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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
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 Lawrence Bartley and Donald Washington, Jr.
A grid of 9 book covers set on top of a blue background with sharp shadows: Hand Lettering & Calligraphy, Soledad Brother, Mein Kampf, 50 Shades of Grey, 48 Laws of Power, Prison Ramen, The Color Prple, Egyptian Hieroglyphic Dictionary, Forgotten Realms On top, there are a few blocks of handwriting pointing to some of the books that read: "Threat to the order and security of the institution," "sexually explicit," "methods of poison"
Graphics February 23
The Books Banned in Your State’s Prisons
We asked all state systems for book policies and ban lists, then created a database for you.
error in byline
An illustration shows the back of a person's head and shoulders. Several panels surround the head in the background, depicting police brutality, fish in a pond, a badge, paperwork, a hand holding a donut, and a boot.
Life Inside February 10
I Write About Bad Prison Conditions. That Doesn’t Mean I Hate All Cops.
As a kid in Pakistan, police treated Tariq MaQbool like a nephew. As an adult in solitary confinement, the kindness of one New Jersey corrections officer made him feel human.
By Tariq MaQbool
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 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
A hotdog with a tortilla, a cup of mush and a raw potato.
News January 20
‘Pig Slop’ No More? Texas Prisons Detail Plan To Improve Food
The move follows our investigation revealing meals of raw potatoes, moldy bread.
By Keri Blakinger
A line illustration shows a Black man in the center holding a contraband phone in prison. His phone is linked by a drawn line to the phone of a Black woman outside prison. Another woman besides her looks on. On the right, a man holds a pencil while studying a book and also using a contraband phone.
Feature January 19
The Many Ingenious Ways People in Prison Use (Forbidden) Cell Phones
Despite the security concerns of administrators, incarcerated people use phones to hustle, make TikToks or publicize prison conditions.
By Keri Blakinger
An illustration shows a man shouting behind the window of a prison cell, while smoke and fire billows out of it. The window forms the eyepiece of a set of blinders being worn by a prison guard. Static is shown coming out of a walkie talkie worn by the prison guard.
News January 9
After Deadly Prison Fires, Will the Texas Legislature Fund Safety Fixes?
Our investigations spotlighted rampant violations, like thousands of broken fire alarms and smoke detectors.
By Keri Blakinger
Michael Bennett reads a book at the Cheshire Correctional Institution in Connecticut, in 2010.
Feature December 21, 2022
Why Would Prisons Ban My Book? Absurdities Rule the System
Censorship kept me from finishing a college essay behind bars. Now, prisons might keep readers from my memoir.
By Keri Blakinger
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