Search About Newsletters Donate

Beth Schwartzapfel

Staff Writer

I report on prisons and jails, parole, addiction and health, LGBTQ+ issues and more.

My Background

I’ve been a reporter with The Marshall Project since it began in 2014. I’ve been awarded the John Jay/Guggenheim Prize for Excellence in Criminal Justice Reporting and the James Aronson Award for Social Justice Journalism, among other honors, and have twice been a finalist for a National Magazine Award. I was the reporter and host of the podcast “Violation.”

Before I became a journalist, I was an HIV and hepatitis C outreach worker and educator.

Contact Me About...

I’m looking for people who can speak to abuse and neglect inside prisons and jails, especially about medical and addiction care. I’m interested in the privatization of prison functions, such as medical care and food service, and how that affects the wellbeing of incarcerated people.

phone 212-803-5273
email beth@themarshallproject.org
signal beth.93
bluesky @journo-beth.bsky.social
Marshall, a man with light-toned skin, wears a blue suit jacket and glasses as he stands behind a podium. On person stands behind him and three are sitting.
News April 12
Who Is Billy Marshall? What to Know About Trump’s New Bureau of Prisons Director
West Virginia’s top corrections official led a troubled state agency, and will now head a federal bureaucracy plagued with problems of its own.
By , and
A group of people participate in a protest outside with signs advocating for federal workers' rights and public service recognition. One prominent sign in the center reads "FED WORKERS...HOLD THE LINE!" while others hold blue signs with phrases like "Public Service is a Badge of Honor!" and "Justice Takes Action: Standing Up for Our Rights!"
News March 31
Trump’s Union Order Endangers Federal Prison Officers, Labor Leaders Say
Supporters of the union, which represents 30,000 prison employees, fear the move will worsen an ongoing staffing crisis.
By and
An incarcerated person wearing food preparation gloves adds French fries to a food tray that contains a hamburger and a small bag of baby carrots.
Closing Argument March 8
The Big Business of Bad Prison Food
A market analysis said the food service industry in U.S. prisons and jails is worth billions — and is forecasted to grow.
By
Metal fencing can be seen in front of two structures, one on the right with a short wooden staircase, and one on the left with beige siding. A sign in front of the building on the right reads: Federal Medical Center Carswell.
News February 25
‘Fear for Their Lives’: Trans Women Federal Prisoners Told They Will Be Housed With Men
After a minor change in a judge’s order, the Trump administration arranged to move over a dozen transgender women to men’s facilities.
By
A photograph of President Trump, a White man in a suit and tie, speaking at a podium behind pink and blue orbs of light.
Analysis February 11
Trump’s Executive Order Sows Confusion for Transgender Federal Prisoners
Without guidance from the Bureau of Prisons, trans people are “told one thing from one staff person and a totally different thing from another.”
By
In a black and white photograph, Grace Pinson, a trans Latina with short dark hair, stands outside in the sun with three men. The person to her left wears a tank top and has tattoos on his face, neck and arms. Behind her stand two men. The one on the right wears a white T-shirt and is bald. The one on the left has tattoos on his chest and arms and has close-cropped, dark hair.
News January 24
The Trans Woman Who Sued the Federal Prisons (and Won) Settles Her Remaining Cases
Days before Trump’s inauguration, the Bureau of Prisons agreed to pay Grace Pinson $95,000 to drop more than a dozen pending lawsuits.
By
President Donald Trump, a White man wearing a dark suit, gestures with his hands out while sitting at a desk with a presidential seal on it. On the left, a man holds a stack of executive orders. In front of the president, photographers take pictures of him.
Analysis January 23
Trump’s Order Takes Aim at Transgender People in Prison
Few trans people receive gender-affirming housing and care in the federal prison system. This executive order would make it even harder.
By
President Donald Trump, a White man wearing a dark suit and red striped tie, and his attorney Todd Blanche, a man with light-toned skin wearing a dark suit with a dark tie, appear on a monitor in a courtroom.
Analysis January 10
‘Was This Fair?’ People Behind Bars React to Trump’s Sentencing
The president-elect avoided punishment for his 34 felony convictions, highlighting how the legal system often treats the wealthy and powerful.
By The Marshall Project
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a White man in a navy suit and red tie, speaks into a microphone while standing at a podium with the seal of Florida. Flags of the United States and the state of Florida are in the background.
News December 10, 2024
New Florida Prison Policy on Trans Health Care ‘Like Conversion Therapy’
With new restrictions on gender-affirming care, prisons confiscate underwear from trans people and compel them to cut their hair.
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
About
People
Jobs
Sitemap
Funders