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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 Lawrence Bartley and Donald Washington, Jr.
The Marshall Project Inside January 27
Giving Incarcerated People What They Want — Better News Access
The Marshall Project explains its decision to offer free news to incarcerated people on tablets that otherwise charge users.
By Lawrence Bartley
A Black man in an orange prison uniform steps out of a human-sized iPhone, and into a desert. In the background, there is a purple and orange sunset.
Life Inside January 20
How an Illicit Cell Phone Helped Me Take College Courses from Prison
“I didn’t want to give any type of indication that I am in prison, because I didn’t want to be kicked out.”
By Anonymous as told to Charlotte West
An illustration shows a Black man next to a Black power symbol in a blue graduation cap and gown, holding an orange diploma cover, as paper cranes fly around him.
Life Inside September 2
My Wild and Winding Path to a College Degree Behind Bars
Rahsaan “New York” Thomas was proud to finally earn his associate’s degree in San Quentin State Prison. But repeated COVID-19 lockdowns turned his graduation ceremony into a two-year ordeal.
By Rahsaan “New York” Thomas
An illustration shows Christopher Blackwell, as a child at school with his head on the desk at the left; as an adult in prison writing at a desk with books nearby in the center; and speaking at a podium on the right.
Life Inside April 15
I Grew Up Believing I Was Dumb. A College Education Behind Bars Healed That Wound
“My college degree taught me that anything is possible when you show someone how to love themselves, through accountability, vulnerability and education.”
By Christopher Blackwell
Life Inside February 4
How I Went From Gangster to Geek
Prison forced me to be still and start my mental metamorphosis.
By Jy'Aire Smith-Pennick
Life Inside December 16, 2021
Writing Is My Main Freedom. One Day My Work Disappeared.
A software change in my prison-issued electronic tablet ate up my drafts and eliminated basic writing tools. That may sound minor, but try sending a poem to your kid without line breaks.
By Demetrius Buckley
Life Inside July 15, 2021
I’m a Teachers’ Aide at My Prison. Here’s What I Learned From My Toughest Student
His disrespectful classroom antics could have sparked a fight. But as a former “hard case” myself, I was determined to help him.
By Thomas Koskovich
Life Inside June 10, 2021
I Hate to Admit It, but Prison Is a Blessing in Disguise.
Jy’Aire Smith-Pennick suffered multiple traumas before age 18. He masked his pain with Percocet, weed and drug-selling. Now, at a Pennsylvania prison with the right programs, he’s finally starting to heal.
By Jy'Aire Smith-Pennick
News December 17, 2020
How Trump Made a Tiny Christian College the Nation’s Biggest Prison Educator
His administration has funneled $30 million to Ashland University in Ohio. Critics say the school’s tablet-based program fails incarcerated students.
By Eli Hager
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