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Doug Livingston

Staff Writer

I cover Greater Cleveland’s criminal justice system, including sentencing, mental health, jail and prison conditions, and immigration. I also lead our team’s reporting on issues affecting people incarcerated in Ohio prisons.

My Background

I joined The Marshall Project - Cleveland in 2023 after 12 years as a beat and investigative reporter at the Akron Beacon Journal. My work is grounded in data and community engagement.

I’ve been voted best Ohio reporter twice by the Cleveland Press Club. My early reporting at The Marshall Project - Cleveland has focused on political views behind bars, juvenile justice and the 2024 presidential campaign.

I’m a native of Northeast Ohio, where I spend my free time listening to live music and getting outside with my wife, two young sons and our old dog, Buster.

Contact Me About...

Please send me information on how you or someone you know is navigating challenges inside Ohio courtrooms, prisons and jails, or how the local system impacts immigration enforcement and mental health.

phone (330) 719-1756
email dlivingston@themarshallproject.org
signal doug.407
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.
By
A Black SUV with the words “Sheriff Ozark County” on the driver’s door is parked in front of a gray brick building with a sign that reads “Ozark County Law Enforcement Center.”
St. Louis May 19
Rural Missouri Jails See Windfall in Trump’s Mass Deportation Effort
As cash-strapped jails rush in for ICE contracts, one man’s death shows the complexity and risk of detaining immigrants.
By
An illustration shows a silhouette of a man with his hands up in frustration as he looks at a woman on a laptop screen. The background is a large representation, blurred with color, of the same woman, who is White with shoulder-length gray hair.
Cleveland April 17
All Stick, No Carrot: Ohio’s Reagan Tokes Law Acts as a ‘One-Way Ratchet’ for Prison Time
Intended to curb prison violence with promises of early release, the law is turning out as unbalanced as critics feared, with sentences extended at every turn.
By
An illustration shows a man with medium skin tone and black hair wearing a blue prison uniform in four scenarios. Clockwise from the top left: The man raises his fists in front of a White man in a prison uniform who is yelling and pointing at him; the man sits on his bed with his head down, looking at a piece of paper; the man sits at a table in front of a woman with a ponytail and medium-dark skin tone; the man stands in an office in front of a laptop, where a woman on a screen is speaking to him. There are four quotes around the figures that read: “It’s a dangerous place here. It got to the point where I had to defend myself.” - Giovanni Lee, “Long story short, they never investigated what happened. They just found me guilty.” - Lamont Clark, “You all had my fate sealed before I even got in the room.” - Edward Navone, and “I’m about to go home. They ended up maxing me out, giving me my whole time.’”- Giovanni Lee
Cleveland April 10
How Ohio’s Reagan Tokes Law Keeps People in Prison Longer
It came as a response by lawmakers to a horrific crime. Now, thousands of people imprisoned since 2019 risk more time behind bars for breaking rules.
By
A photo collage shows an old newspaper clipping with the headline “Justices Argue with Lawyers at Cleveland’s Frisk Hearing” with a black and white photo of Louis Stokes. On top of that photo is an old photo of police officers searching people against a car. On the far right, there are three orange traffic cones with an old photo of police officers behind the cones.
Cleveland December 19, 2024
How a 1963 Cleveland Case Shaped Stop-and-Frisk Police Tactics, and Why It Still Matters
Under Cleveland’s consent decree, police have to track each stop.
By and
A combination of 15 screenshots of former President Donald Trump speaking at various events, wearing a suit and tie, and twice wearing a red Make America Great Again hat. In the top left and bottom right corners there is a set of quotation marks in red. The combination of screenshots is on a black solid background.
Election 2024 November 6, 2024
Trump’s Immigration Lies Paid Off at the Polls
Thousands of Trump’s public statements indicate his re-election will bring a return to hardline immigration policies.
By and
An illustration shows, from left: The silhouettes of three people against a blue background with the word "Ohio" layered over the bottom of the silhouettes; a gavel in black; a pale blue shape of a donkey symbolizing Democrats; a simplified indication of barbed wire in the shape of four upside-down "v"s; a keyhole over a map of Ohio in marigold yellow; and a pale pink shape of an elephant symbolizing Republicans against a coral-colored background in the bottom-right section of the illustration.
Cleveland October 24, 2024
Election Views From Behind Bars in Ohio: Divided Just Like the Rest of U.S.
We asked nearly 3,000 people living in prison and jail for their thoughts on the presidential race pitting Harris against Trump and his 34 felonies.
By and
Cleveland October 8, 2024
Get to Know Your Judges in Cuyahoga County
Local judges make important decisions. Here’s what you should know about them.
By The Marshall Project
A photo collage shows, from left, Vanika Burks, a Black woman with a bomber jacket; Cornelius Love, a Black man with a plain baseball cap; and Asia Barton, a Black woman wearing a New York Yankees cap, all in grayscale tones, at the bottom of the frame. Behind them are a digital sign that reads “Prepare to Stop,” a white Cleveland Police truck and a man facing away from the viewer in a yellow vest that reads “Police” on the back.
Cleveland October 1, 2024
Cleveland Police Stop and Search Black Drivers at Higher Rates Despite DOJ Oversight
Review of 17,000 Cleveland police stops shows Black people are searched three times as often, yet White people have contraband at near equal rates.
By , The Marshall Project, and Sarah Buduson, News 5 Cleveland
A collage illustration shows photos of a meeting room full of people, a man in a suit, the exterior of a building that reads “Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center,” and a close-up image of people sitting, one taking notes. Excerpts of various documents are layered throughout the collage. One reads, “I am available, interested, and qualified to serve as assigned counsel in the following case type(s):” and another reads: “Optional delinquency qualification worksheets: The following sections are provided as a convenience to assist you in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications established in O.A.C. 120-1-10 for appointment to various levels of delinquency cases. You are not required to submit these sections with your application.”
Cleveland September 12, 2024
Not ‘Mini-Adult Court’: Lawyers Lacking Qualifications Defended 1,200 Cuyahoga County Kids
Juvenile Court judges will now track qualifications, but insist the state system creates barriers keeping experienced attorneys from defending kids.
By and
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