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Analysis

Analysis of criminal justice published by The Marshall Project.

A photograph of President Trump, a White man in a suit and tie, speaking at a podium behind pink and blue orbs of light.
Analysis February 11
Trump’s Executive Order Sows Confusion for Transgender Federal Prisoners
Without guidance from the Bureau of Prisons, trans people are “told one thing from one staff person and a totally different thing from another.”
By
Three men, wearing orange and red uniforms, talk on telephones in a payphone booth area.
Analysis January 23
How Trump’s Immigration Orders Represent a Seismic Shift on Enforcement
The president’s actions move the federal government toward his promised hardline position. But some executive orders will face court challenges.
By
President Donald Trump, a White man wearing a dark suit, gestures with his hands out while sitting at a desk with a presidential seal on it. On the left, a man holds a stack of executive orders. In front of the president, photographers take pictures of him.
Analysis January 23
Trump’s Order Takes Aim at Transgender People in Prison
Few trans people receive gender-affirming housing and care in the federal prison system. This executive order would make it even harder.
By
A group of men wearing white uniforms, seen from the back, walk toward a fenced area. A guard stands by the entrance.
Analysis January 22
What Will Trump’s Executive Order on Private Prisons Really Do?
The order reverses Biden’s ban on private prison contracts with the Justice Department. Private immigrant detention never stopped and is expected to grow.
By
Trump, a White man in a navy suit and a red and navy tie, signs a document while sitting in the Oval Office.
Analysis January 22
Trump’s New Order to Expand the Death Penalty Misses Key Details
The order shows the president’s desire for more executions. But it’s unclear how the administration will carry out its plans, legal experts say.
By and
President Donald Trump, a White man wearing a dark suit and red striped tie, and his attorney Todd Blanche, a man with light-toned skin wearing a dark suit with a dark tie, appear on a monitor in a courtroom.
Analysis January 10
‘Was This Fair?’ People Behind Bars React to Trump’s Sentencing
The president-elect avoided punishment for his 34 felony convictions, highlighting how the legal system often treats the wealthy and powerful.
By The Marshall Project
A collage of, clockwise from top left: a photo of a woman with two children in their home; drawings of the faces of judicial candidates in circles with the text “Judicial Election Guide” in the center; an illustration of a surveillance device with a projection of a car coming out of a camera; drawings of four trans people, and above them an audio waveform; a collage of pictures, a gun, a police baton and helmet for The Marshall Project's story on the Black Shield organization; and a drawing of a school chair, with the words “The Hardest Case for Mercy” around it.
Analysis December 16, 2024
Some of Our Best Work for 2024
Online, in print, and on radio and TV, we delved into prison health care, political views of people behind bars, arrests of women who miscarry and more.
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A photo collage of an illustrated black dog against a green backdrop is at the top left, an illustration of a yellow silhouette of a person walking on barbed wire with the word "violation" below the figure is at the top center, a photo of a magazine cover with a prison facility on the cover is on the top right. Beneath the top row, a photo of a mom and her three children playing in their living room appears on the left, and six different people's faces are in a collage on the right. A collage with the words "Inside Story" is on the bottom right, and a collage of cut out words such as "Criminal" "Con" "Felon" "Convict" "Offender" is on the bottom left.
Analysis November 15, 2024
10 Stories That Defined The Marshall Project’s First 10 Years
For a decade, our journalism has driven change and delivered information to millions, including people behind bars. We’re just getting started.
By The Marshall Project
An illustration in black-and-white shows a trans person, lying on the ground in a fetal position, with one hand over their face. A figure looms in the foreground with a closed fist.
Analysis November 13, 2024
3 Things to Know About Prison Violence Against Transgender People
Key takeaways from our story about one trans woman’s legal battle for accountability.
By
An illustration shows a scene of protesters walking through a city, near other people who are not protesting. Around them are surveillance cameras, a drone and a police vehicle with an antenna. Two protesters in the foreground are wearing medical masks, one protester has a tattoo and another is holding a phone in her hand. The color scheme of the illustration features blue tones. Yellow boxes and lines highlight different ways a person can be surveilled.
Analysis November 12, 2024
The Real Problem With Banning Masks at Protests
Privacy advocates worry banning masks at protests will encourage harassment, while cops’ high-tech tools render the rules unnecessary.
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