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Prison Conditions

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a White man, points a finger while giving a speech.
News January 25
Trans People in Florida Prisons Say Gender-Affirming Care Ban Upended Their Health Care
Nearly two dozen transgender women in prison said their access to treatment suddenly changed following the “anti-woke” law championed by Gov. DeSantis.
By
A collage illustration shows three layered scenes: on the left, light-skinned hands place a bumper sticker on the back of a car that reads “NOW HIRING” circled in red. In the center, the back of a man with light skin tone shows him wearing a white T-shirt that says “ACADEMY” on the back. He holds his hands clasped behind his head and looks downward. On the right, over a textural layer of barbed wire, a line of corrections officers representing diverse genders and ethnicities walks away. A red hand-drawn scribble underlays the image, which is also toned red.
News January 10
New Data Shows How Dire the Prison Staffing Shortage Really Is
The stubborn staffing crisis affects almost every aspect of life in prison, for employees and the incarcerated alike.
By and
A dark brown high-rise federal prison.
Closing Argument January 6
Federal Prisons Are Over Capacity — Yet Efforts to Ease Overcrowding Are Ending
The Bureau of Prisons’ system is in trouble and needs serious upgrades on several fronts.
By
Darrius Turner, a Black man with glasses, works on radio equipment and wears headphones in a studio.
News November 1
This Radio Show Connects People Behind Bars With the Outside World
Prisoncast! — a special audio project from WBEZ Chicago — brings the sounds of life beyond prison walls to incarcerated people in Illinois.
By and
A scene outside the Corcoran prison complex with a razor-wire topped fence and white observation towers behind it. A water-filled canal runs alongside the facility.
Feature October 24, 2023
In Harm’s Way
How decades-old decisions to build two California prisons in a dry lakebed and a chaotic climate left 8,000 incarcerated people at risk.
By Susie Cagle
A man wearing an orange and red prison uniform looks out the window of his solitary confinement cell.
Closing Argument September 2, 2023
Ending the Golden State Era of Solitary Confinement
California could reshape the practice as other states limit isolation. Meanwhile, prisons aren’t keeping pace.
By
A photo shows the silhouette of a prison tower, trees and lamp posts against an orange sunset.
Closing Argument July 22
‘Concrete Coffins’: Surviving Extreme Heat Behind Bars
Record temperatures in much of the U.S. threatening more people in prisons.
By
A woman signs “I love you” in American sign language toward a deaf person in prison. Between them is a stream of “DOC”-branded paperwork, letters and money that signify how deaf people in prison without access to video calls and video relay services also lose access to information and communication with loved ones.
News March 21
‘Prison Within a Prison’: New Mandate Offers Lifeline for Deaf People in Custody
The new rule, which goes in effect in January 2024, applies to phone companies serving prisons, jails and detention facilities nationwide.
By
A man in a white prison uniform with the label "Alabama Dept of Corrections" on his back stands near his bunk bed. There are multiple bunk beds lined up in the foreground.
Closing Argument February 18
How ‘Cruel and Not Unusual’ Conditions Persist in Many Lockups
Insight from a discussion with journalists, formerly incarcerated people and experts.
By
Left, a man wearing an olive green Nike-branded hooded sweatshirt and an olive green Yankees hat; right, a Black woman with braided hair is wearing earrings and a plum-colored shirt.
Inside Story February 9, 2023
Prison Labor, Low Wages and the Side Hustle
Incarcerated workers turn to side hustles to survive. On the outside, comedian Luenell reflects on her time behind bars — and in show business.
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