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Two women with medium skin tone, holding onto their belongings, stand in between brown pillars of a wall while waiting in a line. Several people stand in the background.
Closing Argument May 13
Title 42 is Over. What Comes Next for Asylum-Seekers?
The Biden administration’s new plan has led to confusion along the southern border.
By Jamiles Lartey
A group of male teenagers dressed in gray sweaters and black pants are walking in two lines, with their hands behind their backs. A man in a dark blue collared shirt and tan cargo pants walks behind them.
Closing Argument April 15
How the Juvenile System Forces Minors Into Unsafe Institutions
Even in states with a drive for reform, many children and teens face long confinement and dirty, dangerous conditions.
By Jamiles Lartey
A man in a white prison uniform with the label "Alabama Dept of Corrections" on his back stands near his bunk bed. There are multiple bunk beds lined up in the foreground.
Closing Argument February 18
How ‘Cruel and Not Unusual’ Conditions Persist in Many Lockups
Insight from a discussion with journalists, formerly incarcerated people and experts.
By Jamiles Lartey
Three police officers in riot gear walk down a slope outdoors.
Closing Argument January 21
How Police Unions Try to Tilt the Scales on Oversight Boards
As more cities set up police watchdogs, some officers’ unions seek new ways to try to weaken them.
By Jamiles Lartey
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
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
A woman wearing glasses and with long brown hair in a ponytail stands in front of wooden crosses and flowers.
Feature December 6, 2022
How Texas Failed To Prevent One of the Nation’s Deadliest Prison Escapes
“Staff complacency” allowed a man to break out of a prison bus — and kill a family.
By Keri Blakinger and John Tedesco
A man looks down with his arms behind his back, as he is being handcuffed by a police officer at the top of a jet bridge walkway. An officer to the right reads from a piece of paper.
Closing Argument December 3, 2022
Battles Brew Over the Power to Choose Who to Prosecute
The long-standing principle of prosecutorial discretion is under fire — another symptom of our nation’s fractured politics.
By Jamiles Lartey
A Polaroid is on a black table. It shows Armando Navejas, a medium light-skinned man with a mustache, standing with his wife Josephine, a medium light-skinned woman.
Feature November 22, 2022
As Police Arrest More Seniors, Those With Dementia Face Deadly Consequences
Many cities are changing how they respond to mental health calls, but less attention has been paid to the unique risks for people with Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases.
By Christie Thompson
The entrance to a Texas prison facility, a gray rectangular building with a detached teal shaded structure in front of it. A black car is parked to the right. There are wired fences and buildings in the background.
Closing Argument September 10, 2022
Why Record Heat Can Be Deadlier in Prisons
Corrections officials across most of the nation have not prepared for warmer summers and record heat waves.
By Jamiles Lartey
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