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Prison Violence

A black-and-white photograph shows a large group of men in prison uniforms, a majority of whom are Black, with their fists up as they stand in a yard in front of a prison facility.
Life Inside September 12
‘Attica Day’ Is Fading Fast. Here’s Why This 53-Year-Old Tradition Still Matters.
For decades, New York prisoners have refused meals on Sept. 13 to mark the end of the 1971 Attica prison uprising. Inside a ritual in decline.
By Joseph Wilson
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.
Jackson September 11
‘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.
By , The Marshall Project and Mina Corpuz, Mississippi Today
An illustration shows a silhouette of a man with his hands up in frustration as he looks at a woman on a laptop screen. The background is a large representation, blurred with color, of the same woman, who is White with shoulder-length gray hair.
Cleveland April 17
All Stick, No Carrot: Ohio’s Reagan Tokes Law Acts as a ‘One-Way Ratchet’ for Prison Time
Intended to curb prison violence with promises of early release, the law is turning out as unbalanced as critics feared, with sentences extended at every turn.
By
An illustration shows a man with medium skin tone and black hair wearing a blue prison uniform in four scenarios. Clockwise from the top left: The man raises his fists in front of a White man in a prison uniform who is yelling and pointing at him; the man sits on his bed with his head down, looking at a piece of paper; the man sits at a table in front of a woman with a ponytail and medium-dark skin tone; the man stands in an office in front of a laptop, where a woman on a screen is speaking to him. There are four quotes around the figures that read: “It’s a dangerous place here. It got to the point where I had to defend myself.” - Giovanni Lee, “Long story short, they never investigated what happened. They just found me guilty.” - Lamont Clark, “You all had my fate sealed before I even got in the room.” - Edward Navone, and “I’m about to go home. They ended up maxing me out, giving me my whole time.’”- Giovanni Lee
Cleveland April 10
How Ohio’s Reagan Tokes Law Keeps People in Prison Longer
It came as a response by lawmakers to a horrific crime. Now, thousands of people imprisoned since 2019 risk more time behind bars for breaking rules.
By
A man wearing a blue uniform sits on a metal folding chair in a small room.
Closing Argument December 14, 2024
How Inhumane Prison and Jail Conditions Prompt Calls for Federal Takeovers
Some state and local lockups are facing federal intervention due to problems ranging from filthy cells to violent abuse.
By
An illustration in black-and-white shows a trans person, lying on the ground in a fetal position, with one hand over their face. A figure looms in the foreground with a closed fist.
Analysis November 13, 2024
3 Things to Know About Prison Violence Against Transgender People
Key takeaways from our story about one trans woman’s legal battle for accountability.
By
A collage illustration shows three layered scenes: on the left, light-skinned hands place a bumper sticker on the back of a car that reads “NOW HIRING” circled in red. In the center, the back of a man with light skin tone shows him wearing a white T-shirt that says “ACADEMY” on the back. He holds his hands clasped behind his head and looks downward. On the right, over a textural layer of barbed wire, a line of corrections officers representing diverse genders and ethnicities walks away. A red hand-drawn scribble underlays the image, which is also toned red.
News January 10, 2024
New Data Shows How Dire the Prison Staffing Shortage Really Is
The stubborn staffing crisis affects almost every aspect of life in prison, for employees and the incarcerated alike.
By and
Analysis December 20, 2023
Some of Our Best Work of 2023
In podcasts, broadcasts and narrative stories, we examined prison conditions, prosecutions of pregnant women, Dungeons & Dragons on death row, and more.
By
A collage illustration shows pieces of two handwritten letters with large print reading “URGENT” and “This is an emergency issue – please help.” A typed letter from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons details the findings of an investigation into allegations of staff misconduct. Underneath these letters are images including the Thomson prison, handcuffs and a keyboard.
Feature November 15, 2023
A Warden Tried to Fix an Abusive Prison. He Faced Death Threats.
He was tasked with ending abuse at a federal penitentiary, but he says his own officers and the Bureau of Prisons stood in the way.
By , , The Marshall Project and Joseph Shapiro, NPR
A tan guard tower and prison yard at an Illinois facility. There are wire fences and buildings in the background.
News February 14, 2023
After Several Deaths, Feds to Close Violent Prison Unit in Illinois
In 2022, The Marshall Project and NPR revealed deadly, dangerous and cramped conditions.
By , The Marshall Project and Joseph Shapiro, NPR
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