Truthout
Prisons
As Prison Staff Try to Erase Queer and Trans Folks, We Assert Our Right to Exist
Incarcerated LGBTQ people are finding creative ways to claim public space and gather in solidarity.
Biden Administration Should Grant Clemencies and Oppose Racist “Risk Assessment”
Biden must address the harm wrought by racist measures included in bipartisan prison reform legislation.
The Court Knew She Didn’t Commit the Murder. They Sentenced Her for It Anyway.
After nearly 15 years behind bars, Erika Ray is getting another day in court.
I Wanted to Join the Legal Cannabis Industry. Now I’m Sitting in Prison.
Federal drug laws are designed to ensure that the spoils of the emerging legal cannabis industry go to the affluent.
States Pull Back on COVID Data Even as Delta Variant Surges
Some state government websites have stopped posting updates on COVID-19 cases in prisons and long-term care facilities.
Don’t Just “Close” Prisons — Demolish Them and Reinvest Their Funding
A “closure” sometimes means the use of prisons as training sites that perpetuate oppression elsewhere.
Announcing the Winners of the 2021 Keeley Schenwar Memorial Prize
Truthout is proud to announce the winners of the Keeley Schenwar Memorial Essay Prize.
I Was Thrown in Solitary at 14. My Jailers Added a Day Each Time I Fought Back.
Emile DeWeaver describes six days of abuse in solitary confinement as a child.
I Want to Start School So I Can Learn to Write Letters to My Dad in Prison
A 6-year-old child dreams of the day her incarcerated father will come home.
A Prison Guard Raped Me and Threatened My Life. Now I Fight for Others’ Lives.
Pinky Shear challenges others to dedicate themselves to helping those facing violence in prison just as she has.