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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
Closing Argument
While Youth Detention Numbers Rise, States Begin to Roll Back Reforms
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.
In 2020, Los Angeles County approved reforms meant to close the Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, pictured here in 2023, but this week local officials declared an emergency in order to assign other workers to help staff the facility.
A photo illustration with a black and white photograph of the exterior of a prison in the background with red rectangles overlaying it. In the middle is a semi-circle with the typewritten text from several phrases, including “tortured for 18 hours with an..” and “I began to feel a sharp pain on the left side of my chest.” Below the text is a photo of an officer's hands on the wrist of a man in handcuffs.
Feature December 17
Dozens of Prisoners Allege a Culture of Violence by Guards at Federal Facility in Virginia
In lawsuits and interviews, people held at Lee penitentiary described correctional officers breaking teeth, fracturing ribs and using the N-word.
By
An illustration shows a person wearing a black head cover and an orange, long-sleeved shirt. The person is reading a letter at a desk with stacks of envelopes on it. A collage of letters showing different styles of penmanship are in the background.
Feature December 16
What I Learned From a Year of Reading Letters From Prisoners
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.
By
A man wearing a blue uniform sits on a metal folding chair in a small room.
Closing Argument December 14
How Inhumane Prison and Jail Conditions Prompt Calls for Federal Takeovers
Some state and local lockups are facing federal intervention due to problems ranging from filthy cells to violent abuse.
By
A collage shows two black-and-white images. The photo on the left shows three men sleeping on the floor of a jail. The film scan on the right depicts several incarcerated men sleeping or watching TV in Central Jail’s chapel.
News December 12
‘Sleep Don’t Come’: The Dangerous Problem of Sleep Deprivation Behind Bars
Moldy mattresses, 24/7 lights and constant noise contribute to a persistent health and safety crisis in prisons and jails.
By and
An illustration shows a woman who is looking down, being surrounded by transparent hands and waves of various colors.
Life Inside November 22
A Prison Rape Survivor Demands Smart, Safe and Humane Transfers
“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.”
By Johanna Mills
A collage shows a black-and-white image of Federal Correctional Complex, Florence, Colo.; a clipping of a letter to the president from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel; a black-and-white head shot of a White man wearing a blazer and tie; a ripped page detailing work experience; and a black-and-white image of U.S. Penitentiary, Thomson, Ill.
News October 16
Warden Who Ran Federal Prisons With Abusive Practices Now Directs National Training Center
A Bureau of Prisons investigation found that Andrew Ciolli failed to stop violations of the use of force policy at one prison. Now he’s running an agency training center.
By , , The Marshall Project and Joseph Shapiro, NPR
A White man can be seen through the back of a wooden dining-table chair.
Inside Story October 10
Toll of Prison Staff Shortages on Guards, Prisoners and Their Families
Prison staff shortages impact guards, prisoners and their families, and comedian Donnell Rawlings talks about his connection to the system.
By and
An illustration shows a yellow and orange illustration of a person, wearing a tank top, pants and shoes, laying down in a fetal position within a box.
Life Inside September 19
How We Survived Extreme Heat in Prison
Incarcerated journalists detail the first signs of a heat wave in prison — and how they’ve coped with record-breaking temperatures.
By Prison Journalism Project Contributors and
A photo shows the sun beaming above silhouettes of two people holding a board while another person constructs a wall of a makeshift prison cell.
Closing Argument August 10
‘Deliberate Indifference’: Court Rulings Challenge Extreme Heat Conditions in Prisons
“If it’s 103 outside, it may be 107 to -8 inside of your cell,” said a man who worked in the fields while imprisoned in Texas.
By
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