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Prison Life

Jeff Östberg for The Marshall Project
Feature
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.
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.
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
A magazine called News Inside set against a grainy tan backdrop. The cover says “Sing Sing Film Fest" and features a raised hand holding a film reel. Light refracted through prison bars shines onto the magazine.
News Inside December 11
Lights, Camera, Action
News Inside Issue 18 provides a glimpse into the first-ever Sing Sing Film Festival.
By
An illustration shows a person wearing a gray prison uniform standing in a spotlight. The person looks toward the background where four people sit at cafeteria tables in a white silhouette.
Life Inside December 6
I Found My Faith Community in Prison. Then My Facility Closed.
Rashon Venable spent three productive years at New York’s Sullivan Correctional Facility. A surprise shutdown sent the Muslim poet and writer into a tailspin.
By Rashon Venable
An illustration in grayscale shows, on the left, a person's head with a speech bubble coming out of their mouth, with a pair of handcuffs in it. On the right, there is a person’s head with “VOTE” in a speech bubble coming out of their mouth.
Election 2024 November 8
‘What Now?’ People Behind Bars React to Trump’s Win
Most people in prison can’t vote. But they share concerns about inflation, misinformation, racism and the state of our democracy.
By , and
A Black man wearing glasses, dark green prison pants and a tan sweater is holding a microphone as he asks a question to a woman in the foreground, who is sitting on a chair with her back turned to the camera. Alongside the man sit four other men in the same green prison pants and a variety of shirts. Members of the audience look on from their blue-colored seats.
Feature October 29
Incarcerated Men at Sing Sing’s First Film Festival Reflect on Movies, Justice, and Change
The diverse group of jurors shared how their favorite films have shaped their perspectives on community and life behind bars.
By and
A black-and-white illustration of a man alone in a prison cell with his left leg up on his bed, as light streams in from the windows.
Life Inside October 25
Life Inside, Remixed: Inside the Underground Economy of Solitary Confinement
Here’s how people in “the box” use their ingenuity, collaboration skills and a form of “fishing” to get the goods they need.
By The Marshall Project
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
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
An illustration shows, from left, a woman with her arm around a person who is holding a ballot; the word “Republicans”; a person with their arms in the air; a keyhole; a badge with a star on it; a person wearing a red, white and blue hat; a person with their arms out around two people confronting each other; a person speaking through a megaphone; a justice scale; and the words “Democrats” and “Independents.” The color scheme of the drawing is in marigold yellow, coral, red, blue, black and pale yellow.
Election 2024 October 17
‘Trump Remains Very Popular Here’: We Surveyed 54,000 People Behind Bars About the Election
Support for the former president is strong inside prisons and jails — even as his party tries to roll back voting rights for people with felony convictions.
By , and
An illustration shows, from left, a person speaking with a raised fist in a speech bubble; an elephant symbolizing Republicans; a person speaking with an exclamation point in a speech bubble; a hint of barbed wire and a person’s head with a check mark; a person speaking with handcuffs in a speech bubble; a person’s head with “VOTE” in a speech bubble; a donkey symbolizing Democrats; a person with a thumbs-up in a speech bubble; a simplified image of a flag; and a person with medium-length hair speaking with a gavel in a speech bubble. The color scheme of the drawing is in marigold yellow, coral, blue, black, white and light gray.
Election 2024 October 17
What People Behind Bars Really Think About the ‘Cop vs. Felon’ Election
People in prisons and jails weigh in on Harris’ qualifications for president, Trump’s potential sentence and more.
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