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News
January 28, 2016
Why Getting Sued Could Be the Best Thing to Happen to New Orleans’ Public Defenders
The ACLU takes the cash-poor agency to court to force the cash-poor legislature to pay.
By
Eli Hager
Analysis
September 29, 2016
Criminal Justice Reform: An Obituary
Obama and Newt Gingrich. Koch Industries and the ACLU. With friends like that, how could it lose?
By
Bill Keller
News
December 10, 2024
New Florida Prison Policy on Trans Health Care ‘Like Conversion Therapy’
With new restrictions on gender-affirming care, prisons confiscate underwear from trans people and compel them to cut their hair.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
News
May 2, 2015
Baltimore’s Polite Police Reform
The softer side of Justice Department intervention.
By
Simone Weichselbaum
News
September 6, 2016
Mississippi Limits Prison Visits to Immediate Family
A strict new policy begins after "a security violation".
By
Christie Thompson
Feature
September 24, 2017
How Conservatives Learned to Love Free Lawyers for the Poor
By reframing the issue around the evils of big government, Republicans are notching victories that have eluded more liberal legislatures.
By
Alysia Santo
News
August 1, 2017
Ending Solitary for Juveniles: A Goal Grows Closer
Recent rulings in a half-dozen states signal new momentum.
By
Eli Hager
The California Experiment
May 23, 2018
Prosecutor Elections Now a Front Line in the Justice Wars
By
Paige St. John
and
Abbie VanSickle
Case in Point
March 20, 2017
When “No” Doesn’t Mean “No”
Did the subject invoke his right to remain silent?
By
Andrew Cohen
News
March 27, 2015
West Virginia Loosens Anti-Truancy Laws
But does the state go far enough?
By
Dana Goldstein
Justice Talk
February 21, 2016
Join Us For Justice Talk: A New Conversation Series With The Marshall Project and Digg
Our first discussion will be Wednesday, Feb. 24, on how the police predict crime.
By
Blair Hickman
News
December 18, 2014
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Private Prisons...
...is none of your damn business.
By
Christie Thompson
Commentary
February 20, 2015
Where Right Meets Left
The odd-couple alliance on justice reform is not as odd as it seems.
By
Bill Keller
Feature
June 21, 2017
How to Cut Down on Searches in Traffic Stops: Legalize Pot
New data shows legalization leads to fewer encounters between cops and drivers, but racial disparities remain.
By
Justin George
and
Eric Sagara
Analysis
August 30, 2018
So Much for The Great California Bail Celebration
The first state to abolish cash bail. Why are proponents so unhappy?
By
Abbie VanSickle
News
December 1, 2014
Ohio’s New Frontier in Secrecy
Protecting doctors who testify for lethal injections.
By
Maurice Chammah
Commentary
February 24, 2015
A Most Unsurprising Riot
Life inside the infamous Willacy immigration prison.
By
Carl Takei
Analysis
November 11, 2020
Will Drug Legalization Leave Black People Behind?
Even in states that have legalized or decriminalized marijuana possession, Black people are still more likely to be arrested for it than White people. These organizers are working to change that.
By
Wilbert L. Cooper
and
Christie Thompson
Closing Argument
June 1, 2024
How Abortion’s Legal Landscape Post-Roe is Causing Fear and Confusion
We spoke with seven reproductive rights organizations — here’s what we found.
By
Nicole Lewis
and
Aala Abdullahi
News
November 9, 2016
What Trump’s Win Means for Chicago and Baltimore’s Cops
The president-elect may soon upend an Obama-era police reform tactic.
By
Maurice Chammah
News
November 5, 2020
We’re Tracking 7 Ballot Measures That Could Change Criminal Justice
Find out whether voters said yea or nay to legalizing drugs, allowing people on parole to vote and run for office, and more.
By
Marshall Project Staff
Commentary
May 21, 2015
The ‘South Texas Family Residential Center’ Is No Haven
It’s an internment camp.
By
Carl Takei
News
November 17, 2014
Right and Left Unite on Drug Sentencing. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Will Senator Grassley kill the Smarter Sentencing Act?
By
Christie Thompson
Feature
June 29, 2021
Lost Opportunity, Lost Lives
During the pandemic, prison officials could have prevented sickness and death by releasing those who were most vulnerable to coronavirus and least likely to reoffend — older incarcerated people.
By
Lisa Armstrong
News
June 29, 2023
A Dozen Cities Set Youth Curfews This Year, Even Though They Don’t Reduce Crime
Texas recently banned juvenile curfews, while cities like Baltimore and Memphis have doubled-down on them.
By
Lakeidra Chavis
Closing Argument
August 26, 2023
Cruel Summer: When Basic Survival Can Become Illegal
Extreme heat heightens the tensions between homeless communities and the police.
By
Geoff Hing
Closing Argument
October 5, 2024
Drug Testing of Pregnant Patients Is Discriminatory, Lawsuit Claims
The Marshall Project recently investigated how faulty drug tests at hospitals lead to pregnant women being reported to authorities and at times separated from their children.
By
Shoshana Walter
Closing Argument
September 23, 2023
Juvenile Detention Centers Face One Scandal After Another
Despite repeated efforts at reform, allegations of mistreatment mount at youth facilities across the country.
By
Lakeidra Chavis
News
April 17, 2015
Long Shorts and Baggy Shirts
An immigration detention facility tries a new method for curbing sexual assault: Make the women dress differently.
By
Maurice Chammah
Feature
September 23, 2015
Alternatives to Bullets
From liquids that smell like dead animals to high-temperature heat rays, the present and future of non-lethal weapons.
By
Eli Hager
Crime on the Ballot
October 17, 2016
It’s Not Just Pot and the Death Penalty
Four important ballot measures you probably haven’t heard of.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Case in Point
June 6, 2019
Mentally Ill and Languishing in Jail
A Pennsylvania case illustrates a national problem: People with psychiatric illnesses often remain incarcerated while they wait for a hospital bed.
By
Christie Thompson
,
Leila Miller
and
Manuel Villa
Testify
September 11, 2023
Six Years of Bail Reform in Cuyahoga County: A Timeline
How public pressure, inhumane jail conditions, and informal agreements reshaped the Cuyahoga County bail system.
By
Rachel Dissell
and
Ilica Mahajan
Death Sentences
April 3, 2024
He Faces Execution. His Lawyers May Have Earned Less Than $4 per Hour.
Some death penalty lawyers get paid the same no matter how long they work on a case. Critics say it’s a perverse incentive when a life is at stake.
By
Maurice Chammah
and
Keri Blakinger
News
December 2, 2014
What You Need to Know About Body Cameras
Police cams are all the rage. Are they the answer?
By
Clare Sestanovich
News
November 24, 2014
Do Convicted Killers Deserve Free Speech?
In the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Pennsylvania says no.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Commentary
November 30, 2014
What Death Penalty Opponents Don’t Get
There are fates worse than death.
By
Jam ES Ridgeway
and
Jean Casella
News
February 10, 2015
Our Body-Cams, Ourselves
Now that police are always on, who gets to watch?
By
Clare Sestanovich
Justice Lab
March 4, 2015
How to Cut the Prison Population by 50 Percent
No, freeing potheads and shoplifters is not enough.
By
Dana Goldstein
Justice Lab
March 27, 2017
Happiness is a Warm Phaser
The search for the truly nonlethal weapon.
By
Robin Washington
Death Sentences
January 14, 2021
A $6,300 Bus. A $33 Last Meal. What New Documents Tell Us About Trump’s Execution Spree
Feds spent millions to restart the death penalty and in the process revealed much about how they do it.
By
Keri Blakinger
and
Maurice Chammah
News
January 17, 2020
People on Probation and Parole Are Being Denied Perfectly Legal Medical Weed
Despite statewide legalization, some counties ban probationers and parolees from using medical marijuana. So the chronically ill turn to less effective and more addictive prescription drugs.
By
Eli Hager
Closing Argument
March 16, 2024
When Police Encounters With Autistic People Turn Fatal
The death of a 15-year-old is once again raising questions about training on neurodivergent and mental health diagnoses among law enforcement agencies.
By
Jamiles Lartey
News
April 8, 2015
For the Record
If police had recorded his interrogation, would Max Soffar be on death row?
By
Maurice Chammah
News
February 2, 2015
Khaled Who?
An accused terrorist goes on trial. Manhattan yawns.
By
Clare Sestanovich
News
August 5, 2015
If You Commit Murder, Do You Have the Right to Vote?
The evolving state of voting rights for prisoners.
By
Christie Thompson
News
July 23, 2015
Federal Prisons Could Release 1,000 Times More Drug Offenders Than Obama Did
New, retroactive sentencing guidelines begin to kick in.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Analysis
January 27, 2016
There Are Practically No Juveniles in Federal Prison — Here’s Why
Obama takes bold action, but for a population of fewer than 30
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Commentary
August 12, 2016
End Prisons-for-Profit
A scathing report calls for “better oversight.” That’s not enough.
By
Carl Takei
News
November 29, 2016
The Crucial Immigration Case About to Hit the Supreme Court
With Trump’s pledge to deport millions, bail hearings become an even bigger issue.
By
Christie Thompson
Commentary
October 28, 2016
Better by Half
How New York City Cut Crime and Incarceration at the Same Time
Vincent Schiraldi
and
Judith A Greene
News
September 1, 2017
Why Do Cops Need Bayonets?
Um, because they’re free.
By
Simone Weichselbaum
and
Justin George
Coronavirus
May 8, 2020
Why Did It Take the Feds Weeks to Report COVID-19 Cases In Privately Run Prisons?
The Bureau of Prisons reports 110 confirmed cases among 17,000 prisoners—and that may be an undercount.
By
Joseph Neff
Cleveland
December 1, 2022
Ohio Lawmaker Wants Law Requiring Police to Record Race During Traffic Stops
The Cleveland Democrat says “the only way we can make systemic change is with the data.”
By
Mark Puente
and
Stan Donaldson Jr.
Commentary
July 26, 2017
Our Long, Troubling History of Sterilizing the Incarcerated
State-sanctioned efforts to keep the incarcerated from reproducing began in the early 20th century and continue today.
By
David M. Perry
News
January 14, 2019
Trump's War on Immigrants Leaves a Million Lives in Limbo
Migrants in the U.S. and across the globe face turmoil as lawsuits aim to reverse restrictive policies.
By
Yolanda Martinez
Feature
September 17, 2018
When Trying to Help Gets You Fired
For some cops, offering a hand could mean losing your job.
By
Taylor Elizabeth Eldridge
Feature
October 3, 2018
Banished
After passing a series of restrictive housing laws, Miami-Dade County faces an odd predicament: bands of nomadic sex offenders and a cat-and-mouse game to move them.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
and
Emily Kassie
Testify
September 11, 2023
Cuyahoga County Judges Vowed to Reform the Bail System. Here’s What Happened.
Court officials informally changed their bail-setting practices for felony cases. Now, fewer people have to pay to get out of jail, a Marshall Project analysis shows.
By
Ilica Mahajan
and
Rachel Dissell
News
November 4, 2022
Why So Many Jails Are in a ‘State of Complete Meltdown’
Overcrowding, violence and abuse proliferate at jails across the country, as staffing problems make long-simmering problems worse.
By
Keri Blakinger
Coronavirus
June 3, 2020
Jails Are Coronavirus Hotbeds. How Many People Should Be Released To Slow The Spread?
As officials cut jail populations, researchers and advocates explore what more can be done.
By
Anna Flagg
News
January 29, 2019
When Going to Jail Means Giving Up The Meds That Saved Your Life
How the Americans With Disabilities Act could change the way the nation’s jails and prisons treat addiction.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Analysis
August 24, 2018
What’s Really Happening With the National Prison Strike?
Action is limited so far, but organizers are cheering the media attention.
By
Nicole Lewis
News
March 26, 2024
Even Where Abortion Is Legal, People in Jail Face Huge Barriers
New reviews of jail policies in 13 states found vague, confusing or nonexistent guidelines and major hurdles to obtaining an abortion.
By
Shannon Heffernan
Commentary
December 9, 2014
Eric Holder’s Final Crusade
Feds announce new racial profiling rules — and local police yawn
By
Andrew Cohen
News
May 20, 2015
Life Expectancy
How many years make a life sentence for a teenager?
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
News
January 14, 2015
NYC Declares an End to Solitary for Inmates Under 21
Now comes the hard part.
By
Clare Sestanovich
News
March 16, 2015
After Willacy
A private prison company, a prison riot, and what comes next.
By
Maurice Chammah
Analysis
July 22, 2015
The Nonviolent Offenders Congress Forgot
While prison reform gains momentum, the immigration debate remains “tough on crime.”
By
Christie Thompson
News
December 14, 2015
What Angola's Resigning Warden Is Leaving Behind
For 20 years, Burl Cain both punished and preached.
By
Maurice Chammah
News
May 19, 2016
When Parole Boards Trump the Supreme Court
The high court has said most kids shouldn't be sentenced to life without parole, but some prisoners' fate are in the hands of politics.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
Analysis
July 13, 2016
Protesting at the Republican Convention? Here’s How to Stay Out of Jail
Tip No. 1: Don’t talk back to a cop (and a lot of them will be there).
By
Simone Weichselbaum
News
October 5, 2016
Making the Case Against Banishing Sex Offenders
Legislators won’t touch the subject, but courts are proving more sympathetic.
By
Maurice Chammah
Crime on the Ballot
November 1, 2016
A Look at this Year’s Soft-on-Crime Attack Ads
Campaign ads in the age of criminal justice reform.
By
Maurice Chammah
Crime on the Ballot
October 16, 2016
Ferguson Still Haunts Missouri — And Not The Way You Might Think
The city’s unrest emerges as a wedge issue in the governor’s race.
By
Eli Hager
Commentary
March 8, 2017
A Critical Civil Rights Tool Is on the Chopping Block
A pending vote on class actions could determine the future of civil rights cases.
Jenn Rolnick Borchetta
News
August 28, 2017
How ICE Uses Secret Police Databases to Arrest Immigrants
Recent lawsuits claim the agency is targeting people for deportation based on spurious allegations of gang connections.
By
Christie Thompson
Inside Out
July 22, 2021
‘I Have No Teeth’: Michigan Prisoners Say Long Wait to See Dentist Is Inhumane
In Michigan, getting dental care can take months, even years.
By
Keri Blakinger
Coronavirus
April 8, 2020
“I Do Not Want to Die Somewhere Like This.”
Medically vulnerable immigrants in ICE detention sue for release before coronavirus arrives.
By
Emily Kassie
Coronavirus
April 6, 2020
A New Tactic To Fight Coronavirus: Send The Homeless From Jails To Hotels
California and New York City are booking hotels so homeless people released from jail don’t accelerate the pandemic.
By
Abbie VanSickle
Life Inside
June 25, 2020
How My White Privilege Protected Me In Jail
Being locked up for a crime I didn’t commit was hard. But nothing compares to the humiliation and harassment that my elderly, disabled, Black cellmate experienced.
By
Michelle Hadley
Analysis
September 27, 2021
There Are Fewer People Behind Bars Now Than 10 Years Ago. Will It Last?
Census data show incarceration rates are down. It may have more to do with the pandemic than broad reforms.
By
Weihua Li
,
David Eads
and
Jamiles Lartey
News
August 2, 2017
Guess Who’s Tracking Your Prescription Drugs?
Your doctor, your pharmacist... and the police.
By
Beth Schwartzapfel
News
March 2, 2020
No Glitter, No Glue, No Meth?
Can Texas prisons really stop contraband by banning greeting cards?
By
Keri Blakinger
Commentary
December 5, 2018
California Passed a Law to Put Me Out of Business—And Taxpayers Will Get the Bill
Why eliminating bail is bad for my industry, defendants and everyone else.
By
Bill Armstrong
Commentary
November 19, 2018
Here’s Why Jeff Sessions’ Parting Shot Is Worse Than You Thought
Former attorney general’s directives make it easy to render federal action against abusive police departments ineffective.
By
Christy E. Lopez
Life Inside
November 1, 2018
I Got A Life Sentence At 17. Then I Was Raped In Prison.
Even though my son was conceived in the most traumatic possible way, his birth was my saving grace.
By
Laura Berry
News
May 22, 2018
Is The “First Step Act” Real Reform?
Congress and criminal justice, a scorecard
By
Justin George
Q&A
June 18, 2018
Van Jones Answers His Critics
The CNN host defends his involvement with a controversial prison reform bill and the Trump White House.
By
Justin George
Life Inside
October 18, 2018
The Isolation of Being Deaf in Prison
“I didn’t have a way to communicate. And they basically just flipped me the bird.”
By
Jeremy Woody
as told to
Christie Thompson
Testify
June 28, 2023
The Basics of Bail in Ohio
How do people get out of jail while they’re accused of a crime?
By
Rachel Dissell
,
Ilica Mahajan
and
David Eads
Cleveland Newsletter
August 22, 2024
Promises, Promises. Where’s the Surveillance Committee?
After months of promises, civil rights, privacy concerns remain unfulfilled.
By
The Marshall Project - Cleveland
Closing Argument
October 12, 2024
Why Some Police Are Being Trained in Election Law
Despite a history of police disenfranchising voters, and recent voter lawsuits, some experts say learning election law may help officers this November.
By
Daphne Duret
Closing Argument
September 2, 2023
Ending the Golden State Era of Solitary Confinement
California could reshape the practice as other states limit isolation. Meanwhile, prisons aren’t keeping pace.
By
Jamiles Lartey
Closing Argument
September 9, 2023
When Police Kill and Use Victims’ Rights Laws to Stay Anonymous
The shooting of an Ohio pregnant woman is the latest case of police using Marsy’s Law to shield officers.
By
Jamiles Lartey
Closing Argument
April 8, 2023
What Happens When Your Social Media Photos End Up in the Hands of Police
Law enforcement agencies, from police departments to ICE, are using facial recognition, sometimes leading to wrongful arrests.
By
Jamiles Lartey
Justice Lab
January 26, 2015
In Your Face
Does tear gas belong in schools? Do police?
By
Dana Goldstein
News
March 24, 2015
The Worst State for Kids Up Against the Law
It’s Florida, hands down.
By
Eli Hager
News
June 22, 2015
School Ties
Columbia students rally to get their school to divest from private prison companies.
By
Clare Sestanovich
News
August 27, 2015
When Prisons Need to Be More Like Nursing Homes
Finding new ways to treat the growing pool of older, ailing inmates.
By
Maura Ewing