Search About Newsletters Donate

Deaths in Custody

In a photo from her Facebook page, Tasha Grant, a Black woman, has teal hair and wears hoop earrings.
Cleveland October 30
Cuyahoga Sheriff Backs Off Tasha Grant Investigation Amid Family Criticism
Trumbull County sheriff will now lead the investigation into the Cleveland woman’s restraint death, meeting family demands for independent probe.
By , and
Feature October 30
Their Loved Ones Died Behind Bars. These Keepsakes Are All They Have Left.
Five families reflect on the possessions they got back, and the ones they didn’t.
By and
Feature October 29
These Families Wanted to Lay Their Loved Ones to Rest. They Had to Bring Them Home From Prison First.
Policies that dictate what happens after a death behind bars often add new layers of pain — and financial and logistical challenges — for those left behind.
By
An illustration depicts two correctional officers dressed in gray shirts and black pants standing in front of a beige wall with barred windows high above them. At a distance in shadows lies the body of an incarcerated person wearing an teal prison jumpsuit crumpled on the floor.
Investigate This October 28
Journalists: How to Report on Deaths in Jails and Prisons
When you get a tip about a death or multiple deaths in your local jail or prison, there are concrete steps you can take to start investigating.
By , and
Tasha Grant, a Black woman with close-cropped hair and wearing a dark blue shirt, sits on a hospital bed and can be seen talking with a medical staff member who stands a few feet away to the left of the frame, wearing dark blue scrubs over a red hooded sweatshirt. His face is blurred out.
Cleveland October 21
‘A Significant Failure’: Experts Cite Mistakes in Cleveland Hospital Restraint Death
Tasha Grant told a deputy and hospital staff 23 times that she could not breathe. Instead of an evaluation, she got handcuffs and skepticism.
By , and
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 group of people are gathered at an outdoor press conference. Two hold signs reading "Justice for Sharday." One woman with tears streaming down her face holds a baby. News video cameras are in the foreground.
Cleveland October 7
Pressure Mounts on Cuyahoga Sheriff for Independent Probe of Tasha Grant’s Restraint Death
Community advocates and surviving family members also want the sheriff to step aside in two other death investigations involving deputies.
By , and
An illustration of a family at the start of a path looking toward their relative in the distance, at the end of the path. Panels of black-and-white photo collages, including family photos, surround the illustration.
Life Inside September 26
When Their Loved Ones Died Behind Bars, These Families Had to Sleuth for the Truth
After a family member passes away in prison or jail, people are often left with basic questions. To get answers, they have to get creative.
By , and
An illustration shows a spreadsheet, where the cells contain small drawn figures of people in teal-colored jumpsuits in different poses (sitting, standing, leaning). On the right is a menu of options: Cut, Copy, Paste and Delete Cell. Delete Cell is highlighted.
Feature August 7
Why Doesn’t the U.S. Government Know How Many People Die in Custody?
Under the Death in Custody Reporting Act, the government is supposed to track how many people die in law enforcement custody — but the data is a mess.
By , and
An illustration shows a bar graph with bars of varying heights. Leaning at the base of some of the individual bars are figures of people dressed in teal-colored jumpsuits. The bars and the people cast shadows at an angle on the ground.
Feature August 7
How We Analyzed the Justice Department’s Death in Custody Data
A rare look into data collected under the Death in Custody Reporting Act revealed serious problems.
By and
About
People
Jobs
Sitemap
Funders