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Prison Life

Jeff Östberg for The Marshall Project
Jackson
‘Catastrophic Failures’: Why Dozens of Killings In Mississippi Prisons Go Unanswered
At least 42 incarcerated people have been killed in the last decade. Just six people have been convicted in their deaths.
An illustration shows an overhead view of a crowd of incarcerated people wearing plain shirts and striped pants. The people are standing with their arms behind their backs while one person, shown with a faded outline, lies on the floor. Between the people are faded blue outlines of other incarcerated people over orange circles.
A photo shows a Black woman with curly hair in a ponytail holding a framed picture while posing for a portrait in front of her home. The framed picture shows her embracing and looking toward her son, a Black man with a plaid shirt and glasses, in front of a green background.
Jackson September 10
New Evidence May Offer Answers to Mother of Son Slain in Mississippi Prison 5 Years Ago
After reports of cell keys being shared and the lights turned off, Denorris Howell was killed in his dark Parchman prison cell.
By Jerry Mitchell, Mississippi Today
An illustration shows a shirtless person sweating as they sit on top of their bed. The person is inside a cell, with a sink on the right.
St. Louis September 8
What It’s Like Enduring a Heat Wave in a Missouri Prison
Lawyers requested swift cooling measures in a prison with no A/C. One man shares the dangerous conditions inside while people await a judge’s ruling.
By , The Marshall Project, and Jeremy Hann
A Black man in a tan prison uniform stands in front of a black and white wall, holding a phone to his ear. A U.S. flag and two signs are on the wall. One sign reads, "Break the silence!" in English and Spanish. The second sign details that calls will subject to recording and listening.
Closing Argument August 30
From Surveillance to Robot Guards: How AI Could Reshape Prison Life
Critics worry about opaque data collection, privacy violations and the technology’s bias spreading in jails and prisons.
By
An illustration shows yellow light shining through a barred window, spotlighting a man in an orange prison uniform. The man stands in the middle of a room with green walls, facing the window.
Life Inside August 8
How Attica’s Violence Taught Me to Practice Peace
“When you grow up in a culture of violence, that doesn’t just disappear,” writes Rashon Venable. “We, as prisoners, have to take active steps toward rehabilitation.”
By Rashon Venable
A magazine called News Inside set against a grainy tan backdrop. Light refracted through prison bars shines onto the magazine.
News Inside August 4
Confined Trials
News Inside Issue 20 documents survival and resilience under extreme conditions.
By
Protesters, wearing puffer jackets, beanies, gloves and pants, stand on the side of the road holding signs such as: "70% doesn't equal 100%," "Trying not to die in 2025," and "Essential not expendable." In the background, a road sign reads "Greene Correctional Facility."
Closing Argument July 26
New York’s Prison Guard Strike Ended Months Ago. For Some, Life-Threatening Effects Persist.
Staffing shortages mean incarcerated people are not getting vital medical care, programming and other services.
By
An illustration shows a man in a prison uniform holding a piece of paper and standing in front of other men in prison uniforms seated on folding chairs in front of him. Four smaller panels suggest the daily life of an incarcerated person, showing a man with his arms raised up, talking on the phone, laying in bed, and holding a tray of food.
Life Inside July 18
I Was Proud of My Gift of Gab. Then I Took a Communications Class Led by Fellow Prisoners.
After 16 years in Michigan lockups, award-winning poet and writer Demetrius Buckley had to relearn how to be an active listener.
By
A photo illustration with a black and white photograph of the exterior of a prison in the background with red rectangles overlaying it. In the middle is a semi-circle with the typewritten text from several phrases, including “tortured for 18 hours with an..” and “I began to feel a sharp pain on the left side of my chest.” Below the text is a photo of an officer's hands on the wrist of a man in handcuffs.
News July 11
Shackled For Days and Weeks: A Federal Report Finds Widespread Abuse in Prisons
The report, by the Justice Department’s internal watchdog, comes after an investigative series by The Marshall Project and NPR exposed similar abuses.
By Joseph Shapiro, NPR
A man wearing blue pants and a white T-shirt dangles from and holds onto the threads of an American flag against a city skyline.
Life Inside July 4
What, to the American Incarcerated Person, Is Your Fourth of July?
In the spirit of Frederick Douglass’ historic speech, 20 currently and formerly incarcerated Americans explain what Independence Day means to them.
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