The Marshall Project

The Marshall Project - 2025-01-11T12:00:53-05:00

Incarcerated Firefighters Do Risky, Low-Pay Work. Many Say It’s The Best Job Behind Bars. - 2025-01-11T12:00:00-05:00
More than 900 prison firefighters were responding to the crisis in Los Angeles — but their pay is low and the ethics of their choice are complicated.

‘Was This Fair?’ People Behind Bars React to Trump’s Sentencing - 2025-01-10T17:00:00-05:00
The president-elect avoided punishment for his 34 felony convictions, highlighting how the legal system often treats the wealthy and powerful.

The Marshall Project: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, 2024 - 2025-01-10T06:00:00-05:00
As our organization grows larger and more diverse, we work to expand the language we use to tell our story.

Motherhood Made Me Even More of a Prison and Police Abolitionist - 2025-01-10T06:00:00-05:00
In this excerpt from “We Grow the World Together: Parenting Toward Abolition,” co-editor Maya Schenwar names an unexpected source of wisdom: children.

‘Perverse’ Incentives: How Local Governments Might Cash In on Trump’s Migrant Detention - 2025-01-04T12:00:00-05:00
Some local officials see President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations as an answer to their budget woes.

While Youth Detention Numbers Rise, States Begin to Roll Back Reforms - 2024-12-21T12:00:00-05:00
Los Angeles County is one of many places that have struggled to maintain safe conditions for youth and seen reform efforts stall or be abandoned.

Cops Took My Christmas Bike. Now I Give Kids the Freedom To Ride. - 2024-12-20T06:00:00-05:00
For formerly incarcerated activist Dorsey Nunn, the most wonderful time of the year is a holiday bicycle giveaway for kids with parents in prison.

Relief Coming to Ohio Drivers Suspended Over Lack of Money - 2024-12-19T17:35:41-05:00
A Marshall Project and News 5 investigation inspired a bipartisan bill to address the license suspension crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of Ohioans.

How a 1963 Cleveland Case Shaped Stop-and-Frisk Police Tactics, and Why It Still Matters - 2024-12-19T06:00:00-05:00
Under Cleveland’s consent decree, police have to track each stop.

You Can See Who Is in Many Ohio Jails With a Few Clicks — Just Not in Cuyahoga County - 2024-12-17T06:00:00-05:00
The sheriff’s department lags behind other agencies by failing to offer a website to help the public quickly learn who’s inside its notorious county jail.

Dozens of Prisoners Allege a Culture of Violence by Guards at Federal Facility in Virginia - 2024-12-17T06:00:00-05:00
In lawsuits and interviews, people held at Lee penitentiary described correctional officers breaking teeth, fracturing ribs and using the N-word.

What I Learned From a Year of Reading Letters From Prisoners - 2024-12-16T06:00:00-05:00
The Marshall Project receives nearly 3,000 letters a year from people behind bars. Each one tells a different story about the system’s harms.

Some of Our Best Work for 2024 - 2024-12-16T06:00:00-05:00
Online, in print, and on radio and TV, we delved into prison health care, political views of people behind bars, arrests of women who miscarry and more.

How Inhumane Prison and Jail Conditions Prompt Calls for Federal Takeovers - 2024-12-14T12:00:00-05:00
Some state and local lockups are facing federal intervention due to problems ranging from filthy cells to violent abuse.

For a Prison Transfer 45 Minutes Away, I Spent 12 Days in Hell - 2024-12-13T06:00:00-05:00
From feces on the wall to constant gang calls, LaMarr W. Knox details the horrors of the transit unit at New York’s Green Haven prison.

Facing Decades in Prison, a Mississippi Mother Defied a Prosecutor and a Hazy Legal Theory - 2024-12-12T06:00:00-05:00
A prosecutor had been threatening mothers who used drugs while pregnant with long sentences — until Brandy Moore fought the case against her.

‘Sleep Don’t Come’: The Dangerous Problem of Sleep Deprivation Behind Bars - 2024-12-12T06:00:00-05:00
Moldy mattresses, 24/7 lights and constant noise contribute to a persistent health and safety crisis in prisons and jails.

Hospitals Gave Patients Meds During Childbirth, Then Reported Them For Positive Drug Tests - 2024-12-11T06:00:00-05:00
Mothers were reported after they were given medications used routinely for pain or in epidurals, to reduce anxiety or to manage blood pressure during cesarean sections.

Lights, Camera, Action - 2024-12-11T06:00:00-05:00
News Inside Issue 18 provides a glimpse into the first-ever Sing Sing Film Festival.

New Florida Prison Policy on Trans Health Care ‘Like Conversion Therapy’ - 2024-12-10T06:00:00-05:00
With new restrictions on gender-affirming care, prisons confiscate underwear from trans people and compel them to cut their hair.

Hunter Biden’s Pardon and Who the President Could Choose Next - 2024-12-07T12:00:00-05:00
Thousands of people without political connections are also hoping for Joe Biden to pardon them before he leaves the White House.

I Found My Faith Community in Prison. Then My Facility Closed. - 2024-12-06T06:00:00-05:00
Rashon Venable spent three productive years at New York’s Sullivan Correctional Facility. A surprise shutdown sent the Muslim poet and writer into a tailspin.

After Jail Deaths and No Justice, This Kentucky Lawyer Tried to Make a Difference - 2024-12-04T06:00:00-05:00
A tough legal precedent had kept his clients from their day in court, so Greg Belzley decided there was only one thing to do — try to change the law.

The Marshall Project Wins EPPY Award for Best Collaborative Investigative/Enterprise Reporting - 2024-11-26T14:35:46-05:00
The Marshall Project, St. Louis Public Radio and APM Reports were recognized for their investigation into homicide clearance rates in St. Louis.

Is The Age of Progressive Prosecutors Over? - 2024-11-23T12:00:00-05:00
Some believe progressive prosecutors have had their moment, but others argue that view misinterprets what’s happening across the country.

A Prison Rape Survivor Demands Smart, Safe and Humane Transfers - 2024-11-22T06:00:00-05:00
“I know how a relocation can exacerbate violence,” writes Johanna Mills. “Even when the place you’re leaving is so toxic that you can’t stay there.”

Cuyahoga County Jail Will Now Do More Than Show People the Door - 2024-11-21T06:00:00-05:00
Reentry changes come in response to The Marshall Project - Cleveland investigation that showed people leaving jail got little help to avoid returning.

How We Reported on Rhetoric About Immigrants in the 2024 Election - 2024-11-20T15:45:20-05:00
The Marshall Project identified themes in over 12,000 immigration-related campaign statements and fact-checked 13 of Trump’s most repeated claims.

How Mississippi’s Supreme Court Runoff Election Could Impact Criminal Cases - 2024-11-20T06:00:00-05:00
After the surprise defeat of one justice, the outcome of the Nov. 26 runoff between another justice and his challenger could change the court’s outlook.

Biden Has 65 Days Left in Office. Here’s What He Can Do on Criminal Justice. - 2024-11-16T12:00:00-05:00
Judicial appointments and the death penalty are among areas where a lame-duck administration can still leave a mark.

10 Stories That Defined The Marshall Project’s First 10 Years - 2024-11-15T06:00:00-05:00
For a decade, our journalism has driven change and delivered information to millions, including people behind bars. We’re just getting started.

Jackson, Mississippi, Officials Aren’t the First to Stay in Office Amid Corruption Charges - 2024-11-15T06:00:00-05:00
Hinds County District Attorney Jody E. Owens II and Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba vow to fight federal corruption charges and not step down.

This Motivational Speaker Faced Down a Tough Crowd: Fellow Lifers - 2024-11-15T06:00:00-05:00
Over 27 years behind bars, Bobby Bostic learned to inspire people in dark places. It all started with the “complete failure” of his first big speech.

3 Things to Know About Prison Violence Against Transgender People - 2024-11-13T06:00:00-05:00
Key takeaways from our story about one trans woman’s legal battle for accountability.

The Real Problem With Banning Masks at Protests - 2024-11-12T06:00:00-05:00
Privacy advocates worry banning masks at protests will encourage harassment, while cops’ high-tech tools render the rules unnecessary.

The High-Tech Tools Police Can Use to Surveil Protesters - 2024-11-12T06:00:00-05:00
When Americans take to the streets to make their voices heard, they’re inevitably dragging their digital trails right along behind them.

Key Criminal Justice Takeaways from the 2024 Election - 2024-11-09T12:00:00-05:00
What’s next for President-elect Donald Trump’s criminal cases, immigration policy, justice reform and more.

Despite Bribery Charges, Mississippi Prosecutor, Other Officials Can Remain in Office - 2024-11-08T17:06:00-05:00
Hinds County’s district attorney, Jackson’s mayor and a city council member were indicted on federal charges connected to scheme.

‘What Now?’ People Behind Bars React to Trump’s Win - 2024-11-08T14:15:00-05:00
Most people in prison can’t vote. But they share concerns about inflation, misinformation, racism and the state of our democracy.

Life Inside, Remixed: A Criminal Justice Reformer Takes on ‘Conveyor Belt Justice’ - 2024-11-08T06:00:22-05:00
Carol Shapiro joined the New York parole board to make change. Marathon days, copious paperwork and dysfunctional hearings brought her to tears.

Meet the People Running for Mississippi’s Supreme Court and Other Courts - 2024-11-07T17:45:00-05:00
We profiled candidates for two state Supreme Court seats and other courts, and asked each to tell you in their own words why they should be elected.

Inside Story Meets Woman Jailed for Pregnancy Loss After She’s Released - 2024-11-07T11:00:40-05:00
Veteran rapper Styles P talks about the criminalization of rap lyrics, and we revisit the story of a woman who was imprisoned after the stillbirth of her child.

Trump’s Immigration Lies Paid Off at the Polls - 2024-11-06T06:00:00-05:00
Thousands of Trump’s public statements indicate his re-election will bring a return to hardline immigration policies.

Election Day 2024: Where Criminal Justice Is On the Ballot - 2024-11-02T12:00:00-04:00
From reproductive rights to border enforcement and marijuana legalization, voters across the nation will weigh in on criminal justice issues.

Life Inside, Remixed: An Incarcerated Artist Learns to Paint Through the Chaos of Prison - 2024-11-01T06:00:16-04:00
Rafael Rodriguez’s artistic mentor and cellmate, Memo, taught him how to pour his anger and pain into oil painting.

Families Seek Answers, Solace as St. Louis Police Struggle to Solve Killings - 2024-10-31T11:00:40-04:00
We investigate the impact of the St. Louis police’s failure to solve murders, and rapper G. Dep talks about healing after turning himself in.

Some States Are Turning Miscarriages and Stillbirths Into Criminal Cases Against Women - 2024-10-31T06:00:00-04:00
How a person handles a pregnancy loss — and where it occurs — can be the difference between a private medical issue and facing criminal charges.

Incarcerated Men at Sing Sing’s First Film Festival Reflect on Movies, Justice, and Change - 2024-10-29T06:00:00-04:00
The diverse group of jurors shared how their favorite films have shaped their perspectives on community and life behind bars.

The True, Massive Cost of Trump’s Mass Deportation Plans - 2024-10-26T12:00:00-04:00
Along with immense human suffering, deporting millions of people could cost billions and damage the economy, according to several recent analyses.

Life Inside, Remixed: Inside the Underground Economy of Solitary Confinement - 2024-10-25T06:00:13-04:00
Here’s how people in “the box” use their ingenuity, collaboration skills and a form of “fishing” to get the goods they need.