Truthout
Prisons

“Alligator Alcatraz” Prisoners Say Their Living Conditions Are a Form of Torture
They report inadequate and maggot-infested food, inability to bathe, flooding, denial of religious practice, and more.

Alabama Voters Banned Prison Slavery — But Prisoners Say It Hasn’t Stopped
As a lawsuit tries to stop a forced prison labor program, a beer distributor is defending its own participation.

Prison Is Designed to Make Fatherhood Impossible
Connections with caregivers are key for children’s well-being, but the prison system is designed to tear families apart.

Supporters Rally Behind Political Prisoners Who Stopped White Supremacist Attack
Activists converged on Anderson, Indiana, to demand the release of two Black men who stood up to racist prison guards.

Mothers of Imprisoned Sons Struggle Emotionally and Financially With No Support
Right now in the US, more than a million mothers are pouring energy and money into trying to care for incarcerated sons.

Nothing Can Truly Prepare You for Your First Time Behind Bars
A new book offers an inside look at incarceration at Rikers Island, from intake to release.

Trump’s Border Czar Recently Consulted for Immigrant Detention Center Operator
Tom Homan disclosed consulting fees from GEO Group, one of the largest immigrant jail operators in the US.

Prisons Allow Private Companies to Cut Off Communication With Loved Ones
Some states are allowing private companies to decide which people in prison are allowed to contact their family members.

“Bending the Bars” Rap Album Fights Damaging Stereotypes of Incarcerated People
“Bending the Bars” rips away bipartisan propaganda by letting incarcerated artists speak their truth.

I Wrote This From Solitary Confinement. I Refuse to Let It Break Me.
“The hole” is a prison within a prison, where I’m just another number without a name.