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Prison Conditions

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
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
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.
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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
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.
By and
A Black man stands amid cameras and other equipment on the set of a TV show called Inside Story.
The Marshall Project Inside January 30
The Marshall Project and VICE News to Launch Inside Story Show
Developed by formerly incarcerated people, the video series brings news, interviews and profiles into U.S. prisons and jails.
By and
Analysis December 22, 2022
Some of Our Best Work of 2022
From coverage of prison violence and abuses in a juvenile lockup to investigations by our new Cleveland team, our reporters told stories that made a difference.
By
A photo illustration shows overlapping vertical bars, with a background of barbed wire. Several of the vertical bars have images, including of fencing, a man in handcuffs, a man lying on a bed in a cell, and people in a prison.
Inside Out March 17, 2022
Do Texas Prison Conditions Violate Human Rights Standards? One Scottish Court Says Yes
Tiny cells, lacking medical treatment and sweltering conditions cited by judge who blocked extradition.
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