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An illustration shows Susan Begg in an dark orange prison uniform, reading a newspaper while sitting on top of her prison bed. Various crossword puzzle columns and rows are displayed at the foreground.
Life Inside June 10
The ‘Foul-Mouthed Pagan Lesbian’ Who Inspired My Jail Memoir
Keri Blakinger’s new book, “Corrections in Ink,” began with Susan Begg, an older woman the author met on her second day in jail. If only Susan had lived to see it in print.
By Keri Blakinger
Feature June 7
A Tupperware of Heroin, Or How I Ended Up in Prison
In an excerpt from her new memoir, ‘Corrections in Ink,’ Keri Blakinger puts us at the scene of her drug arrest — and her path to becoming The Marshall Project’s first formerly incarcerated staff writer.
By Keri Blakinger
An illustration shows a black school bus driving through a light blue lake with bare trees and bushes. Five smaller panels at the edge of the illustration suggest an incarcerated person is traveling, showing a nasal swab test, a bag, shackles, an eye and handcuffs.
Life Inside May 13
I Got the Prison Transfer I Fought For. My Feelings Were Surprisingly Mixed
Demetrius Buckley’s long-awaited transfer to a lower-security prison means more time outside of his cell and a chance to see his daughter. But the transport process was like everything else in prison: slow, confusing and casually cruel.
By Demetrius Buckley
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 April 13
How to Write for The Marshall Project’s Life Inside
Life Inside is a weekly series of first-person essays from people who live or work in the criminal justice system. Here are answers to the questions people ask us most.
By The Marshall Project
An illustration shows Aaron Kinzer, who is currently incarcerated, facing his head up with his eyes closed in meditation. An outline of his face overlaps his body and an outline of the brain overlaps his head. Various silhouettes in exercising positions are displayed in the background.
Life Inside April 8
Surviving Prison is 90% Mental. That’s Why I Teach Workouts That Strengthen the Mind
The sessions I lead are intense enough to match the mental strain that we endure daily: the rejected phone calls, denied visits, humiliating random pat-downs and other microaggressions.
By Aaron M. Kinzer
A photo illustration shows black and white images of five TikToks of people talking about incarceration. Between each black and white image are blue and orange vertical rectangles overlaid with barbed wire.
Inside Out April 7
Out of Prison, TikTok Influencers Are Reshaping How We Think About Life Behind Bars
But a dearth of content creators of color raises questions about the app’s algorithm.
By Keri Blakinger
An illustration showcases Demetrius Buckley, who is currently incarcerated, in an orange prison suit and holding onto a phone. He looks through a window at his daughter, who is sitting alone in a park.
Life Inside March 11
The Powerlessness of Parenting From Prison
Demetrius Buckley thought his bond with his 11-year-old daughter was strong. But when he couldn’t physically protect his child from adult problems, he learned the limits of parenting via prison phone calls.
By Demetrius Buckley
An illustration showcases Ryan Moser, who is currently incarcerated, floating and emitting a pink light while Desmond Meade points to him as he delivers an inspirational speech.
Life Inside February 25
The Genius Speech That Changed My Life
Words like “junkie,” “destitute” and “criminal” have applied to me at some point in my life. Hearing the formerly incarcerated voting rights activist Desmond Meade speak at my prison reminded me that my sky is full of stars, my heart is full of hope and my future is full of promise.
By Ryan M. Moser
Images of people at the Moriah Shock Incarceration Facility and Lakeview Shock Correctional Facility are layered in an orange, blue and black photo collage.
Inside Out February 24
‘A Humiliating Experience’: Prisoners Allege Abuse at Discipline-focused ‘Shock’ Camps
New York is closing one of its last ‘shock’ camps, a move some experts and former prisoners say is a long time coming.
By Keri Blakinger
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