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An illustration shows a person speaking with a raised fist in a speech bubble; a person’s head with “VOTE” in a speech bubble; and a person with medium-length hair speaking with a gavel in a speech bubble.

The Politics of People Behind Bars

Stories from The Marshall Project’s landmark political survey of people in prisons and jails across the U.S.

Diana Ejaita for The Marshall Project
Election 2024
‘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.
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.
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
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 shows, from left, an elephant symbolizing Republicans; simplified figures including a person stepping out with vertical bars to their right, crossed by wavy lines suggesting a flag; a woman holding a sign; a donkey symbolizing Democrats; a ballot box; and hints of barbed wire on either side of the drawing. The color scheme of the drawing is in marigold yellow, coral, blue, black and light gray.
Election 2024 October 24
These Incarcerated People Are Excited for a Woman President
Some people who took our 2024 election survey said Harris represented change. But they were skeptical she’d address their criminal justice concerns.
By and
An illustration shows, from left, an elephant symbolizing Republicans; simplified figures including a person stepping out with vertical bars to their right, crossed by wavy lines suggesting a flag; a woman holding a sign; a donkey symbolizing Democrats; a ballot box; and hints of barbed wire on either side of the drawing. The color scheme of the drawing is in marigold yellow, coral, blue, black and light gray.
Investigate This October 18
Journalists: How to Report on the Political Opinions of People in Prisons and Jails in Your State
More than 54,000 incarcerated people in 45 states shared their views on the presidential election in The Marshall Project’s landmark political survey.
By The Marshall Project
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.
By
Election 2020 March 12, 2020
For Those Serving Long Sentences, Politics is a Lifeline
Respondents who’ve spent decades behind bars were more politically engaged than their peers, but they’re also the most cynical.
By , Rachelle Hampton and
Election 2020 March 12, 2020
Trump’s Surprising Popularity in Prison
Many incarcerated white people said they’d re-elect the president—if given the chance.
By and Christina Cauterucci with data analysis by
Election 2020 March 11, 2020
How We Pulled Off A Groundbreaking Political Survey Behind Bars
More than 8,000 incarcerated people responded.
by , and
Election 2020 March 11, 2020
Millennials, Meth and Mass Incarceration
We asked incarcerated people to weigh in on the biggest issue facing the country today. Here is what they said.
By Aviva Shen and
From left, front row, Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison students Jacob Nolan, Bryon Brown and Edward Brown fill out the “News Inside” political opinion survey at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York.
Election 2020 March 11, 2020
What Do We Really Know About the Politics of People Behind Bars?
More than 8,000 people responded to a first-of-its-kind political survey. Here is what they said.
By , Aviva Shen and
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