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An illustration shows a silhouette of person, with a tear on their cheek, facing to the right. In the background, a Black man in a white T-shirt and black pants leans out of an orange silhouette, reaching forward and offering his hand.
Life Inside April 12
I Had a Tough Job at My Brooklyn Jail: Keeping Men From Taking Their Own Lives
As a suicide prevention aide, I had to make sure my fellow detainees didn’t harm themselves. It was surprisingly easy to get such a complex job.
By Rashon Venable
A man, wearing a blue prison uniform, white T-shirt, tan cap, and glasses, holds onto two yellow bins in front of an industrial ice cream machine.
Closing Argument February 3
The Food on Your Table, Brought to You By Prison Labor
Incarcerated workers help produce some of America’s most popular food brands, but get few of the benefits and protections afforded to others.
By
A group of people, including formerly incarcerated people, pose for a selfie with one of them holding out their phone, on a deck that overlooks a small pond nestled among some green trees.
Inside Story March 9, 2023
Glimpses of Prison Life, Through TikTok and TV
We see how glimpses of life behind bars go viral online, and talk with Piper Kerman about creating “Orange is the New Black.”
By and
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.
By and
Life Inside August 4, 2022
Prison Money Diaries: What People Really Make (and Spend) Behind Bars
We asked people in prison to track their earning and spending — and bartering and side hustles — for 30 days. Their accounts reveal a thriving underground economy behind bars.
By
Inside Out June 10, 2021
Small Towns Used To See Prisons as a Boon. Now, Many Don’t Want Them.
In its search for a new prison’s home, Nebraska finds few places willing to host.
By
Cynthia Stubbs, who was formerly incarcerated, now works at a Braille plant in a North Carolina prison.
News January 16, 2018
When Your Prison Becomes Your Paycheck
Some states are welcoming back ex-offenders to work behind bars.
By and
Life Inside October 27, 2016
After Nearly 20 Years in Prison, a Parking Lot Was Heaven
The terror and joy of stepping outside.
By Carlos Flores
The dorms at Western Kentucky Correctional, in Fredonia, Ky., in June 2010.
Analysis June 14, 2016
So You Think a New Prison Will Save Your Town?
Six reasons you’re likely to be disappointed
By &
Feature February 28, 2016
What Prison Guards Really Think About Their Jobs
Listening in on watercooler chatter online.
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