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Prison Health

An illustration in tones of light blue and gray shows six people, whose reflections are visible below them. A man in the foreground reaches towards his reflection. The five other figures are farther away and smaller. The figures are drawn in an abstract manner through shadowing and highlights.
Life Inside April 24
The Magic of Having a Glass Mirror in Prison
The metal mirrors that Alabama prisons use distort our faces. When a glass one suddenly appeared, I truly saw myself for the first time in 26 years.
By Destry McKinney
A photo collage shows, from left: a hand holding strands of hair; a person sweating; a prison door with a hand-drawn scribble over the bottom of the photo; a hand in shades of red over fencing; anonymous women in blue prison uniforms sitting on chairs in a row; a woman holding her head, with a paint scribble over the top of the image.
Feature April 14
What It’s Like to Go Through Perimenopause and Menopause in Prison
Limited information and a lack of informed health care providers make this life transition even more difficult for incarcerated people.
By
An elderly man, wearing glasses and a blue prison uniform, is reading a newspaper. He sits in his wheelchair, which is next to a couple of bunk beds within his prison cell block.
Closing Argument March 21
Mercy or Money: How to Grapple With a Rapidly Aging Prison Population
Research shows people often “age out” of crime, and health care costs are ballooning. But still, many states oppose releasing elderly prisoners.
By
A photo shows a silhouette of a person, wearing a Statue of Liberty crown, holding a transgender pride flag. The U.S. Supreme Court building is in the background.
News February 19
Federal Prisons Bar Gender-Affirming Care for Trans People
‘People will die,’ an advocate warns, as standard treatments for gender dysphoria are replaced with therapy and antidepressants after Trump’s order.
By
An illustration shows two people facing each other at a desk. A White, female prison psychologist wearing half of a correctional officer's uniform looks in the direction of an incarcerated person with his back to the viewer. A speech bubble is shown in front of the incarcerated person.
News January 26
Amid ‘Catastrophic’ Shortage, Psychologists Flee Federal Prisons in Droves
With fewer and fewer employees to run the prisons, psychologists were repeatedly forced to act as guards.
By
A collage of photos and illustrations. Clockwise from top left: A photo of a Black woman holding a framed picture, of her embracing and looking toward her son, while posing for a portrait in front of her home; a photo of a man in a suit, seen from behind, standing in front of one of two doors; a photo of a beige building with narrow horizontal windows, and is partly in shadow; an illustration of a opaque hand interfacing fingers with a transparent hand and both hands being wrapped by a beaded necklace; a photo of protesters standing on the side of a road; ; an illustration of a spreadsheet, where the cells contain small drawn figures of people in teal-colored jumpsuits in different poses (sitting, standing, leaning). On the right is a menu of options: Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete Cell. Delete Cell is highlighted; and a photo of barbed wire.
Analysis December 17, 2025
We Spent a Year Covering Deaths Behind Bars. Here’s What We Learned.
Every year, thousands of people die in prisons, jails and law enforcement custody.
By
An illustration shows three people on patient beds inside a dark room, with the orange sky visible through the window. On the right side, there are dark silhouettes of dialysis machines and tubes with puddles of water on the floor.
Feature December 16, 2025
Women Are Sent to This Federal Prison for Dialysis. They Say It’s Killing Them.
Patients at Carswell medical prison in Texas describe unsanitary conditions, missed treatments and substandard care.
By Kaley Johnson
[Use this form](https://airtable.com/appR7SW9BhPZGdXp9/pagDZ0cMp3LJ9uimP/form) to tell us about how menopause and perimenopause affects women behind bars.
Get Involved December 16, 2025
What’s It Like to Go Through Menopause in Prison? We Want to Know
Your insights will help inform a guide about the critical life stage that we’ll share with incarcerated people.
By
Get Involved December 12, 2025
It’s Hard to Grieve in Prison. This Guide Can Help
From breathing exercises to journaling prompts, we compiled steps that help with processing difficult emotions while locked up.
By
A collage shows images of clippings of a court case, a prison facility and a nurse with a stethoscope writing on a clipboard.
St. Louis December 8, 2025
Nurses Say Staff Shortage at Missouri Prison Means Skipped Medication, Long Waits for Care
Current and former employees at Jefferson City Correctional Center say the shortage is causing unrest. They blame the state’s contractor, Centurion Health.
By
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