Our work is built on a simple belief: the people living inside our prisons deserve to tell their own stories, in their own voices. These narratives reveal the complexities of incarceration — the violence, monotony, humor, grief, resilience, and humanity that rarely make it into public conversations.
We exist to break down the emotional barrier between those on the inside and those on the outside. When readers encounter these personal stories, it deepens understanding of who is incarcerated, how they got there, and what they endure. These essays humanize people who are so often reduced to statistics or headlines, and they give readers a more honest sense of the American prison system. For our writers, the impact is just as profound. Many find, for the first time in years, a sense of purpose, identity, and connection. Publishing gives them a way to be heard, to reflect, and to contribute something meaningful to the outside world. Research shows that strong connections with the broader community are one of the most powerful predictors of success after release — and storytelling is one of the few ways to build those connections from behind bars.
Nearly everything the public knows about prison comes from outsiders looking in. Prison Writers exists to change that, by publishing first-person stories from the people living behind the walls. These essays challenge assumptions, expose systemic failures, and capture the moments, both large and small, that define daily life in confinement. The result is a fuller, more honest public understanding of incarceration, and of the people who live it.
Loen Kelley is a former television documentary producer (CNN, CBS, NBC). She founded Prison Writers in 2015 after realizing incarcerated people had virtually no platforms to tell their own stories. Working directly with prison writers across the country has given her an unfiltered view of the prison system — and has been the most meaningful work of her career.
Koka Kliora has been an essential part of Prison Writers since 2023. She serves as the backbone of our editorial and digital operations. She reads and edits the stories we receive from incarcerated writers, publishes them to the website, manages correspondence with contributors, optimizes stories for search visibility, and helps shape new initiatives and projects. Koka works in online health care and lives in Wisconsin.
Contributors from all across the country tell us that being published gives them a new identity beyond their crimes. For most, it’s the first time they’ve felt heard and had purpose. Writing also gives them a way to build meaningful ties to the broader community — ties that research shows are among the strongest predictors of success after release.
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