Search About Newsletters Donate
Correctional officers beat and stomped more than 30 prisoners following an injury to an officer at Mid-State Correctional Facility in Marcy, N.Y., according to inmates.

Dangerous Conditions in Prisons/Jails

Nathaniel Brooks for The New York Times
St. Louis
There Was No Way to Know How Many People Died in Missouri Prisons — Until Now
For years, the state’s Department of Corrections cobbled together death records from multiple sources. New data reveals annual totals for the first time.
An illustration shows a person in an orange prison uniform falling into a tall stack of teal colored papers. Several stacks of teal colored papers with headshots on them are in the background.
St. Louis November 18
How We Got Comprehensive Death Data From the Missouri DOC
After repeated questions about missing deaths in the state’s existing logs, the department shared annual counts for the first time.
By
An illustration shows a man in an orange jail uniform sitting at a table with his arms crossed and head down. Part of the man appears transparent.
Jackson November 17
Why No One Knows How Many People Die in Mississippi’s Local Jails
From medical neglect to suicide, the lack of information on jail deaths can allow the same deadly problems to lead to more deaths.
By
An illustration shows a transparent silhouette of a person sitting down, surrounded by outlines of faces and smaller drawings of people sitting down.
St. Louis October 30
‘Lost’ in Missouri Jail Cells
A backlog of defendants deemed mentally unfit for trial persists despite public policy changes to address the crisis.
By
A close-up photo of an older White man with white hair, blue-tinted glasses, and a navy blue suit.
Jackson October 14
Mississippi Prison Chief Reopens Homicide Cases Following News Investigation
Nearly 50 prison deaths will be examined, following a joint investigation by multiple Mississippi newsrooms.
By , The Marshall Project, and Mina Corpuz and Jerry Mitchell, Mississippi Today
Several men wearing white prison uniforms with the words “Alabama Dept. of Corrections” printed on their backs walk toward a building.
Closing Argument October 11
How Filmmakers Uncovered the ‘Sinister Environment’ Inside Alabama Prisons
The directors of ‘The Alabama Solution’ discuss their piercing new documentary and what they hope people will take away from the film.
By
Several people stand in a crowd, holding poster-sized images of head shots of men who were incarcerated.
Analysis October 10
‘The Alabama Solution’: A Humanitarian Crisis in Grainy Detail
A new documentary features cellphone footage exposing abuse and neglect that is all too common in U.S. prisons. Here are five takeaways.
By
A photo shows a black electronic device attached to the wrist of a person with medium skin tone.
Feature October 8
Can a Biometric Bracelet Stop People From Dying Behind Bars?
Jails across the country are trying a high-tech solution to keep prisoners safe. Will it work?
By Peter O’Dowd and Allison Hagan, Here & Now
A collage shows images of clippings of a court case, a cutout of a male attorney, a gravestone of John Lowe Baker, Jr. and a building with a title that reads “Marshall County Correctional Facility.”
Jackson September 17
A Mississippi Prison Murder Indictment Was Forgotten for 3 Years — Until a Reporter Called
John Lowe was beaten to death in a prison shower in 2021, but the murder suspect was not served the indictment because of bureaucratic missteps.
By Grant McLaughlin, Clarion Ledger
A black-and-white photograph shows a large group of men in prison uniforms, a majority of whom are Black, with their fists up as they stand in a yard in front of a prison facility.
Life Inside September 12
‘Attica Day’ Is Fading Fast. Here’s Why This 53-Year-Old Tradition Still Matters.
For decades, New York prisoners have refused meals on Sept. 13 to mark the end of the 1971 Attica prison uprising. Inside a ritual in decline.
By Joseph Wilson
About
People
Privacy
Sitemap
Funders