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Prison Guard(s)

A group of people participate in a protest outside with signs advocating for federal workers' rights and public service recognition. One prominent sign in the center reads "FED WORKERS...HOLD THE LINE!" while others hold blue signs with phrases like "Public Service is a Badge of Honor!" and "Justice Takes Action: Standing Up for Our Rights!"
News March 31
Trump’s Union Order Endangers Federal Prison Officers, Labor Leaders Say
Supporters of the union, which represents 30,000 prison employees, fear the move will worsen an ongoing staffing crisis.
By and
In the foreground, four people wearing winter coats hold up signs reading "Enough is Enough, Strike!" as it snows. A group of people stand behind them.
Closing Argument February 22
How a Guards’ Strike Plunged New York Prisons Into Turmoil and Why the Timing Is Curious
Correctional officers complain of unsafe conditions, but critics say the protests were meant to deflect attention from ‘a moment of reckoning.’
By
A Black Woman, wearing a silver cap and gray jacket, holds a sign that reads "Justice for Robert Brooks" during a protest. Protesters holding signs stand behind her.
Closing Argument January 14
Why Firing the Prison Guards Involved in Robert Brooks’ Death Is Neither Quick Nor Easy
Our investigation in 2023 exposed how New York’s discipline system failed to hold abusive guards to account.
By and
An illustration shows a group of tiny figures of correctional officers in light blue shirts and dark blue pants interacting in small groups with incarcerated people in orange prison uniforms. Some of the officers are kicking, punching, or threatening incarcerated people. A larger group of tiny figures of correctional officers and incarcerated people surround the center group but are grayed out.
News February 9, 2024
Bill Would Change How New York Disciplines Abusive Prison Guards
A 2023 investigation by The Marshall Project exposed how the prison department failed to fire officers it accused of abuse.
By and
Analysis December 20, 2023
Some of Our Best Work of 2023
In podcasts, broadcasts and narrative stories, we examined prison conditions, prosecutions of pregnant women, Dungeons & Dragons on death row, and more.
By
A collage illustration shows pieces of two handwritten letters with large print reading “URGENT” and “This is an emergency issue – please help.” A typed letter from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons details the findings of an investigation into allegations of staff misconduct. Underneath these letters are images including the Thomson prison, handcuffs and a keyboard.
Feature November 15, 2023
A Warden Tried to Fix an Abusive Prison. He Faced Death Threats.
He was tasked with ending abuse at a federal penitentiary, but he says his own officers and the Bureau of Prisons stood in the way.
By , , The Marshall Project and Joseph Shapiro, NPR
An illustration shows a correctional officer in uniform standing among four cardboard cutouts of correctional officers. A sketch of a prison is visible in the background.
News September 18, 2023
Mississippi Auditor: Prison Company Must Pay $2 Million for No-Show Workers
A 2020 investigation by The Marshall Project exposed how prison operator MTC billed the state millions for ghost workers.
By and
An illustration shows three correctional officers in the foreground, in shades of dark gray. In the background, there are three correctional officers in light gray. Two of the officers are holding up the arms of an incarcerated person in an orange uniform, while one officer covers the incarcerated person's mouth.
News May 22, 2023
We Spent Two Years Investigating Abuse by Prison Guards in New York. Here Are Five Takeaways.
The state fails to fire most corrections officers it accuses of violence against prisoners or covering up abuse.
By and
An illustration shows a line of correctional officers with their arms linked, in shades of gray, There's an opening in the line, which shows a correctional officer being protected and escorted away by two other officers, in shades of blue and purple.
Feature May 22, 2023
How a ‘Blue Wall’ Inside New York State Prisons Protects Abusive Guards
Records and interviews reveal a culture of cover-ups among corrections officers who falsify reports and send beating victims to solitary confinement.
By , and
An illustration shows a correctional officer's light blue shirt and dark blue pants neatly folded in a pile. Loose sheets of paper fly above the shirt.
Get Involved May 19, 2023
What Do People Not Understand About Working in Prisons and Jails?
Fill out a short form to let us know what issues matter most in your workplace.
By The Marshall Project
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