Opening Statement.
By Andrew Cohen
News June 22, 2015
The Stiff Competition to Work in German Prisons
How Germany does prison, day five.
By Maurice Chammah
News June 19, 2015
When is a Crime a Hate Crime?
Dylann Roof and the challenges of proving bias.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News June 19, 2015
How Germany Treats Juveniles
Inside the German prison system, day four.
By Maurice Chammah
News June 18, 2015
Can German Prisons Teach America how to Handle Its Most Violent Criminals?
How Germany does prison, day three.
By Maurice Chammah
News June 17, 2015
‘A System That Is Clearly Broken’
A Minnesota sex-offender program is under fire. How long can the state hold people for crimes they have not yet committed?
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News June 17, 2015
Germany’s Kinder, Gentler, Safer Prisons
Blank stares and culture shock. How Germany does prison, day two.
By Maurice Chammah
News June 16, 2015
How Germany Does Prison
Americans on a mind-boggling incarceration road trip. Day One.
By Maurice Chammah
News June 16, 2015
Get Caught with Pot, Face Deportation
As states loosen marijuana laws, the consequences for noncitizens remain as strict as ever.
By Christie Thompson
News June 11, 2015
Why New York Dropped Corizon
It’s not just the big profits and dead inmates.
By Maura Ewing
News June 10, 2015
Cops Shooting at Cars: A Really Bad Idea
More and more, police are told to leave that to Hollywood.
By Simone Seiver
News June 9, 2015
No Bail, Less Hope: The Death of Kalief Browder
A system that kept a teenager in Rikers for three years.
By Alysia Santo
News June 8, 2015
The Possibly Coerced Confession at the Heart of the Bite Mark Case
Re-assessing a videotaped interrogation.
By Carl Stoffers
News June 8, 2015
Could a Bite Mark Catch a Killer?
Or is it junk science?
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News June 5, 2015
Job Opening: No Training, Low Pay, High Turnover
In Mississippi prisons last year, half the officers quit.
By Eli Hager
News June 3, 2015
The 17-Year-Old Adults
States are raising the age of who counts as an adult, but it’s no simple task.
By Maurice Chammah
News June 2, 2015
Who Runs Rikers?
The rule says no solitary for kids. The staff finds a loophole.
By Alysia Santo
News May 27, 2015
Out of Prison, Out of Luck
When the test of innocence is withheld.
By Christie Thompson
News May 26, 2015
Shorter Sentences, Shrinking Prisons
A new report could have a big impact on New York’s prison population — if anyone pays attention.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News May 21, 2015
Reversing Rick Perry
A new Texas governor, a new policy on prison rape.
By Maurice Chammah
News May 20, 2015
A Millennial’s Guide to ‘Broken Windows’
For those who weren’t around in “the bad old days.”
By Simone Seiver
News May 20, 2015
Life Expectancy
How many years make a life sentence for a teenager?
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News May 19, 2015
ATF’s Greatest Hits
Is it time to dismantle the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives?
By Tom Meagher
News May 17, 2015
Feds Open Attica Investigation
Justice Department to study brutality in troubled prison.
By Tom Robbins
News May 15, 2015
McVeigh, Garza, Jones, Tsarnaev
A closer look at the three federal inmates who have been executed since the 1960s.
By Eli Hager
News May 15, 2015
Executing Tsarnaev? Not So Fast.
Like many states, the feds have trouble getting the killer drugs.
By Maurice Chammah
News May 15, 2015
The ‘Candy Bar Movie’
Why Michigan prisoners aren't taking a video about prison rape seriously.
By Maurice Chammah
News May 15, 2015
Delayed Responses
Today marks the deadline for states to comply with prison rape laws. The results? More are, some may not be, and most just want an extension.
By Alysia Santo
News May 14, 2015
The ‘Madison Model’
A shooting death spotlights Wisconsin’s legacy of police reform.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News May 14, 2015
Would You Rather …
... die a (probably) painless death or live 50 years in solitary?
By The Marshall Project
News May 12, 2015
A New Conservative Approach to Justice: Serve the Poor
With jails filling up, right to counsel gains favor.
By Andrew Cohen
News May 12, 2015
Adding Pepper Spray to the Prison Arsenal
A new Human Rights Watch report assesses use of force behind bars.
By Alysia Santo
News May 7, 2015
A (More or Less) Definitive Guide to Hillary Clinton’s Record on Law and Order
She was for reform before she was against it before she was for it.
By Eli Hager
News May 7, 2015
Older Prisoners, Higher Costs
A tough, new report says it’s time for federal prisons to release the elderly and infirm.
By Andrew Cohen
News May 2, 2015
Baltimore’s Polite Police Reform
The softer side of Justice Department intervention.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News April 29, 2015
A Death Penalty Case, or Just Bullying?
High Court’s conservatives bridle at ‘guerilla’ tactics of ‘abolitionist’ movement.
By Andrew Cohen
News April 28, 2015
Meet Anthony Batts
A brief, aggregated history of the Baltimore police commissioner at the eye of the storm.
By Andrew Cohen
News April 27, 2015
Blue Shield
Did you know police have their own Bill of Rights?
By Eli Hager
News April 24, 2015
Why is it So Hard for the Justice Department to Curb Police Abuse?
Ask the experts in a Facebook chat Friday at noon ET.
By Blair Hickman
News April 24, 2015
Bad FBI Science
A forensic whistleblower on the latest scandal.
By Andrew Cohen
News April 24, 2015
Why Cops Aren’t Ready for Their Close-Up
A police officer makes the case for keeping your distance.
By Alysia Santo
News April 23, 2015
‘There is a Visceral Hatred for the People Who Wear This Uniform.’
Baltimore’s chief on policing in black communities.
By Christie Thompson
News April 23, 2015
Who Told the Truth, Part 2
A hearing in San Antonio revives the ghosts of the satanic abuse trials and questions about the testimony of child victims.
By Maurice Chammah
News April 22, 2015
When Your Insulin Pump is Contraband
What diabetics face behind bars.
By Christie Thompson
News April 22, 2015
Policing is Not a Part-Time Job
A 25-year-veteran cop says the place for reservists is behind a desk.
By Eli Hager
News April 17, 2015
Long Shorts and Baggy Shirts
An immigration detention facility tries a new method for curbing sexual assault: Make the women dress differently.
By Maurice Chammah
News April 16, 2015
Can You Go to Jail for Not Paying Rent?
Only in Arkansas. And a stealthy campaign is changing that.
By Eli Hager
News April 14, 2015
Two Confessions
One by a nervous kid. One by a self-styled hit man. A Detroit whodunnit.
By Andrew Cohen
News April 14, 2015
Cheaters Never Prosper
But they hardly ever get punished this severely.
By Dana Goldstein
News April 10, 2015
Why Was Walter Scott Running?
50,000 parents, mostly black fathers, can guess.
By Eli Hager
News April 8, 2015
For the Record
If police had recorded his interrogation, would Max Soffar be on death row?
By Maurice Chammah
News April 6, 2015
In Blue, But Not Blue-Collar
Why police are better paid than most workers.
By Eli Hager and Gerald Rich
News April 6, 2015
A Battle for the Bench
Who is the toughest judge in all of Wisconsin?
By Christie Thompson
News April 6, 2015
What to Read on the Boston Bombing Trial
In time for closing arguments, ten pieces to catch you up.
By Andrew Cohen
News April 3, 2015
Gangs of New York
Allegations in Harlem the latest blow to a celebrated anti-violence program.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News April 3, 2015
Where Rape Goes Unnoticed
The Prison Rape Elimination Act is making its way into state prisons, but what about all those county jails?
By Maurice Chammah
News April 2, 2015
Jolly Ranchers, Sage and Breath Mints
A closer look at a favorite (and unreliable) law-enforcement tool: drug field tests.
By Alysia Santo
News March 27, 2015
West Virginia Loosens Anti-Truancy Laws
But does the state go far enough?
By Dana Goldstein
News March 24, 2015
The Worst State for Kids Up Against the Law
It’s Florida, hands down.
By Eli Hager
News March 19, 2015
Behind the Hashtag
#Blacklivesmatter wants to stay black.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News March 19, 2015
Attica Reads About Attica
A story of brutality clears the prison censors.
By Tom Robbins
News March 18, 2015
Willingham Prosecutor Accused of Misconduct
State bar files charges more than 10 years after execution.
By Maurice Possley
News March 17, 2015
Five Lessons from “The Jinx”
What the HBO documentary series shows us about real-world law enforcement.
By Dana Goldstein and Eli Hager
News March 17, 2015
Forgiving vs. Forgetting
For offenders seeking a new life, a new redemption tool.
By Eli Hager
News March 16, 2015
After Willacy
A private prison company, a prison riot, and what comes next.
By Maurice Chammah
News March 13, 2015
When Juries Help Judge
Giving jurors a say in sentencing.
By Eli Hager
News March 12, 2015
Why Is the FBI so White?
The nation diversifies. The bureau, not so much.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News March 11, 2015
Barred from Church
Sex-offender laws are raising questions about the right to worship.
By Maurice Chammah
News March 10, 2015
The $14 Million Death Sentence
Louisiana tried to sentence five men to death for the murder of a prison guard. It wasn’t cheap.
By Maurice Chammah
News March 5, 2015
Attica’s Prosecutors Show Their Hand
And defend their decision to play it safe.
By Tom Robbins
News March 5, 2015
Missed by a Mile
How hard is it to count deaths by police?
By Eli Hager
News March 2, 2015
No Jail Time for Attica Guards
Brutal beating resolved with a misdemeanor plea.
By Tom Robbins and Lauren D'avolio
News February 27, 2015
Untested Rape Kits: FAQ
Why cities are struggling with backlogs, and what they’re doing about them.
By Clare Sestanovich
News February 25, 2015
American Sniper
A trial in Texas tests the limits of America’s sympathy for war-damaged vets.
By Maurice Chammah
News February 24, 2015
The Prison Rape Videos: Three Out of Four Stars
The first reviews are in, mostly amazed that New York actually made these films.
By Eli Hager
News February 24, 2015
Debtors’ Prisons, Then and Now: FAQ
Congress outlawed them. The Supreme Court ruled them unconstitutional. Yet they live on.
By Eli Hager
News February 20, 2015
Oscar on Trial
How Academy Award-nominated films have handled, and mishandled, criminal justice.
By Maurice Chammah
News February 20, 2015
Just Buy the Boy a Bike
Can classic community policing prevent terrorism?
By Simone Weichselbaum
News February 18, 2015
Suing from Prison
It’s not just about bad haircuts and peanut butter.
By Alysia Santo
News February 17, 2015
The Anti-Heroin
Is Vivitrol an answer to addiction? A drug-plagued county thinks so.
By Alysia Santo
News February 16, 2015
The White and the Blue
Boston cops weather the endless snow.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News February 13, 2015
Fifty Shades of Law
In some states you can watch the movie, but don’t try to act it out.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News February 13, 2015
Another Death Penalty Moratorium
As Pennsylvania hits pause on capital punishment, the script sounds familiar.
By Ken Armstrong
News February 11, 2015
Anyone in Favor of Child Sex Slavery?
Not in Congress. But what do all those anti-trafficking bills actually do?
By Christie Thompson
News February 11, 2015
Jon Stewart on Criminal Justice
The jester takes a bow.
By Clare Sestanovich
News February 11, 2015
‘Heaven’
Happiness is a family sleepover.
By Sheila Anne Feeney
News February 10, 2015
Our Body-Cams, Ourselves
Now that police are always on, who gets to watch?
By Clare Sestanovich
News February 4, 2015
When Police Go Rogue on Facebook
And you thought it was only teenagers...
By Ken Armstrong
News February 4, 2015
How Much for Ted Bundy’s Toenails?
Inside the world of “murderabilia.”
By Alysia Santo
News February 2, 2015
Is an Emoji Worth 1,000 Words?
A new set of characters enters the courtroom lexicon.
By Eli Hager
News February 2, 2015
Khaled Who?
An accused terrorist goes on trial. Manhattan yawns.
By Clare Sestanovich
News January 31, 2015
The Great Ohio Death Drug Mystery
Who’s selling what to the executioner?
By Maurice Chammah
News January 28, 2015
What You Should Read About Loretta Lynch
A selective guide to the reporting on the next attorney general.
By Andrew Cohen
News January 28, 2015
Another Kind of Isolation
The Bureau of Prisons tightens the rules at its secretive “Communication Management Units.”
By Christie Thompson
News January 27, 2015
America Hates Terrorists
But we don’t execute them. A short history.
By Eli Hager
News January 27, 2015
See No Evil
A new report details abuse of blind, deaf and disabled inmates in a Texas prison.
By Maurice Chammah
News January 23, 2015
The Politics of Mercy
Is clemency still the third rail? We may find out.
By Ken Armstrong
News January 23, 2015
‘The Garb of Innocence’
Defendants may be presumed innocent — but can judges ensure they look innocent?
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News January 22, 2015
Next Slide, Please
Another conviction is thrown out after prosecutors misuse PowerPoint.
By Ken Armstrong
News January 21, 2015
‘Crime’ and ‘Punishment’
A close look at the language of past State of the Union speeches.
By Gabriel Dance, Tom Meagher and Ivar Vong
News January 20, 2015
The Near Death of Mark Christeson
He was nearly executed because his lawyers missed a filing deadline. Now the Supreme Court has weighed in on what should happen next.
By Ken Armstrong
News January 20, 2015
‘My Fellow Americans’
Reimagining the president's State of the Union speech.
By Andrew Cohen
News January 16, 2015
A Pirate’s Booty
The Feds acquire a confusing asset: bitcoins.
By Gerald Rich
News January 16, 2015
Bad Blood
Lawyer v. Court. Guess who wins?
By Maurice Chammah
News January 16, 2015
Hands Off My Yacht
Left and right unite against forfeiture laws. But can they convince the Department of Justice? Update: Yes.
By Christie Thompson
News January 15, 2015
Look! Up In the Sky! It’s ... Illegal!
The FAA recruits local cops to police drones.
By Tom Meagher
News January 14, 2015
NYC Declares an End to Solitary for Inmates Under 21
Now comes the hard part.
By Clare Sestanovich
News January 13, 2015
Fit to be Killed?
The impending execution of a decorated soldier shows the limits of the PTSD defense.
By Eli Hager
News January 12, 2015
Beat the Feds
Alabama pitches prison reform as a states' rights issue.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News January 12, 2015
Going Viral
The great (make-believe) Ebola outbreak.
By Maurice Chammah
News January 8, 2015
Life Without Police
A view from the corner.
By Eli Hager
News January 7, 2015
Eric Holder, Dzhokar Tsarnaev, and the Death Penalty
The attorney general’s last word.
By Maurice Chammah
News January 6, 2015
A Short History of Police Protest
From Calvin Coolidge to Bill de Blasio.
By Clare Sestanovich
News December 23, 2014
PowerPoint Justice
When prosecutors slide around the law.
By Ken Armstrong
News December 19, 2014
Havana vs. Rikers Island
Where would you rather do time?
By Clare Sestanovich
News December 18, 2014
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Private Prisons...
...is none of your damn business.
By Christie Thompson
News December 17, 2014
Peeping Toms
Do prison inmates have a right to privacy?
By Alysia Santo
News December 17, 2014
Six Reasons the Death Penalty is Becoming More Expensive
Experts, experts and more experts.
By Maurice Chammah
News December 16, 2014
Was Lennon Lacy Lynched?
A brief modern history of racially motivated murder.
By Andrew Cohen and Christie Thompson
News December 15, 2014
A Vet and His Demons
Does he belong in a prison or a hospital?
By Maurice Chammah
News December 13, 2014
Kids Are Different
The sweet spot in criminal justice reform.
By Andrew Cohen
News December 12, 2014
‘The Ferguson Bill’
A new law promises to track civilians killed by police. Don’t hold your breath.
By Eli Hager
News December 12, 2014
Confessing While Black
When the threat of a white jury is an interrogation tool.
By Andrew Cohen
News December 11, 2014
‘WOW’ed’
Our favorite nugget from the torture report.
By Bill Keller and Clare Sestanovich
News December 10, 2014
What Can You Do With a Drunken Lawyer?
Not much. Which may be why Robert Holsey is dead.
By Ken Armstrong
News December 9, 2014
It’s Not the Heat
Prison inmates are dying of cold. Why?
By Alysia Santo
News December 8, 2014
What it’s Like to be Black In the NYPD Right Now
“Morale is already dead.”
By Simone Weichselbaum and Christie Thompson
News December 4, 2014
The Garner Decision in Black and White
Reckoning with the great justice divide.
By Andrew Cohen
News December 3, 2014
New York Explains Itself
Some questions and answers about the city’s new mental health initiative.
By Andrew Cohen
News December 2, 2014
Therapists in Blue
Can New York’s police learn to handle the mentally ill?
By Dana Goldstein
News December 2, 2014
What You Need to Know About Body Cameras
Police cams are all the rage. Are they the answer?
By Clare Sestanovich
News December 2, 2014
Pulling the Teeth from the Prison Rape Elimination Act
Delay, defy, defang.
By Alysia Santo
News December 1, 2014
A Plea from the Right
Conservative stalwarts urge Texas to spare Scott Panetti.
By Maurice Chammah
News December 1, 2014
Crazy or Faking It?
The impending execution of Scott Panetti and the search for a standard of sanity.
By Maurice Chammah
News December 1, 2014
Ohio’s New Frontier in Secrecy
Protecting doctors who testify for lethal injections.
By Maurice Chammah
News November 26, 2014
Ferguson, Continued
What to read in the aftermath.
By Andrew Cohen
News November 25, 2014
Law and Disorder in Ferguson
10 must-reads from coverage of the decision, and the protests.
By Andrew Cohen
News November 24, 2014
Now Comes the Civil Suit
It's not over for Ferguson.
By Simone Weichselbaum
News November 24, 2014
Do Convicted Killers Deserve Free Speech?
In the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Pennsylvania says no.
By Beth Schwartzapfel
News November 21, 2014
Deporting ‘Felons, Not Families’
Obama’s immigration plan has no room for criminals. But what’s a criminal?
By Christie Thompson
News November 21, 2014
The Corrections
Tales from a week of overturned convictions.
By Andrew Cohen
News November 18, 2014
Is Mass Incarceration Going Away?
New numbers from 28 states suggest otherwise.
By Andrew Cohen
News November 17, 2014
Waiting for Ferguson
A grand jury's secret, thankless ordeal.
By Andrew Cohen
News November 17, 2014
Obama’s Prison Crisis
Crowded cells, aging inmates, soaring costs.
By Andrew Cohen
News November 17, 2014
Right and Left Unite on Drug Sentencing. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Will Senator Grassley kill the Smarter Sentencing Act?
By Christie Thompson

The Marshall Project is a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system.

Search
Life Inside
The Record
The Next to Die
We Are Witnesses
Death Penalty
Immigration
Juvenile Justice
Mental Health
Policing
Politics and Reform
Race
Why The Marshall Project?
Thurgood Marshall
About Us
News and Awards
Our People
Our Supporters
Donate
Jobs

Feedback? support@themarshallproject.org

About
Jobs
People
Funders