More in Accountability
Incarcerated Californians Express Cautious Optimism About New Clemency Proposal
The change has brought hope to those who fear dying in prison, while others worry it won’t save them from such a fate.
New Jersey Supreme Court Rejects ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’
The first ruling of its kind in the country could give people convicted based on SBS testimony a new shot at freedom.
Police in Many “Sanctuary Cities” Have Repeatedly Collaborated With ICE
Police face allegations of violating laws meant to protect immigrants from DC to Oregon to Colorado and beyond.
ICE Wants to Reopen Notorious California Prison. Locals Are Fighting Back.
FCI Dublin was shut down in 2024 after revelations of abuse against prisoners. Residents want it to stay closed.
Tim Ballard’s Reputation is in Shambles. The Americans He Helped Arrest Want Answers.
Tim Ballard, the disgraced “anti-sex-trafficking” expert, was the subject of a hit 2023 biographical film and serial sexual misconduct allegations in the same year. After Ballard’s fall, the people he helped arrest in Washington want to know why no one seems willing to take a second look at their cases.
Jail Support for Immigrants Held in Missouri Offers Resistance in a Red State
Local communities resist ICE by reaching inside jails and building networks of support.
Lockdowns, Violence, and “Barbaric Conditions” in a Federal Jail Known for its Famous Detainees
Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center often makes news for the celebrities detained there, but hundreds of other people at the jail face inhumane conditions.
A 68-year-old Grandfather Died in ICE’s Custody. His Family Seeks Answers.
Abelardo Avellaneda-Delgado was healthy when he entered Lowndes County Jail. He died while en route to ICE’s Stewart Detention Center less than four weeks later, leaving his family in shock.
How Will New Jersey’s Next Governor Protect Immigrants?
New Jersey has one of the largest immigrant populations in the country. We asked candidates in the Democratic primary what they’ll do to keep immigrants safe.
His Name Was Tyré Nichols
The Appeal—and much of the media—has been misspelling Tyré Nichols’ name for years.
Trump’s War on Trans People: A Legal Survival Guide
State and federal governments have moved to criminalize trans people, parents of trans children, and healthcare providers.
“If You Want to Live, Don’t Drink the Water”
After mystery illnesses and toxic reports, prisoners at California’s Mule Creek State Prison worry their water is killing them.
Social Worker or AR-15? Portland Struggles Over How to Respond to People in Mental Health Crisis
As Portland weighs expansion of an alternative crisis-response program, new data from a MindSite News-Medill investigation shows police often deploy force on residents who are unhoused or grappling with mental illness.
CoreCivic CEO: Trump Administration Plans Will ‘Supercharge’ the Private Prison Industry
In a quarterly earnings call, the private prison company told investors that it plans to expand its operations across the country.
Private Prison Company GEO Group “Excited” About Mass Deportation
CEO tells investors the Trump administration represents an “unprecedented opportunity.”
No Exit: Death and Despair in Texas’s “Double-Cell” Solitary Units
Texas state prisons incarcerate more than 4,500 people in two-person cells the size of a parking space for nearly 24 hours a day.
Trans Prisoners Say Trump’s Ban on Gender-Affirming Care Could Be Deadly
“I’d rather not live than be forced to live as a man,” a trans woman in a federal prison in New Jersey said in a sworn statement.
Palestinian Activist Detained at Louisiana ICE Facility With History of Deaths and Abuse
Inspections have found repeated violations of federal standards at GEO Group’s Central Louisiana ICE Processing Facility.
Private Prison Exec Calls Mass Deportation Plans ‘Unprecedented Opportunity’
GEO Group Chairman George Zoley said the company stands to gain up to $1 billion in additional revenue from detaining and surveilling undocumented immigrants.
Virginia Prison Uses Threats, Bribes to Address Self-Harm
The Inmate Safety Agreement distributed at Red Onion State Prison offers fish fries and movies for prisoners who don’t harm themselves.
Trump’s New Attorney General Directs Prosecutors to Pursue Harshest Sentences Possible
In memos released this week, Pam Bondi rolled back Biden-era reforms and called for a crackdown on immigrants and college students.
Young People Say They’re Beaten and Maced at Adult Louisiana Jail
Louisiana moved detained children from the infamous Angola prison to an adult lockup in Jackson Parish. They say the abuse has continued.
The Border Propagandist
Jaeson Jones, a former DPS captain-turned-MAGA influencer, is helping lay the groundwork for mass deportations and conflict with Mexico.
Atlanta Officials May Have Broken the Law in Fight Over Diversion Program
Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative is still waiting on Mayor Andre Dickens to approve the organization’s contract.
How Washington State Stifles the First Amendment for Prisoners
Public records reveal how Washington Department of Corrections uses a nebulous victim rights policy to bar incarcerated people from participating in public debates.
After Secret Replacement Process Ends, Atlanta Diversion Program’s Future Is Still Unclear
Advocates say Atlanta mayor is trying to sabotage the city’s contract with a diversion services provider—and the City Council is letting him.
Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Agenda Will Be Even Harder to Stop a Second Time
A second Trump term is not only more dangerous for undocumented people and asylum seekers than life under a Democratic president. It’s poised to be catastrophic.
How Georgia Arrests Women Who Never Committed Crimes
In Georgia, a person can be charged as a “party to a crime” for simple acts like answering a phone or loaning gas money. I—and many women incarcerated alongside me—are trapped in prison for crimes committed by men or abusive partners.
Philadelphia Jail Killed Man by Depriving Him of Insulin, Lawsuit Says
Staff at Philadelphia’s Curran Fromhold Correctional Facility allegedly did not give Louis Jung Jr. his insulin for six straight days. Jung’s family says his treatment exemplifies how the jail treats everyone.
Texas Lawmakers Paused Robert Roberson’s Execution—For Now
State legislators subpoenaed Robert Roberson one day before the state was set to kill him—an act that delayed the execution. Lawmakers are fighting to let Roberson testify before the state House despite objections from the attorney general and governor.
Texas Board Denies Clemency for Robert Roberson in ‘Shaken Baby’ Death Penalty Case
Despite pleas from state lawmakers, Texas will execute Roberson on Oct. 17 unless Governor Greg Abbott grants a reprieve in his case.
Junk Science Convicted Her. Will Mississippi Set Her Free?
Tasha Shelby was sentenced to life in prison for allegedly shaking her fiance’s two-year-old son to death. But the science around “shaken baby syndrome” has unraveled, and the lead witness against her recanted his testimony.
Caught in the Storm: How Florida Prisons and Jails Are Responding to Hurricane Milton
More than 20,000 people are incarcerated in Florida jails and prisons located in counties subject to evacuation orders. Many officials are refusing to evacuate them.
After DOJ Investigation, Phoenix Residents Say City is Faking Police-Reform Efforts
Phoenix’s police chief called the findings of a damning DOJ report “accusations.” City leaders continue to reject federal oversight. They voted to give the police more money instead.
Incarcerated People Are on the Front Line of Hurricane Helene’s Destruction
Prisons and jails across the Southeast have experienced utility outages, evacuations, visitation disruptions, and staff shortages in the storm’s wake.
NJ Prisons Violate State Solitary Confinement Restrictions, Report Says
In 2019, the state passed a law restricting how long prisons can hold people in isolation. But, according to a new report, people still say they’re being isolated for weeks and even months.
Incarcerated Protesters Say Federal Prisons Refuse to Release People on Time
More than 700 prisoners at FPC Montgomery in Alabama refused meals over concerns that the Bureau of Prisons was violating sentencing reform provisions in the 2018 First Step Act.
Georgia Judge Refuses to Overturn ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ Conviction
Medical experts testified that Danyel Smith’s child likely died of natural causes, but Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Ronnie K. Batchelor rejected a motion to overturn his 2003 murder conviction.
Cities Are Undermining Promising Violence Intervention Programs
Inconsistent funding and commitments, poor organization, and political pressure have hamstrung the work of community violence intervention groups across the U.S.