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Prison Life

Jeff Östberg for The Marshall Project
Redemption Songs
Live From Tennessee State Prison, a Rollicking Version of a Country Gem
Sonny James’ 1977 cover of “In the Jailhouse Now” was part of an innovative collaboration with incarcerated musicians, stagehands and photographers.
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An illustration in tones of light blue and gray shows six people, whose reflections are visible below them. A man in the foreground reaches towards his reflection. The five other figures are farther away and smaller. The figures are drawn in an abstract manner through shadowing and highlights.
Life Inside April 24
The Magic of Having a Glass Mirror in Prison
The metal mirrors that Alabama prisons use distort our faces. When a glass one suddenly appeared, I truly saw myself for the first time in 26 years.
By Destry McKinney
Redemption Songs April 19
The Message Behind This ‘Hamilton’-Style Prison Rap? Pride Can Be Dangerous
Written by a man at Sing Sing prison, ‘Pride’ is a highlight of the first album by famed prison program Musicambia.
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An illustration in shades of orange, teal, brown and gray shows, from left, silhouettes of a man styling the hair of a female mannequin; a profile of a female mannequin with braided hair; and another person styling the hair of a female mannequin. Details of a pair of scissors, a comb, a razor, a barber’s chair and a hair dryer are scattered around the illustration.
Life Inside April 17
A Prison Barber Class That Makes Men Learn Box Braids, Wet Sets and Other Women’s Styles
At New York’s Green Haven lockup, student barbers must overcome their machismo — and annoyance — to sharpen their craft.
By Joseph Wilson
A photo collage shows, from left: a hand holding strands of hair; a person sweating; a prison door with a hand-drawn scribble over the bottom of the photo; a hand in shades of red over fencing; anonymous women in blue prison uniforms sitting on chairs in a row; a woman holding her head, with a paint scribble over the top of the image.
Feature April 14
What It’s Like to Go Through Perimenopause and Menopause in Prison
Limited information and a lack of informed health care providers make this life transition even more difficult for incarcerated people.
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Redemption Songs April 12
The Bootlegging, Blues Singing Star of 1930s Prison Radio
Hattie Ellis was poised for post-prison fame. Then she encountered shotcallers who didn’t value her voice.
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A photo of a man in an orange safety vest greeting another man in a black shirt. Both men have a medium skin tone and beards.
Life Inside April 3
Mario Monteiro Was Incarcerated at 17. Gardening Helped Him Survive 23 Years.
“Each sprout was a quiet victory,” writes the tree steward. “Each harvest was a reminder that even in unexpected places, growth was possible.”
By Mario Monteiro
Redemption Songs March 29
Stevie Wonder and James Brown Put This Prison Funk Band on the Map
The Power of Attorney played shows with superstars, went to industry parties, and wore outside clothes — all under the watch of armed guards.
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Redemption Songs March 22
Redemption Songs: The Music of Mass Incarceration
Redemption Songs is a limited-run newsletter that spotlights one song each week made by people in prison. Spanning almost a century, we’re telling the story of mass incarceration, one song at a time.
By The Marshall Project
Redemption Songs March 22
B. Alexis Is the First Woman to Drop an Album From Prison. But We Can’t Say Her Real Name.
She fearlessly raps about traumas like being trafficked at 13. But she’s so scared of institutional retaliation, she’s concealing her identity.
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