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A limited-run email series about how criminal justice really works in America, from The Marshall Project.

On TV the U.S. criminal justice system is straightforward. You commit a crime. Police arrest you and take you to jail. You bail yourself out, face a jury of your peers and go to prison if you’re convicted.

In real life, it’s anything but a straight line. It’s more like a labyrinth, a jumble of laws, enforcement agencies and courts layered over federal, state and local jurisdictions.

The System is your starting point.

Week 01
Policing
Week 02
Bail
Week 03
Trials
Week 04
Prisons
MORE COMING SOON

I believe our criminal justice is not just. I know we can do better because we know better. I want to contribute to the revamping of our justice system and to do that, I need to be informed. The Marshall Project informs me and helps me focus on what I can do to be the change I wish to see.

HOW IT WORKS

Each week, you'll receive emails focused on facets of the justice system, from policing to bail to prisons and jails. We'll take it apart, exploring its origins, inequities, portrayals in popular culture, and lastly, possibilities for change.

WHY US?

Through years of research, reporting and lived experience, we have built a deep body of knowledge about how the criminal justice labyrinth works. The System draws on this expertise to help untangle the roots and current realities of American criminal justice.