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Prison Death

An illustration shows random numbers and text, including words such as "death," "natural causes" and "suicide" within a silhouette of a body lying down. The silhouette is on top of a gurney. The background is teal and orange.
Analysis December 23
How People Are Dying In America’s Prisons and Jails
An analysis by The Marshall Project provides a window into what causes thousands of people to die in prisons and jails every year.
By
A photo shows incarcerated people seen through a fence covered in black mesh, standing in a yard outside.
Analysis December 23
How We Cleaned Up and Clarified Federal Data on Deaths in Custody
Data collected under the Death in Custody Reporting Act has some serious problems. Here’s how we fixed some of them.
By
A collage of photos and illustrations. Clockwise from top left: A photo of a Black woman holding a framed picture, of her embracing and looking toward her son, while posing for a portrait in front of her home; a photo of a man in a suit, seen from behind, standing in front of one of two doors; a photo of a beige building with narrow horizontal windows, and is partly in shadow; an illustration of a opaque hand interfacing fingers with a transparent hand and both hands being wrapped by a beaded necklace; a photo of protesters standing on the side of a road; ; an illustration of 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; and a photo of barbed wire.
Analysis December 17
We Spent a Year Covering Deaths Behind Bars. Here’s What We Learned.
Every year, thousands of people die in prisons, jails and law enforcement custody.
By
An illustration shows three people on patient beds inside a dark room, with the orange sky visible through the window. On the right side, there are dark silhouettes of dialysis machines and tubes with puddles of water on the floor.
Feature December 16
Women Are Sent to This Federal Prison for Dialysis. They Say It’s Killing Them.
Patients at Carswell medical prison in Texas describe unsanitary conditions, missed treatments and substandard care.
By Kaley Johnson
Get Involved December 12
It’s Hard to Grieve in Prison. This Guide Can Help
From breathing exercises to journaling prompts, we compiled steps that help with processing difficult emotions while locked up.
By
An illustration shows a floating white cloth in front of a teal background. A person in an orange outfit exits from within the white cloth, pushing the fabric to the side like a curtain.
St. Louis December 1
An Overlooked Source of Information in Missouri Prison Deaths: The Coroner
When corrections officials aren’t forthcoming with records, coroners can offer families the details needed to find closure or pursue accountability.
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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
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.
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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
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
A illustration shows, on the right side, a woman running on a dark red line that leads to a tangled ball made from that line in the center, which then leads out of the tangled ball to a single line which a person in pale blue and white upside down on. The background of the illustration looks like a sky, with pale blue and white patches.
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.
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