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Prison Life

Jeff Östberg for The Marshall Project
News Inside
Strength Behind Bars
News Inside Issue 19 honors women navigating the correctional system.
A magazine called News Inside set against a grainy tan backdrop. Light refracted through prison bars shines onto the magazine.
An incarcerated person wearing food preparation gloves adds French fries to a food tray that contains a hamburger and a small bag of baby carrots.
Closing Argument March 8
The Big Business of Bad Prison Food
A market analysis said the food service industry in U.S. prisons and jails is worth billions — and is forecasted to grow.
By
Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez, a man with medium-toned skin, sits in a theater with red seats.
Life Inside February 28
‘Sing Sing’ Actor Jon-Adrian ‘JJ’ Velazquez Reflects on the Power of Prison Theater
JJ Velazquez served nearly 24 years for a murder he didn’t commit. A unique prison arts program transformed him into an actor and activist.
By Jon-Adrian Velazquez, as told to
An illustration shows an aerial view of a couple getting married inside a room. The couple stands in front of an officiant at a podium. Guests are seated behind the couple. Four panels at the edge of the illustration suggest a person in a blue prison uniform being body scanned, a couple holding hands, a hand getting stamped and wedding rings on a table.
Life Inside February 14
Prison Wedding Rules: No Cake, No Lace, But Lots of Love
St. Louis activist Khanika Harper found the perfect way to marry her passion for justice with the power of love: She became a prison wedding officiant.
By Khanika Harper as told to
A White man with a goatee and tattoos, wearing a white tank top and silver chained necklace, signs to a medium-skinned man wearing a blue shirt, gray vest and white long-sleeved shirt.
Life Inside February 7
‘Friendly Signs’ Documentary Follows One Man’s Quest to Create Community for Deaf Prisoners
Director Rahsaan “New York” Thomas explores the impact of Tommy Wickerd’s sign language class at San Quentin and the challenges of prison filmmaking.
By
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.
Feature December 16, 2024
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.
By
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, 2024
‘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, 2024
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, 2024
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, 2024
‘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
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