Unlocking the Black Box of In-Custody Deaths
Despite the frequency of in-custody deaths, their exact scope remains unknown and data is often intentionally obfuscated.
Christopher Blackwell Sep 06, 2023
In Spite of the Consequences: Prison Letters on Exoneration, Abolition, and Freedom
Lacino Hamilton spent 26 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit before being exonerated in 2020 after DNA evidence cleared him.
Lacino Hamilton Jul 12, 2023
How Toxic Masculinity Drives Homophobia in Prison
The phrase “toxic masculinity” is ubiquitous these days, but there are few places where it’s more all-consuming than in a men’s prison
Christopher Blackwell Jul 05, 2023
I Couldn’t Afford to Call My Mother Before She Died. Georgia Forbids Imprisoned People from Working.
JShawn Guess recounts how being unable to earn money while in prison led to him missing out on his final moments with his mom.
JShawn Guess May 10, 2023
Trans Women Report Self-Harm At New Jersey Men’s Prison
A trans woman mutilated herself in a New Jersey men’s prison after officials refused to transfer her to a women’s facility.
Adam M. Rhodes Apr 19, 2023
Buying a Home Is Hard. Doing It While Incarcerated Is Nearly Impossible.
Serving out a sentence in a Washington state prison, I was certain I’d never own a home. When my wife and I started the process, we found out just how difficult it would be.
Christopher Blackwell Apr 04, 2022
Let’s Bring Back ‘Prison Warehousing’
Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, “prison warehousing”—which used to be a derogatory term—would look like an upgrade. At least warehouses care about the value of the goods they store.
Nick Hacheney, Tomas Keen Mar 24, 2022
Illinois Prison Water Contaminated with Bacteria That Causes Legionnaires’ Disease
Corrections officials confirmed finding legionella at five facilities over the past 12 months.
Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Mar 15, 2022
The Pandemic Isn’t Over Inside Prisons—and It Might Never Be
A cycle of hopelessness is taking its toll in prisons across the country, amid continued restrictions on the things that make life more bearable.
Christopher Blackwell Mar 11, 2022