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Prison Life

Jeff Östberg for The Marshall Project
Life Inside
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.”
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.
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.
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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.
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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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An illustration shows a closeup view of a man looking at a paper with the words “conduct report” at the top. Ripped scans of mail documents are layered on top of the illustration.
Cleveland June 23
How Ohio Prison Staff Open and Read Confidential Legal Mail
An anti-drug smuggling policy has slowed the delivery of time-sensitive court documents as prison staff read letters protected by attorney-client privilege.
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A photo of a White man behind a microphone gesturing while wearing a black judge’s robe.
News June 3
Judge Stops Federal Prisons From Enforcing Trump’s Trans Care Ban, For Now
The district judge ordered the prison system to continue providing hormone therapy to transgender people as needed, while a lawsuit proceeds.
By
Tom Robbins, a man with light-toned skin and gray hair, wears a suit jacket and stands in a newsroom with eight other people. Behind them are offices visible through glass walls.
Analysis May 29
Remembering Tom Robbins
Our founder reflects on the legacy of the reporter who helped set the standard for The Marshall Project’s investigations into prison abuse.
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The White House, a white, multi-story building with columns and a flag on top, is visible between an out-of-focus rainbow-colored flag held up by protesters and an out-of-focus blue, pink and white flag.
News May 22
Is Trump’s Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Trans Prisoners Unconstitutional?
A federal judge considers if the president’s executive order barring hormone treatment in the Bureau of Prisons is cruel and unusual punishment.
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