Prison Lockdowns: The Humiliation of the Annual Shakedown
Chiron Francis writes about the dreaded ritual of prison lockdowns, when cells are searched, possessions are confiscated, and the few things people have managed to…
Chiron Francis writes about the dreaded ritual of prison lockdowns, when cells are searched, possessions are confiscated, and the few things people have managed to…
Gordon Grilz writes about the loaded language used to label people in prison — and why labeling people in a dehumanizing way does nobody any…
Dwight Jackson writes about crack addiction and burglary, tracing how his first break-in, at 23 years old, led to arrests, escape attempts, relapse, and a…
Markus A. Barry writes about being an incarcerated father and the lasting pain of leaving his young daughters behind, watching from prison as they grew…
The debate over whether we should call incarcerated people “inmate” versus “convict” may seem like a question of semantics, but for people living inside America’s…
As Byron Hunter explains, when in prison, there’s something that happens to almost everyone inside, despite everyone’s best efforts. One’s connection to the outside world may…
Jerry Metcalf recounts the terrifying moments of a deadly fire in prison, when guards fled through choking smoke and locked inmates were left to suffocate—until…
There are the ubiquitous ones - Stretch, Preacher, Shorty, Lucky, Cowboy, Solo, Fats, Junior, Nephew, Deuce, and Viking. Einstein makes rocks look like intellectuals.
Jeremy Busby writes about a friend on death row whose influence transformed his life in prison and whose legacy continues long after his execution by…
Marcellus Smith writes about how child incarceration shaped his life long before he ever stepped into an adult prison. A Childhood Behind Locked Doors Growing…
When it comes to the prison economics of prison, you have to live inside here to understand it. For example, inmates use “postage stamps” as…
BEING ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND EXPRESS CERTAIN SECRETS FROM MY CHILDHOOD AND UPBRINGING IS A BIT MORE DIFFICULT THAN EXPECTED. I'm now 44 years…
Derrick Walker talks about entering prison for the first time and what people need to know to stay safe. Drawing on his own years of…
Was Patrick Jones catfished in prison? He describes his experience finding connection behind prison walls, where letters, phone calls, and late-night conversations can feel real.…
Teenage prison guards and the incarcerated teenagers they’ll oversee share more than proximity — they share the same vulnerability to a system that has never…
Charles Norman went to prison in 1978 on what he has been claiming ever since was a wrongful life sentence. He wrote this article exactly…
UPDATE: James Duckett was set to be executed on March 31, but last week the high court issued a stay of execution for Duckett until…
In this essay from inside a prison kitchen, James Berman writes about baking a strawberry-frosted prison kitchen cake for 60 incarcerated men and discovering something…
Michael Philpot writes about his remorse in prison, knowing his victims will “never see a beautiful sunset, taste a home-cooked meal, or see or be…
In this story, Lucas from Texas describes a weekend prison “lock-in” at the Jester 3 Unit that unexpectedly became a powerful emotional experience—one that made…
Robert Porter IV explores what it means to refuse to commit violence in prison, arguing that true strength lies in restraint, compassion, and moral clarity…
The 30 prisoners I interviewed in the Coffield Unit in Texas have served for a variety of lengths of time; some for decades, and others…
How’s a 23-year old kid supposed to process having to spend the rest of his life in prison, in a cage? He doesn’t. How does…
Daniel Harris writes about the frustration of collective punishment in Texas prisons — when lockdowns, lost privileges, and harsh restrictions fall on everyone because of…
This prison advice for women comes from Monique Houston, a woman who entered prison at just 20 years old and is now nineteen years into…
Jeremy Busby writes about prison food illness and why meals served inside jails, prisons, and immigration detention centers routinely make people sick. Incarceration has always…
In the ghetto, there’s lots of improvisation. As young boys, we were very active and had loads of energy. We liked to play…
Antwaun Johnson believes racist prison guards are not an abstract concept — they are a daily reality for Black inmates in Virginia. He has spent…
Little did you know, there’s an underground prison economy and, just like in the free world, you can pretty much get whatever you want as…
Michael Himes writes about getting a job in prison and how persistence, discipline, and attitude matter more than connections or luck. Through his own experience…
Chiron Francis describes how commissary day inside prison becomes a highly anticipated event, revealing how hope, tension, and survival are shaped around access to commissary.…
I’m a stick-up kid who robs any thing that moves. If they had money or drugs, or better yet, both, I did not hesitate to…
So you’re looking for love? You’re one of those who has yet to find that person to walk your journey with. You’ve decided to widen…
Tutankhamon Waterman describes how stepping into a college classroom for the first time while incarcerated became a turning point in his life, sparking a deeper…
Leonard Scovens ended up writing a book, Wildflowers in the Median, with the mother and grandmother of his victims. His longer story on the…
Devin Giordano explains how the prison economy operates on scarcity and survival, where even efforts to eliminate drugs may trigger dangerous unintended consequences. I watch…
This is the story of my escape from prison in 2010. What you're about to read is 100% true and you can look it up…
Charles Norman writes about prison gangs in Florida in a way only someone who has been in prison for more than FOUR decades could. Two…
The movie, THE STANFORD EXPERIMENT, is a fictionalized account of the notorious study conducted by Stanford Professor Philip Zimbardo in 1971. Here is a summary of…
How can our young African American men identify with society’s mainstream values when they cannot even identify themselves? I speak from lived experience. But first,…
Charles Smith explains how a lifelong sentence beginning at age 16 led to years of violence, isolation, and ultimately a powerful transformation through words. I’ve…
Tutankhamon Waterman explains how a staph infection in prison became a life-changing experience, exposing the dangers of unsanitary tattooing and medical neglect behind bars. In…
Two packs of cookies and a Pepsi costs $2.50. The homie across the tier might let you get that for a Colgate and a deodorant,…
Jeffery Shockley reflects on what it means to live with a life sentence, navigating decades of loss, resilience, and systemic challenges inside the Pennsylvania prison…
I may know how Ethan Crumbley's life in prison is going to look better than anyone, anywhere. Almost two decades ago, in very different circumstances,…
In prison, it’s not necessary for you to be a racist in order for you to act like one, to live within the confines of…
The situation, simply put: for families of the incarcerated, life is brutal. Sad. Devastating to family structure and closeness. Difficult financially. Painful. Wrenching, forcing families…
Like many other communities, prison is largely self-segregated. Considering the psychodynamics within, this is not unexpected. One of the biggest surprises of prison life, however,…
He tells her to leave when the D.A. offers fifteen years as the plea bargain. They're on a visit, at Riker's Island. You can’t take…
Psycho. Fresh, Peace Maker, Lee 3, G-Town, Turtle, and C-Murda are just a few of the prison nicknames some of the prisoners on my cellblock…
A ABORIGINE: (n) [sometimes derog.] A Native American. AGENT: (n) A snitch, usually on a specific mission from staff. [“Look out talking about the mota,…
The hole, the new term for solitary confinement. It’s the place they take you when you break one of their “rules,” or at least they…
Prison can be a scary place. Even scarier can be the IDEA of prison for someone who is facing it, especially if that someone has…
Prison used to be rougher, whew, a place you dreaded to go, a place that inspired fear and anxiety, a place possessed with dark brutality,…
I’m a repeat offender. This is my 4th time in penitentiary. I’m the “poster child” for getting out of prison. First time I was 17…
ON SENTENCING: Although I’ve been here 940 days, I have not had a trial yet. For two years, the D.A and the defense attorneys have…
Prison cellmate conflict is one of the most common—and dangerous—triggers for violence behind bars, where even minor annoyances can escalate into life-threatening situations. Standing over…
Eastham is an old prison with a slowly decaying network of pipes to provide water and remove sewage. For one reason or another we…
Well, after 20 years in solitary confinement in America's toughest federal Super-max prison, still half-sleep and dazed, my mind and heart raced, baffled and excited.…
Troy David offers some advice for pursuing rehabilitation in prison — tips that will prepare you for reentry. He says these are the rules he…
Shawn Dustin Powell explains how you have to learn a few prison hustles if you want to afford the basic necessities in prison, unless you’re…
Dorothy Maraglino, serving a life sentence in California, shares a long list of lessons learned in prison. The people in the position to help the…
Recently I had a four-and-a-half-day mini-vacation (my first in 15 years) when I was admitted to Grace Hospital in Morganton, North Carolina. Apparently, while doing…
A mother describes the shock, shame and guilt she feels living with a son in prison — and explains how she found support from other…
Since the day Daniel Hyden crashed his car into a crowd of NYC partygoers, killing four people, he says the only relief he’s had from…
Jereme Clark describes the living conditions in the East Moline Correctional Center which he says has urine on the floors from leaky toilets, black mold…
Nate Lindell, like many inmates across the country, is on social media in prison. He has been charged with violating several DOC policies by having…
Although sexual predators in prison aren’t that common after PREA, Steven Williams describes how a predator named Seventeen was consistently harassing his young friend Dax,…
When a huge pine tree outside of his prison fell over and died one day, Gordon Grilz was hit hard. He describes his love of…
Michael Philpot doles out his advice for how to behave when you’re first arriving in prison, starting with the big one: Mind Your Own Business.…
New Jersey prisons are supposed to address all grievances, complaints and reports of abuse they receive from inmates. But according to Kory McClary, the system…
Kurtis Urey describes the conditions in Pennsylvania prisons, touching on the food, drug use and the mercurial behavior of correctional officers. Pennsylvania prisons are not…
Richard Gross describes the restorative justice workshops he facilitates in prison. He shows us how the experience can be profound, transformative, and cathartic. I’m a…
Antwaun Johnson has been in and out of prisons for decades but he’ll never forget how he felt when he first arrived: lost, confused, angry.…
MarQui Clardy shares crucial prison tips for first-time inmates, covering respect, rights, survival strategies, and how to stay true to yourself behind bars. I’ll never…
One of the best jobs in prison is to train prison dogs. Jerry Metcalf describes how training prison dogs under the philosophy of the five…
Chris Dankovich describes the summer they had Pokemon in prison. In 2023, the new game was added to prisoners’ tablets and became the #1 source…
Author Chris Dankovich found his identity at the center of anarchy and order while being confined in prison for 20 years in Michigan. “Dankovich offers…
Tony Scott started a brotherhood group to show others how to turn their lives around and thrive in prison. For some, incarceration hardens the heart.…
Tracy Lee Kendall continues his profile of Monty Lee Johnston, a white supremacist gang leader who got out of prison and returned to volunteer at…
Ty Evans explains how living with bad cellmates inside a maximum-security prison can test patience, push boundaries, and even provoke violent thoughts. I stood over…
Despite a rocky childhood, Kevin “Rashid” Johnson hopes for “a world where all life can coexist as a community and interdependent whole.” He’s found redemption…
Larry Stromberg makes the case for giving Pennsylvania prisoners with a sentence of life without parole a second chance to return to society. He explains…
Although he has four life sentences, Benjamin Case has been saved in prison by God and the remarkable and unrelenting support of three strong women…
The prison experience is different for different people. Nathan Gray — who’s 7 feet tall — lists 12 things one should expect if they’re that…
Prison life has revealed that even behind bars, the spirit of entrepreneurs can thrive in the most unexpected—and often disturbing—ways. There are all sorts of…
Thomas Koskovich reflects on how a simple baked potato became a profound reminder of gratitude and mindfulness in prison, revealing the beauty in life’s smallest…
Our Virginia writer explains how he followed his daddy into a life of selling drugs, he's been shot 9 times, he killed his best friend,…
John Ruffin describes the period when he was at a crossroads. He could continue down the negative path he was on — or he could…
Luis Paz explains how important it is for inmates to have a prison hustle. Not only for having extra currency, but because it teaches you…
MarQui Clardy asks if solitary confinement was the right treatment for someone who just survived a suicide attempt in prison after his mental health issues…
Jessica Travis explains that surviving the prison cycle means learning how to see through the illusions and tactics designed to break your spirit. Drowning in…
72-year old Gordon Grilz makes the case that he, and probably many other prisoners, have severe PTSD after decades of witnessing murders, rapes and stabbings…
Dawan Ingram remembers the moment he found his first gray hair and explains what it’s like to be aging in prison when you’re innocent. My…
Jerry Metcalf tells the touching story of an inmate living in a Michigan prison managed to develop a college art course for prisoners across the…
Malik Shabbaz reflects on his past choices, the consequences that followed, and his journey toward redemption and self-discovery through pain and perseverance. I did so…
MarQui Clardy describes how rookie doctors training in prisons are allowed to try out their new skills on prisoners. “So, Mr. Clardy, today we’ll be…
Justin Welch writes about how prevalent suicides have become in prisons in Wisconsin and that includes his own attempts to end his life. I’m going…
Is it worth falling in love with someone living on the outside when you’re in prison? Chris Dankovich describes what it feels like to have…
Jeremy Busby explains how he pulled off the biggest hip hop concert in Texas prison history — starring Trapboy Freddy. By the time I arrived…
The new Director of Arizona’s correctional system is bringing PhDs into prison to teach his incarcerated population, an opportunity that women like Shajiyah Iman are…
Matthew Muniz gives himself a pep talk while counting down the days before he’s released. This time, he says, it’s goodbye prison, forever. 16 and…
Iceman and Cowboy capitalized on this by envisioning the "Aryan Circle" (possibly the first white prison gang originating in Texas), formulating their bylaws and constitution,…
Ramelle Kamack describes his work for a prison body shop where clients get their cars restored and repaired for free. About a month ago, I…
Kevin “Rashid” Johnson details how Virginia prison guards working at the state’s remote locations are repeatedly abusing mostly Black prisoners — and sometimes getting away…
Marcus Beri ponders how difficult it will be for him to find a life partner after serving time in prison. How do I find my…
Andrew Krosch explains the strange calm that can come from prison isolation. A place meant for punishment but sometimes experienced as relief. Within the Administrative…
Joseph Colon has spent decades living in private prisons across the country. He describes how the basic needs of prisoners are neglected in for-profit prisons,…
Felix D’Allesandro explains who and what is stopping him from getting a college education in prison and describes why it’s an serious issue with a…
The District Attorney of Los Angeles and his entire office is recommending that the Menendez brothers be resentenced, and if the judge agrees, one or…
Chris Dankovich describes how a group of prisoners experimented with “Holotropic Breathwork” in prison with astonishing results. Nathan puts his hand to his head. “Bro, this…
When I arrived at federal prison in May of 2024, we had to go through an orientation for the first two weeks so they could…
After I finish my morning coffee, I wait for the cell door locks to disconnect and for the front of my cell to open up.…
Woop! Woop! The loud noises stir me from my sleep. It’s coming from men yelling out a warning from the cells around me. Woop! Woop!…
Brian Jones believes willful negligence by prison staff to hold prisoners accountable for drug use exacerbates addictive behavior instead of encouraging recovery and rehabilitation. July…
Dan Grote describes what happens when you match up a violent drug kingpin with two life sentences — with a dog in prison named Fred.…
Kacey Maret describes what happens in a prison riot when prisoners gained control of his Nebraska prison in 2015. Trigger Warning: Graphic Violence I had just…
Ben Wilkins describes a unique and very lucrative prison side hustle few people know about: the prison massage therapist. Do you think it’s possible to…
MarQui Clardy grapples with why he chose money over love when he committed a series of armed robberies that destroyed the most promising romance of…
In 1999, Kenneth West was give a 120-year sentence at the age of 19. He describes how long sentences and punitive treatment by guards can…
On Memorial Day 2002, I drove to the home of my estranged mother and father and shot them dead. I killed my parents. It’s hard…
Shawn Harris found recovery in prison. Through therapy and self-reflection, he realized that to beat back temptation, he had to find himself. I found my…
Arnold Barnes recounts a harrowing prison transport experience that exposes the chaos, humiliation, and shock of arriving at a new facility where danger and disbelief…
Andrew Krosch describes a recent parole board hearing he attends, knowing full well there is nothing he could say to get out of prison given…
While the Jewish population in prison is small, it’s hard for practicing Jews to go unnoticed. Chris Dankovich discusses the reasons behind antisemitism in prison.…
Finding myself in Ad Seg (Administration Segregation, similar to solitary) again is bittersweet. It has been over 10 years since I have touched the world…
Shawn Johnson, a 21-year-old Asbury Park man convicted of killing a city resident and wounding another in two alleged gang-related shootings, was sentenced to 60…
Arnold Barnes describes how a typical prison diet leads to a whole host of new medical problems, including diabetes. Come to prison healthy, leave a…
A firsthand look at a deadly prison riot in Arizona, detailing the intense clashes and stark realities of survival behind bars. I arrived in the…
Ramelle explains how sports in prison plays an important role in not only keeping inmates out of trouble but also changing their attitudes towards one…
On Juneteenth, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 362. New Jersey’s clemency initiative is geared towards providing relief from the inequalities that…
One of the most important lessons that prison has taught me about life and being alive really has very little to do with prison per…
April recounts how her noisy and chaotic environment turns every morning into a stressful ordeal in prison. Imagine a daycare center—the toddler room, to be…
Amid the relentless chaos of New Jersey State Prison, one inmate’s attempt to find quiet in prison is dramatically interrupted by a sudden alarm. The…
After her parole revocation, a mother confronts profound loneliness in prison, turning to writing and virtual communication in an attempt to bridge the distance between…
An in-depth look at the Arizona prison crisis and the critical challenges it faces — from staff shortages to violations of inmates’ rights, revealing a…
The new “high” in prison — synthetic cannabinoids — is easier to smuggle, nearly undetectable by standard drug testing, cheaper and produces more psychotic effects…
My experience with suicide watch in prison occurred on the very first night I was there. Arriving at the county jail after midnight, I was…
As a hardcore criminal, it was only a matter of time before I went to prison. What every detective knows, and most criminals don’t, is…
Make no mistake about it, federal death row is solitary confinement. On average, we're lockdown 22 hours a day. We are allotted about 6 hours…
All across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, there is a Zombie Medication Line in prison that forms immediately after it is announced over the loudspeaker. A…
On the day I met Carlos, I was walking down 20th Street toward Vermont Avenue in South Central Los Angeles. My mother had just…
Has long-term incarceration completely fried my receptors from alerting me to danger in prison? We’ve all heard of fight or flight, and the additional freeze…
Today I saw another man die in prison. At my cell door. I watched him take his final breath and let life go. I saw…
About three months ago, I witnessed another murder at Ely State Prison (ESP). That’s the fifth murder here in the last two years. How is…
Losing a parent while you’re in prison is hard the first time. It’s devastating when it happens a second time. On the way to take…
The personal and poignant story of a transgender inmate grappling with identity, respect, and survival in the confines of prison. I’m a transgender inmate. Not…
Thomas Koskovich takes a look back at the evolution of his criminal life to better understand how he ended up in prison with two life…
Guys are dying of overdoses and suicides in a Texas prison. One inmate, Jeremy Busby, tries to help. Then his best friend commits suicide. Do…
Shakeil Price was given a life sentence based solely on the testimony of his co-defendant’s girlfriend. He has spent the last nine excruciating years navigating…
Shortly after being locked up, Chris discovers he’ll need to find a side hustle in prison to survive. It’s not long before he comes up…
I recount the indignities of prisoners, detailing the harsh conditions and neglect endured in an Arkansas jail. My name is Scott Linn. I am a…
Training a service dog in prison taught me lessons I never expected. My heart fluttered as I stared through the window at the beautiful strawberry-blonde…
Charles details the chilling reality of having severe psychotic episodes in prison, offering a raw take on the mental health struggles many face behind bars.…
Amid the grim realities of incarceration, a story of heroism in prison emerges, shining a light on an inmate’s brave rescue. The trustee dorms have…
When you’re white and you end up in California’s prison system, you have to join a white power gang. You don’t have a choice if…
Guy discusses how the unavailability of Band-Aids in prison mirrors the lack of basic compassion. I never really used Band-Aids on the outside, although I…
Frederick offers perspective on the intimate missed life experiences from within the walls of a maximum-security prison. What life experiences have you missed in 33…
Making cotton candy unveils profound gratitude in prison, highlighting moments of joy behind bars. Every quarter, the BOP (Bureau of Prisons) incentivizes us to complete…
Shawn transforms his drab surroundings through the art of prison cell decoration, turning it into a lively space that reflects his creative vision. It begins…
Every inmate eventually witnesses a prison murder and has a story to tell. This is mine. Seventeen-year-old Damico Watkins lived upstairs in cell #144 of…
I've fallen asleep alone every night of my life. For half my life there's been another person in the room, but that's not the same.…
Gordon Grilz explores the complexities of being a murderer , including crimes of passion, the morality of the sixth commandment, and the gray areas of…
John William Stout was confident he could win at trial, even without an attorney, because “the DNA evidence can’t be mine. It didn’t test positive…
This is why I return to prison over and over again. Straight to the point: me thinking I can game the system, beat it, get…
For years now, I have been writing to places like Prison Writers about the conditions of confinement at the Ely State Prison (E.S.P.) in Ely,…
No doubt we are in for another hot summer with highs over 100 degrees in Texas prisons. Yet Texas continues to fight to avoid air…
If you ask most Americans if there’s slavery in the United States, they will answer “No.” It was abolished during the Civil War by the…
Deirdre McDonnell writes about what it means to feel lonely in prison and how small daily choices can help transform isolation into moments of purpose…
Florida prisons are starting a new system in which their aim is to eventually tag every inmate in their custody with a wristband and an…
The law, legislators, love the word culpability. As in, how much blame, or guilt, actually resides on the offender of a crime? When someone does…
My name is Justin Welch and I’ve been in prison for fifteen years. I made very bad choices when I was 26 years old and…
Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin describes the predominant attitudes, mentalities, and worldviews found in prison so well, it is surprising that he hasn’t…
As the call for systemic change echoes across America, sparked by the recent anniversary of the tragic killing of George Floyd and countless others, a…
The prison philosopher in me believes the solution to any given problem cannot be found within the problem itself, but must come from a greater…
I have been incarcerated now for 15 years and this is about all the things I learned in prison. In the year 2008, I was…
There are three problems with becoming a rehabilitated prisoner. 1) No one believes you’re rehabilitated. As the old adage goes: Actions speak louder than words.…
Incarceration is the plight of every inner-city youth who succumbed to the impoverished afflictions and temptation of monetary gains. And financial freedom by any means…
After I left the “cushy” San Mateo County Jail in 2006, I was headed to prison — San Quentin. Just the name of San Quentin struck…
As I put pen to paper to try to formulate the thousands of thoughts, feelings, and emotions that are running through my mind and very…
I was sitting here talking with my buddy Joshua (Nova) earlier, and he made a good point. Everyone in the entire world talks to one…
Virginia prisons have never had a good reputation by any stretch. Racist staff, a long history of abusive staff which continues to this day, dilapidated…
Dear Commonwealth of Virginia: Almost needless to say that the Second Chances bill being tabled again was a huge disappointment. It revealed to me more…
I have a scar on the index finger of my left hand. It’s barely noticeable, even though it traverses the pad, wrapping around almost touching…
It’s 4:21 a.m. at Telford prison in Texas as I write this and I count eight people (that I know of) in my dorm that…
In March of 2011 I received a letter informing me that my ex-wife, Adrianna, had died. She had been found on the bathroom floor of…
Jury bias in the American court system continues to undermine fair trials, leading to wrongful convictions rooted in racism, hearsay, and systemic injustice. I’d like…
The war on drugs continues in its hypocrisy. In September, Texas locked down the entire prison system to eradicate drugs. It didn’t work. I’m not…
Bic razors used to be available for purchase on the commissary, $1.40 for a pack of ten. Once broken down, the razors were often transformed…
Let me be the first to say that I have been around some men who should never get out of prison. They should never see…
There is something uniquely special about long prison sentences. And knowing you’re going to die in prison. Something indefinable that sets the prospect of decades,…
Some of my Christian brothers first pointed Irish out to me in the chow hall of the maximum security prison we call home. He was…
I am an incarcerated felon who entered our broken criminal justice system (CJS) at age 53, after nearly 30 years as a husband, father, and…
After two weeks in TDCJ’s Woodman Unit and undergoing the rigorous digging into my social, medical, and criminal history, I’m finally standing in the unit…
Spending a long time in prison, you learn to read the way that people walk and move. It becomes both a survival instinct, as well…
“NO!” I almost choked on my sweet potatoes as the defeated person walked away from the table, head down, ashamed. She dared to ask one…
“Damn it’s cold back here.” The nurse said as she stopped by the inmate’s cell to give him his morning dose of medication. The escort…
Daniel Harris interviews three inmates who say their experiences in abusive juvenile group homes made them the criminals they are today. David Wayne Besom was…
Companionship can potentially be essential to someone’s life in society. However, finding companionship in prison is an integral part of the incarcerated person’s journey. I…
Hands cuffed behind my back, I’m lost in thought. A lot has happened in the past few hours. It’s my first day of prison. “This…
From day one I’ve known prison sees me as worthless. I was instantly rushed to solitary confinement since I can’t be trusted to behave. I…
For those of you who have never been to prison, here’s a prison primer — some firsthand knowledge that can give you a…
The other day, my buddy Gary Wolf (think older dude, yet in really good shape) went on a visit with one of his family members.…
It’s hot when i walk inside the production area of my first job after prison, and within five minutes I am already sweating so bad…
Late last night while doing a suicide watch all alone in the hole, I sat there thinking that if I had some GoPros, then I…
Captive Voices Writing Program at New Jersey State Prison is a rehabilitative and therapeutic outlet for its participants. In March of 2022, freelance writer Tariq…
The prevalent philosophy today in criminology circles is that all crime is pathological, meaning that they who commit crimes aren’t acting upon a free, moral,…
In this essay, writer Frederick Paine reflects on attending a prison college graduation and explains why education in prison may be one of the most…
Recently I witnessed another act of violence in prison. A young man – younger than me anyway and I’m almost thirty-five – beating up an…
I spent one year in solitary confinement once, and I made it my goal not to ever go back there again! Solitary confinement is a…
I have some very serious questions to ask… Why is it so very important to teach our children the difference between right and wrong? Why…
How do you explain the situation of facing execution? It took time, a lot of practice, and this overwhelming need to be understood before my…
The first time I saw the man everyone called “Helluva,” I found myself wondering, what does that have to do with the price of tea…
In one sense, prisoners with mental disabilities have the same needs as everybody else. But in a crucial sense, our situation is dramatically different. Let…
The sound echoed around the cell block, crashing against the concrete wall with the force of each angry blow. A few guys yelled out,…
It’s sometimes hard to think of things to be grateful for when I’m quite literally caged inside the confines of these fences. One thing that…
In the 1978 movie Midnight Express, American hashish smuggler Billy Hayes serves a few years in a Turkish prison. Then he gets resentenced to life…
My brother’s motorcycle accident ripped his body apart. The news report called it Man vs. SUV. Driving 125 mph, being chased by the police without…
Working in the food service department sucks. Other than having access to food that other prisoners not assigned to the food service could access, there…
I said everything I could to get the Safe Prisons Sergeant to believe that what had actually happened was the truth, but no one seemed…
The air in the mess hall is saturated with fear and tension. A couple hundred convicted murderers, rapist, drug kingpins, and gang bangers have assembled,…
“Stop fighting!” The tower guard is yelling. He’s out on the catwalk of the nearest tower, rifle up. His voice isn’t as urgent, not as…
It’s the last week of November, the middle of the night. Moonless. Cold. And outside the sky is a darkened clutter of dank, drippy clouds.…
I am an army of one, fighting to keep my head above the putrid slimy waters engulfing the prison. I came to prison ten years…
Hi, my name is Justin Welch and I’m a prisoner at Waupun prison in Wisconsin. What I’m about to tell you is not fiction but…
What does a person do when a simple house plant, thriving due to mindful attention paid to it, evolves in its growth beyond the parameters…
The ACLU’s National Prison Project filed the suit in 2002 and their media team released the lawsuit filings to the Associated press. It was picked…
My cellmate and I were like best friends. We ate together, shared our family photos and were a perfect match. The both of us had…
Buying all new wardrobe … after 27 years in prison, Saul is out! Home Sweet Home!
For almost fourteen years, I have been what they call a “Companion” at the Idaho State Correctional Institute just south of Boise. That is, I…
After the 2020 pandemic temporarily shut down all visitors from seeing their loved ones in person–even behind plexiglass–the flow of contraband in prison, such as…
Prison is restrictive, and many items common in the free world are not allowed. But prisoners are an inventive bunch of outlaws without respect for…
Sometime during the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, 06 September 2023, I was informed by a “nurse” that Texas had enacted an institutional lockdown in Texas…
There are a ton of answers that you would receive if you asked an incarcerated person, “If you had one wish, what would it be?”…
I’m serving a life sentence in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. A life sentence in Pennsylvania is really a death sentence if one doesn’t get relief…
I’ve decided to stay sober. Such decisions seem to be magnets that attract all sorts of intoxicants, so my sobriety could die before the sun…
When the prison I’ve grown up in partnered with a local animal shelter and a service-canine organization to start a dog rehabilitation and training program,…
Inmates, just like people in free-society, are divided into social classes. After years of incarceration in Arizona, I’ve noticed four distinct social classes of…
“Eric, let me get some of your piss,” said Flaco, holding a latex glove open as if he was asking for spare change in the…
Many are intimidated by the expensive trappings of yoga. When you take away all the specialty items, forget the retreats to faraway places, and make…
It was 4:45 a.m. on an eerie fall morning when a sudden jolt of strange energy went through my body, waking me up. I woke…
Prisoners Edgar Garcia and Mark Snarr couldn’t have scripted the murder of another prisoner, Gabriel Rhone, any better. Given that each of them were in…
Waupun prison is 169 years old and one of the oldest prisons in America. In my cell I can touch each wall standing in the…
The night before my release from prison was turbulent and restless, with fear and uncertainty running rampant through my mind. As I lay on my…
I’ve been asked by Randy to write a few words on how the Texas heat has affected me throughout my 16 years of incarceration. I’m…
Shakeil Price: A plea deal I never knew existed cost me my freedom — and exposed how the system fails the people it’s supposed to…
Love makes us crazy. But in prison, according to Chris Dankovich, love makes us do crazy things. In prison I had tried to reform my…
Arthur Bell’s trial was a sham. Help us get him out! Please contribute and share!
The feeling of being directed to bend over at the waist, spread your ass cheeks, and expose your anus is too awful for words. I…
When I get back to the cell after showering, my cellmate is waiting for me, standing in the middle of the room, pointing at our…
Since 1989, 3,000 people who were wrongly convicted have been exonerated. In roughly 69% of those exonerations, there was testimony provided by witnesses that proved…
The aging prison population: Causes, costs, and consequences
[Update! As of 8/16, the prison is still in lockdown and the warden and others have been fired.] I’m writing this today because many people…
Put to a nicety, Texas summers are ugly. They’re uglier in some regions of the state than others, but in their way just as ugly.…
It’s that dreaded time of year again for Texas prisoners: summertime. A time full of misery-inducing, extreme heat, which causes all kinds of interesting, unique,…
Texas has what they call “old units” and “new units.” My first two prisons were old units, constructed from red brick. The same kind of…
Each morning I wake up, I fix my hair and do my make up to get ready for lunch that’s served at 9am on most…
“Hey, youngster, what the hell is wrong with you?” “Huh?” “Don’t talk to your people like that! Who were you talking to anyway? If you…
As a young man growing up in crack-era Harlem I bore witness to the havoc and mayhem that crack reigned in my community. The separation…
About fifteen years ago or so, a program was proposed by an inmate by the name of Andy Geiger in response to the high rate…
Starting July 17, 2023, all general mail from the public to Texas prisoners will have to be sent to a new digital mail processing center.…
The elderly in prison creates unique challenges for the criminal justice system, including higher medical costs and the need for special housing and programming. CDOC’s …
Michigan’s legislature is debating the House’s “day-for-day” legislation that would instantly cut prisoner sentences in half, including those currently incarcerated. However, I oppose these bills.…
Earlier this year (i.e. 2023) Texas finally got around to fully incorporating the prison tablets into its prisons. I have been reading about e-tablets being…
I was captain of the football team. I broke many track and field records. I got good grades in school and even got a scholarship…
Prisoners look upon the summer months in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) with dread and trepidation. For one is acutely aware that one…
Growing up was different for me than most. I had experienced death early on as a child. Not once, but twice, and in between the…
I guess I never felt worthy of anything better, or I never even realized that I could be better. I had dreams and was always…
And I can go on and on about the bad in prison but what happened on 6-22-23 could help change peoples lives. So I feel…
You took it. You stole it. What, you ask? My innocence. That's what you abducted, along with all the words from my throat for years,…
In April of 2008, my son was arrested for accidentally killing a Columbia graduate student while trying to impress a group of shallow friends who…
Interpersonal relationships are always important. But, in a prison setting, it is a lot more so. After all, we live in a small community where…
There are those who believe that, with the indictment of Donald Trump, the American criminal justice system will be put on trial. My only comment…
Let me start out by telling you all this story about my very close friend Mr. William Zamastil, aka the unknown Serial Killer. My name…
My name is Stacey and I’m a transgender woman living in a men’s prison. I wanted to share some of the heartaches and triumphs I’ve…
You are familiar with his work: the lovable face of Home Improvement, the voice of “Pure Michigan” and Buzz Lightyear … as well as the…
Childhood trauma is the invisible thread running through the lives of most people in prison, shaping their paths long before they ever committed a crime.…
Rule number one of prison: the tougher you look, the easier your ability to choose the person you want to be while inside. Be labeled…
I’m many things, but I’m not a killer. I didn’t kill anyone. This is my story. My name is Jaime Jezzuel Lopez. I was born…
I remember the first time I smoked K2 in prison — synthetic marijuana! It was in 2007, I was housed at the supermax prison in…
Dear Prison Writers, Just wanted you to know that I am excited to share this site with people I know… Our family went through the…
8:15 am / Unit 8 I’d been laying on my bunk, reading a book when I heard the Unit Officer announce my name: “Davis, report…
Yikes. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to do with my life after prison – although I had plans. But I definitely wasn’t…
As you might think, prison has a multitude of rules. So many, in fact, that a person must virtually violate one rule in order to…
Phoenix Players Theatre Group (PPTG) is a small, selective theater group that operates quietly amidst the 1,600 residents of the maximum-security prison in New York,…
Running will always be my escape whether in prison or the outside world. My return to prison has forced me to reassess what is important…
“You awake?” he asks. “Yes.” “Of course you are,” he says. “Come on, get up or we’ll miss it.” The walk to the chow hall…
The green beans would usually spend the night there collecting various field mice, garter snakes, bugs and other critters. Sometimes we'd get a lucky surprise…
A friend asked me about forgiveness. I decided I would explain how I became a better man by putting my life in God’s hands. Learning…
Born with addiction to drugs and raised in chaos, Valerie Baker’s story is a raw and powerful account of surviving addiction, mental illness, and the…
January 1990, a day after my 13th birthday, I still felt euphoric from the alcohol and weed I smoked the night before. But my euphoria…
Cat. Yes, cats. In this place they are the pet of choice. Most would pay as much as $100 for a freshly-weened kitten. Around the…
“Kids from lower socioeconomic groups are more likely to be disorganized, with parents often severely stressed by economic and family instability” (MH Van IJzendoorn). Here,…
When I entered prison, I did not imagine being here seven years later, or still alive. People talk about how it feels to hit rock…
The triad of rehabilitation is: Education, Self-Help, and Healthy Social Networks. Unfortunately, we often find ourselves balancing on two shaky legs, as the institutions that…
In the past ten years more than ten people on Texas Death Row have been found to be wrongly convicted and incarcerated, over 150 nationwide.…
I just received another beautiful letter from Miss Shea. This would probably carry more importance for you if you knew Miss Shea was my kindergarten…
This powerful firsthand account challenges the notion that justice is blind, revealing how money, influence, and access to legal resources often tip the scales—while the…
Alone, alone, all all alone // Alone on a wide wide sea! // And never a saint took pity on // My soul in agony. – Samuel Coleridge…
Drugs are so ubiquitous and readily available you start to wonder how many guards are on the take and how high it goes up in…
Our prison slang list is straight from our incarcerated friends. One of the best lists out there. Period. What's a prison pocket?
I sat at the computer, intently. I was in the school building at Sing-Sing Correctional Facility’s Inmate Liaison Office (ILC). We shared our office with…
When they first brought me here, it was the end of September, just before dawn, nothing to see on the other side of the transport…
This story starts on September 22, 2022 in Wisconsin Department of Corrections. I’m doing life in prison for murder. I will never see the outside…
If you think of it, we usually don’t see the formation our life is shaping up to be as it’s happening. We are usually living…
It will probably surprise you to learn a prisoncrat, a complete stranger, can send your loved one to some prison halfway across the country for…
In yet another vain attempt to display their “power,” a gang task force did a walkthrough of our pod, our building and our compound today.…
The thought of being locked inside a small two-man cell to defend yourself against a knife-wielding maniac should be a scary one. Yet one’s fear,…
On Monday, January 9, 2023, I reported to the classification building for my annual progress report. They verify your current emergency contact information in case…
There used to be a time in the prison system when convicts had a sense of humor, when jokes in prison were told to make…
Shakedowns. The Virginia Department of Corrections, a bastion of fascism, has mandated that each prison lockdown its institution and search the entire compound for contraband.…
A former Latin Kings heavy (with a hit out on him) risks his life to describe how the gang works.
Lately, the news has talked about the lavish living conditions of inmates in a women's prison and made comments about so-called “luxuries,” like canteen stores…
An early scene in The Shawshank Redemption has the old-school convicts watching the new fish get off the bus and placing bets on which one…
2021 is my year for being released from prison and I'm scared, nervous and concerned. I try to keep this positive mindset that it'll all…
When I was a kid, I always felt different. I never felt like I belonged. I didn’t feel like I completely connected with other boys,…
I grew up in a backwoods redneck family, born the fourth (and last) child of good parents that did their best to raise me in…
I was following my dream to become a great actor/writer and filmmaker. Acting was a way to escape my abusive childhood. I was sexually molested…
This is not the wild west. Gunslingers seeking bounty and maverick, overly aggressive politicians should not define American justice. The phrase “tough on crime” is…
“There is a list here of 132 inmates diagnosed with cancer,” the psychologist assigned to my block announced. She was sitting in front of her…
During my time in freedom, I recall parking in airport long-term parking lots. I recall the thick layer of dust that turned into dirt on…
Most of us will get out. Something like 95% of prisoners get out, eventually. Some will stay in prison for only a few months; others will…
“Approximately 28% of the [FBI’s domestic covert action] efforts were designed to weaken groups by setting members against each other or to separate groups which…
On Wednesday, November 6, 2022 the Northern State Prison inmate population received a surprise visit by former New York Mets baseball all-star Darryl Strawberry. The…
There are many things in life you can’t understand until you’ve lived through them to experience the feelings associated with those moments. With this in…
From Merle Haggard and Ozzy Osbourne, Meek Mill and T.I. (all former prisoners) to radios and music-artists inside today, music sets a tone like the musical…
In 1998, I arrived at Trenton State Prison to begin a 50 year sentence, 30 years without the possibility of parole for the fatal car…
Silence is about as rare in prison as a cold front in hell. For those over the age of forty with a semblance of inner…
What do we, in here, is really think about what we’ve done to you. Most of us are not very honest about that — with…
The ticking of the clock is the one thing people seldom notice. With the advent of digital watches, one would be hard pressed to hear…
Another mentally deranged kid marches into a school and mows down nineteen other kids and two teachers with an assault rifle. How the hell do…
Only the strong survive. Those were the words I was told in 1999 when I was sentenced to 20 years in the Texas Department of…
Being tossed into prison at the young age of 18 forced me to endure growing up before having the actual chance to live. I never…
Civil commitment is additional incarceration, often for an "indeterminate" period of time, after a person has served their entire prison sentence for a sex offense.
In Wild Cats in Prison, Daniel Harris tells the unexpected story of how a stray tabby named Olivia wandered into Eastham Prison and slowly tore…
BY PATRICK LAMOUR Fifteen minutes a month. That’s how much time you have to call home and speak to your family, if you’re a prisoner…
Many claim the title of “Convict,” but few live up to the Convict Code of Conduct. Convicts are not made, they are born a…
On April 4th, 2011 I was pulled over for a taillight being burnt out. No big deal, right? Usually no, however I was “methin’ around”…
Prisons are not built, designed or run with “correcting” in mind. Prisons aren’t correcting anyone. These places are put here to destroy hope, break…
In Voltaire’s A Philosophical Dictionary, there’s the question, “Can a person change his or her character?” Voltaire’s suggestion that “we can improve, we can smooth…
People in the Florida prison system suffer a mortality rate 2.5 times higher than free people living under Medicaid—the healthcare system created for low-income Americans.…
“Yeah, they shocked his bitch-ass back to life,” a white prison guard said to a few other white guards standing around him laughing at his…
It sounded like thunder. The rumble of bodies slamming against bunks and locker boxes. The grunts, howls, and short yelps of human being responding to…
Mr. District Attorney Alvin Bragg, My name is Sheldon Preston Johnson. I have been incarcerated twenty-five years on a fifty year sentence. I am writing…
A few days back, I sat in my cell listening to two white prison guards outside my window hold a conversation about systemic racism in…
We were in the throes of yet another Holiday Season, and the year was soon to pass. At the time, my growing popularity as…
I’ve met multiple serial killers, hitmen, Dr. Jack Kevorkian (reviled in here for being a prison-snitch and an all-around jerk), the “Jenny Jones Show Killer”…
To share a bunk with a man sentenced to life in prison without parole–when you are not–is a surreal experience. Every moment, of every day,…
My original appellate attorney did not raise my judge's use of acquitted conduct at sentencing as a due-process violation. But in 2006 I hired James…
An informal, unedited phone conversation between two friends who both agreed to be recorded. One, a former Latin Kings hitman and the other, a female…
This is a comment left on Chris’s story about school shooter Ethan Crumbley’s life in prison. His response is below: Chris, you are an exceptional…
There are days when passing time in prison becomes nearly unbearable. Each second passes with excruciating slowness. As time ticks by, it almost can…
All the experiences throughout this crazy life render me prone to forget that what I find normal can be shocking to others. There is a…
As a former cop, I understand that the demands and stress of the “job” forces a person to change in order to do their duties.…
I was never on “death row.” Instead of being sentenced to death by execution, I was sentenced to death by incarceration or Life-Without-Parole (LWOP),…
As a young boy in adult prison, my first visitor in prison was my dad. Looking back at the picture I have from that day,…
I hate mail call. I dread it. So many people get mail in prison every night, a lot of it. It is a constant reminder…
Self-mutilation seems to be a common coping mechanism. Cutting and bleeding. I've seen many hang themselves with a sheet.
Everyone’s always shocked to learn that smuggling drugs into prison happens all the time. And everyone is always shocked to learn just how so many…
Incarceration has an immediate and undeniable impact on relationships with friends and family. We need contact with the outside world. Physical separation, intermittent communication,…
For those of you who don’t know, a Super Max prison is more secure than a maximum-security prison and houses the highest-risk inmates. But…
When my mom disappeared, my father had already produced seven other children that he was unable to care for, and my mother had two…
Last night I received a letter from a friend of mine, and inside the envelope was a story I wrote seven years ago about…
The demented cement wall I open my eyes to every morning in my cell is more than a century old and bleeds tear gas when…
The pieces are everywhere. I get down on my hands and knees as if in prayer in an effort to retrieve them. One at…
I almost killed myself on April 08, 2020 in Redgranite Correctional Institution in Redgranite, Wisconsin. I’d had enough this day. I exposed a few…
There’s something wrong with my stomach. There has been for a few days now, ever since last Thursday when I was told to pack out…
Roman Noel reflects on “fear in prison” which is his greatest worry behind bars, above violence or time — losing the ability to grow. Drawing…
Deception and propaganda is an every day theme in prison life. Some utilize it to disguise their fears and insecurities, to create a façade of…
Prison means living with mentally ill prisoners. Where did they expect psychiatric patients to end up when they cut Federal Funding for mental health beds?…
For three decades, I have witnessed countless occasions in which Emergency Response Teams are assembled to carry out chemical cell extractions of disruptive prisoners,…
One of the most dangerous places where you see prison violence is in the whole prison system is the outside recreational area, known as…
Living in a household ruled by addiction, there were many nights spent with hunger as my friend. I would open the refrigerator only to find…
The LGBTQ community is the most persecuted group of people in Michigan prisons. Between prison guards, other convicts, and the overall MDOC administration, LGBTQ prisoners…
There’s a multitude of reasons why it’s important to be a father in prison. However, to me, the most important thing is to do all…
YOU OVERSLEPT. So you are rushing. Maybe to a call-out or program. You throw on your greens. Lace up your boots. A buzzer screams, long…
Sergeant McKay* was passing out the food trays, sliding the trays through the slot in our metal doors. Every convict on the confinement tier knew…
The elderly in prison don’t fight well, was my thought when I saw Isaac hit the infirmary floor. Just not quick enough. Isaac was a…
I have been in prison for 34 years, serving a life sentence for a murder I did not commit. My trial judge was the father-in-law…
I watched my friend’s face with skepticism. No one in their right mind hoped for something so sinister. Yet his steady eyes only stared…
In October of 2008, my then-girlfriend and I were denied an apartment, forcing us to move back to Arlington from Chicago. At the time I…
The expression “when the time hits you” is used in reference to inmates with long sentences. It’s the moment when long-term incarceration forces an inmate…
In my 29 years in prison, I’ve only known two serial killers personally. The most infamous one was Elmer Wayne Henley. He has had numerous…
The world changed when a shocked nation saw the horrific video of George Floyd’s life being snuffed out by officer Derek Chauvin. Floyd’s death sparked…
I was four years old when my mom vanished out of thin air one day. Both of my parents were high school dropouts and were…
Convicts like drugs. A lot. These are their stories… the stories of the most popular drugs in prison. Between 80-90% have some form of substance-abuse…
I came up around people that lived the street life. And in that setting, you learn a set of skills that helps you survive. If…
There are all types of contraband in prison usually due to corrupt staff and visitors who come in. But why do prison guards smuggle contraband…
America was built off of profits made from the stolen bodies and labor of African hostages—slaves. History teaches us that the trans-Atlantic slave trade was…
In Michigan we call it selling slum. A symphony of baritones, reverberating air full of testosterone: men in discord. After a certain point, I don’t…
I had to join a gang to protect myself from bullies when I was 12. In fact, I joined the same gang as my father…
When I was a big time drug dealer in the street, I had 2 cars, one motorcycle and about $27k cash and I was 21…
After two years of putting up with the rednecks as a permanent worker at the North Florida Reception Center in Lake Butler, I was guaranteed…
With the mass-rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines across the US, vaccination is being offered inside state prisons nationwide and have been for a number…
My earliest release date is 2041. According to the World Almanac, my life expectancy as a Black man is 67 years old. I’ll be 66…
When you google "TommyLee Dean", you will not find a full description of everything I am passionately pursuing today, but you will find legitimate productivity…
Kool-Aid reminded me a lot of an uncle I have: older, kind, but also large and gregarious. I used to walk laps around the yard…
Okay, so I'm going to play Love-Doctor on this subject for those of you who have a boyfriend in prison. I have the experience (incarcerated…
Prisoners need outside connections to thrive. Incarceration has an immediate and undeniable impact on relationships with friends and family.
“Looking Back” is the name of my Native American comrade I met when I first arrived at North Dakota state penitentiary a few months ago.…
This year the CCWF has grown to include men transitioning to women who haven't had gender reassignment surgery so we now have trans females in…
His guidance increased my wisdom and maneuverability exponentially, especially seeing that this was my very first year in prison. I expected to have to fight,…
I committed a crime that I’m still paying for and for that I was given the ultimate penalty: a trip to death row. I eventually…
Over a year into the Covid19 pandemic and America's quarantine shut-downs, most state prisons continue to operate under some form of lockdown, including the WA…
Somewhere back around 2006, a glaringly bright lightbulb burst to life inside my skull, and I realized that I needed Alcoholics Anonymous. Actually, to be…
Prison Dating. From what I’ve learned and conceptualized through desire, I’d say the main way to know is by whether he communicates his responsibility for you,…
A life sentence can be death by incarceration. When a person serving life without parole (LWOP/DBI) reforms and rehabilitates his/her life, they should be allowed,…
Escaping from prison. Almost everyone thinks about it. You’re looking at razor ribbon- covered fences or tall brick walls, and you want to be on…
So where do prisoners get their tattoo equipment in prison? I assure you that no American prison sells tattoo guns, needles, or ink, nor do…
AN AMAZING SIDE NOTE about Leonard Scovens: Agnes Fury is the mother and grandmother of author Leonard Scoven’s two victims. Years ago, she contacted Scovens…
One day, in the beginning of December 2020, a number of convicts in my unit in a Michigan prison were infected/reinfected with COVID-19. Our unit…
Finally, the next class is here and I’m finally going to attend an Alternatives to Violence Project class. When we all entered the room for…
Prison is sometimes quiet. But it is never still. Peace is not the same as silence, and even then, silence is rare. Noise is constant,…
I have been housed in dozens of facilities in 10 different states, so I can assure you that abuse by prison guards continues to be…
After spending over five years studying how prolonged periods of solitary confinement harm the brains, the only conclusion that I could come up with is…
When I was 13 years old, my best friend was killed. Gator and me was always together. If you seen him, you seen me and…
I would like to share some advice with fathers in prison, especially those of you who are younger than I am, why my children are…
During a 13-year period, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer brutally killed 17 men he lured back to his apartment, promising to pay them for posing…
Prisoners are some of the loneliest people in the world. Our imprisonment is often a result of our own actions, though not in my case.…
“Young brother,” said Old Man John, trying to get my attention away from my computer screen and the furious typing I was doing. “I need…
Benjamine Spencer never stopped being who he is, no matter what the world and prison threw at him.
Heather D'Aoust has written 30 tips for Surviving Prison. Here is Tip #6: Surviving Coed Gangs in Juvie Prison. I got arrested at 14, facing…
Today I was at work and I learned that my good friend, Edward Jones, had passed away 3 months ago from the Coronavirus. I was…
I am guilty of a terrible crime and a gross violation of my own ethical code. The fact that I was delusional and out of…
I turned forty recently. (Please hold the applause.) Never in a billion years would I have ever envisioned that I would hit the big 4-0…
With light being shed on police abuse against suspected lawbreakers this summer, I wonder if the public has taken that newfound knowledge a step further.…
“Man, this shit is loose up there. One of these bitches is gonna go, but I think it might have to be a white guy.”…
Summer in Texas prisons are deadly. We don’t use our mattresses to sleep on. We can’t. We have to use them as a barricade.…
Aside from the obvious fact that water is needed throughout the day to hydrate the body, it has absolutely no dietary value. So why is…
A number of months ago, I reached a milestone in my own life, one that isn't in any way positive but one that's definitely made…
Getting a prison education in California is a joke. Allow me to explain why. When a prisoner gets assigned to school, that is basically his…
He's a prison con artist and, for awhile, my cellmate. The day he moved in, all seemed normal—for about five seconds—until he launched into an…
Over the past 18 months, twenty-three incarcerated men died at the Jessup Regional Hospital (JRH), according to an unnamed staffer at JRH. Many were elderly…
Transitioning back to the girl I was born to be has required much introspection to peel away the layers my indoctrination formed. The first was…
...officers bringing in drugs, female officers having sex with inmates, inmates masturbating off of female officers, gangs extorting inmates to use the prison phone, inmates…
Americans, like the rest of the planet, have endured the COVID19 pandemic since early 2020. Tragically, there have been thousands of deaths. Even for…
One day the neighbors heard screams coming from our house and called the authorities. When the police came, they found four grossly abused kids. A…
The only way Covid 19 enters this facility is through its employees. And if the State does not have the political courage to stop these…
Growing up in the collapsing Soviet Union, I remember my parents trying their hardest to put food on the table. Our most common meal…
During my twenty years of incarceration I've seen some of the most bizarre things, but none have been more unnerving than the oddities I've witnessed…
You've been in prison long enough, you've had some really gross cellmates. I've been listening to Quick try to cough his lungs out for days.…
You've heard the expression, that "hindsight is 20/20" but nothing prepares you for this. The light of the mind misses nothing. The curtain will lift…
First, what prisoners think of Trump is that he’s done the impossible, which is to take prisoners who would otherwise vehemently despise each other…
I produced an hour documentary on Kristin Rossum when I was a producer for CBS’s 48 Hours. Here is a summary. Did Kristin get what…
I got out of the Bloods. I realized that it is virtually impossible to consider someone your "brother" without the visceral love that comes with…
My name is Aleksandr Kolpakov. I spent two and a half years at Mesa County Jail fighting my case before I was sent to Buena…
Dear Younger Self, If you only knew where you were headed and the degree of suffering you will endure, you'd stop the hands of time.…
There's a prison underground economy. Capitalism is mimicked. There’s upper-class, middle-class and lower-class. Yes. There are prisoners with and there are prisoners without.
One thing is for sure—once you're locked in—you're at the mercy of those with the squeaky boots, the clanking keys, and the ratcheting handcuffs. Even…
I spoke to my 19 year-old nephew, Cordell, for the first time today. I found myself emotionally torn between realizing that not only have…
I miss obeying human beings. Knowing the cop who is having sex with your best friend will give you a donut when you are hungry…
"Biden said he's sorry for all that crazy shit in his past," G, another African American friend of mine says with a shrug. "If we…
A surprising number of white supporters are inside prison for rape, child-molestation, fraud, and embezzlement. In these and white-supremacist groups, he enjoys about a 95%…
I don't think I will ever be able to understand what could make me do all the shit I did when I was younger. I'm…
In 2000, I was 23 and struggling to find myself in a sea of death row madness. The madness wasn’t just from the inmates there,…
First one voice joined in, then another and another. I repeated the Jingle Bells chorus, and more of the wing joined in, laughing like crazy,…
We all are human. Cops and inmates alike. The authorities know we have needs. There are crazy rules, like no drinking and smoking. There are…
I won’t say I’m not a criminal anymore because when I see something on TV my mind automatically sees the quick way I could or…
When the guys upstairs on Row Two and Three flush their waste, it leaks into the pipe chase, oozing into my cell from beneath the…
Never walk away from a fight. Never back down. Lock eyes, stand firm, and don't bow to anyone but God or a badge. You may…
Here are two more unforgettable prison characters from the early days of my imprisonment. Murph the Surf. And Bobby B. To maintain his dignity…
...yesterday our tests began to return and showed that many of the people who caught it back in March have now contracted it again. My…
How Latin Kings operate is simple: in the beginning you’re reeled in with the beauty that comes with the unification between you and your own…
Maxipads. The world of Kotex. Their use is obvious, right? NOT! It turns out they are incredibly versatile tools. Prison hacks are how we survive…
Women here in the Hobby Unit have pets, or “babies” as they are referred to in prison. These consist of frogs, turtles, mice, rats, and…
I wish I had known what it was like to wear chains while walking to court appearances; the fact that if you don't wear several…
Was he gay for the stay? We met at the intake unit here in the prison, and he happened to be my neighbor’s bunkie.…
On July 1, 2011, California prisoners launched a massive hunger strike to call attention to what we were all forced to endure: inhumane conditions…
Richie waited until the Corrections Officer went by his cell around midnight for the last walking head count of prisoners. He’d made a rope…
BY VICTOR BECERRA As a society, we are supposed to notify the authorities when we see someone committing a crime. But what are we as…
No family visitation, although, in all of my five plus years as an inmate, I've never had a visit. Saving myself from the degrading nakedness…
Dear Prison, I’m writing this letter to thank you, to let you know how much I’ve come to appreciate you in my life. This might…
I had a cellmate who fought in the Gulf and would tell me about some of the things he had experienced. In many ways I am…
It’s surely proof that the world has gone to hell, when I become the voice of reason and defend the Boys in Blue. As a…
In 1992, summer in Brooklyn, New York came early. We had “permanent beef” with a West Indian crew, which meant trying to terminate each other…
It is strange to look back on your life and try to understand how a devout Christian child could voluntarily become a slave to a…
After spending months in isolation, you start to feel as though you have been buried alive. You have people who self-mutilate by cutting themselves. Or…
I yelled "GAS, GAS!" two or three times while the Nigerian floor guard began beating on the door, begging to be let out. Getting no…
There are lots of reasons around 90% of prison inmates have tattoos, but survival is one of them. And as a former (and very popular)…
The study also showed that the release of 1,000 prisoners who had earned bachelor degrees while in prison would save Texas $59,000,000 yearly.
Most people join gangs just to be accepted or needed. Or they want the feeling that they’re someone important. Or they want to be a…
Nicholas Laumann from Wisconsin writes about how an unlikely mentor saved him behind bars. I thought I was destined for prison long before I ever…
I stabbed a prison guard when I was at the Barrington Unit in 2014, located between Houston and Galveston, and got an additional 99 year…
I hope not to die in the next 145 days. Unfortunately, the possibility of death remains real. In the event of my demise, I ask…
We went to the room. He had a pipe and some alcohol. We smoked. We drank. I talked. He listened. We ended up laughing. Next…
No doubt patterned after its judicial system, Texas also has one of the most brutal prison systems in the world. The federal court eventually got…
We face pure uncut racism everyday we wake up. We deal with these correctional officers every day, many of us trying to respect them, knowing…
They made a journalist out of me. And that, my friends, is something of extreme significance. I came to prison with an eight grade education.…
The reality is, prison has in fact made me worse than who I was before I came here. It has made me shallow and cold,…
For the past two decades, up until April 27, 2015, I was living in solitary confinement at the only federal Supermax prison in America, ADX…
One day as I was sitting on my cubicle floor deciding which flavor of Ramen Noodles would be my lunch, my friend Lacy darted past…
Today marks four years without him — son, oldest brother, grandson, USMC honor graduate, lifelong friend, 25 year-old with a laugh you can’t resist…
Dear _______, You don’t know me. Not really. We each had a major part to play in each other’s lives. In fact, you took mine.…
“Slavery and rehabilitation cannot coexist. The application of one will diminish the other.” —El Presynt Imagine a young woman who is addicted to heroin. Judging…
When I saw Snake stop near Smokey’s table, right behind Smokey’s wife, and rear his arm back, I said to myself, “He wouldn’t do that.”…
Hanging out or talking to a sex offender in prison is extremely taboo. In fact, it could possibly get you hurt or even killed.…
When I walked into my third date with the parole board, I thought that over our previous two dates together, covering the past twenty-five years,…
Juan Mosquero was isolated in Sing-Sing Correctional Facility’s infirmary on March 20, 2020, after suffering in his cell for more than two weeks with symptoms…
My first cellmate in one of Michigan’s adult prisons was an axe murderer. More specifically, he was a serial killer who killed multiple people with…
In Virginia, there are 6 levels of security, Level One being the lowest – with the most privileges — and “Level S” is the highest…
Flames surged out of cell A-250, well-fueled by rolled-up newspapers, cardboard, and clothing collected by the cell’s lone occupant, Ryan Nieves. He wanted the…
“Covid-19 procedures in effect, masks on. Prepare for Chow,” the crackling PA announced. My door groaned open. I joined the snaking line to receive my…
The antisocial behavior of criminals is a symptom of a deeper illness that is not only the cause of crime but also the driving…
I don’t remember exactly what I said, but it couldn’t have been more than a nanosecond after “fucking bitch” that my face exploded and blood…
My 25 years of experience doing time in prison make me an expert at avoiding the pitfalls of prison. All prisons are different, but…
I’m not perfect. I am too broken to ever be, but I can finally be proud of the man I am. For me, that is…
It took twenty-two years of hard time in prison for me to get how deep gratitude is. I’ve found it to be a force in…
The first prisoner in Washington State to test positive for COVID-19 happened to be housed just across the sidewalk from me in the Minimum Security…
To torture a person is to cause intense suffering to punish or coerce by inflicting severe pain or anguish to the mind or body. I…
We were handcuffed in our boxers and shower slippers, barely awake. They, however, were ready, looking for a reason to hit the button. And to…
When prisoners tested positive for the coronavirus at my prison, Marion Correctional Institution in Ohio, they were sent to solitary confinement to recover and quarantine.…
I've watched countless faces pass through what seems to be a revolving door, leading out, and—all too often—right back into my home. It's rarely difficult…
In the prison where I’m currently located, the River North Correctional Center in Independence, Virginia, everything is shut down. Inmates aren’t allowed to travel…
33 lessons I learned in a women’s prison: The people in the position to help the most have the power to hurt the most. People…
It was as regular of an evening as possible here at the supermax prison I live in. My cellmate and I were smoking a contraband…
Welcome to Zombie Land. Those are the words that rattle around inside my skull every time I step away from my cell during this Coronavirus…
Brutal Murders. Victims Stabbed 83 Times. Those were just some of the headlines above stories filled with truth and lies. Stories about a sociopathic monster.…
In the past several years, there have been numerous court rulings that have declared segregation in prison housing unconstitutional. The United States as a…
On April 4, 2011, I was pulled over for a taillight being burnt out. No big deal, right? Usually no, however I was “methin’ around”…
Those who claim to know such things tell us that ten thousand hours given to any one task leads to mastery of that task.…
One of the best ways to insure that you can make a bad situation in here worse is to become a “rock kicker.” A…
Read Part One: A Teenager’s First Day in Prison Everyone in the group began to ask the guard, “What unit am I going to?” He…
How do I begin to tell you about my crime and the insane, muddled mess I made out my life in just a few days?…
Before 1977, ALL California prisoners were sentenced to Indeterminate sentences, a term that included “imprisonment for life” (i.e. five years to life for armed robbery).…
Dear Drugs, I have been free of you only a few weeks and my mind is just clear enough to know I miss you. Every…
Prisoners beaten to death by guards. A prisoner boiled alive until he died. A murder contract taken out against a released inmate by racist Ku Klux…
Every time I watch the news footage of that cop murdering Mr. George Floyd, I cringe. And not only because it resulted in Mr. Floyd’s…
I always wanted a boob job. In all my years as a stripper, drug addict and a prostitute, my first big dream was to have…
“Pack your panties, ladies!” I remember the prison guard yelling, while banging on the cell bars with his baton. “I’ve got two tickets to hell…
The visit is today. I’m so excited. I’ve been looking forward to it for months. I’m showered and freshly scrubbed. I dress in my cleanest,…
I was seven months pregnant when I was picked up for suspicion and noncooperation. Having never been arrested in my 36 years, my faith in…
As I sat thinking about how and what to write on such a sensitive topic, I kept asking myself where to begin. Do I start…
Illinois currently finds itself in a dire fiscal state. A main cause of this has been years of passing laws without any consideration of the…
It is no secret that the state has used the Prison system as a dumping ground for the mentally ill. Common sense would lead an…
"It lasted all night. I stayed up, hidden under my cover, scared that they'd find out about me. About what I did. I pissed myself.…
“Where am I going?” I asked the big-boned, manly female C.O. [Corrections Officer] as she pulled me out of the line going towards recreation.…
The reason this moment is different than normal: I have a warrant (that’s normal), I’m driving without any ID on me (that’s normal), and I…
I officially retired November 30th, 2007 at the ripe old age of 24, and it’s great! I am now part of a government-sponsored adult day…
These 3 ranking officers emptied 2 small cans of chemical agents and used 4 big cans emptying at least 2 of them – all within…
From the first day I stepped foot in a jail cell, I immediately got a good taste of what it’s liked to be housed around…
Yes, I know what you see in movies. Yes, I know what you see on television. Yes, some of it’s true. Racial tensions are always…
1. Start looking at results. When prisoners are released and are successful and do not come back, see what is the same amongst them. Do…
If you woke in the middle of the night and heard your neighbor being robbed, you could hear that he was about to be stabbed,…
Once upon a time I was a Death Row inmate, Level 3. What that means is I was the residue at the bottom of the…
Our doctors look like Doogie Howser and approach patients like a short order cook does breakfast. It’s easy to believe we’re part of some unknown…
I died that night. Twice. Later, I was told that when I arrived at the medical department I did not have a heartbeat and I…
“Hey, did you see that kid in the wheelchair today?” “No.” I say. “When did he get here?” “I think he just rode in yesterday…
When you're in the hole (solitary confinement), there's only three things that can alleviate loneliness and boredom: jacking off, taking a shit and pacing back…
To some extent, anything that Texas prisoners are permitted to read, possess, or receive through the mail has always been censored, if not denied…
To my disbelief, he told me that he needed my assistance in testifying against persons I didn’t even know. Shock must have registered on my…
Throughout my 23 years of incarceration, many people have had a positive influence on my life, but none more so than the courageous volunteers who…
I realize this is obvious as hell, but here’s the data. Data confirms that police treat Black Americans with less respect. A Stanford University analysis…
While this Texas prison, Clements Unit, has well over one-thousand documented mentally ill prisoners, its not considered a psych unit at all. In fact it…
In the cell, the dayroom, on the yard, at work and in the clinic, there’s no refuge. The rapes, beatings, robbery, threats, and sadly the…
Sitting in a prison cell would make anyone look back and consider what went wrong, but for me it’s obvious. Don’t get me wrong, before…
Peter was a nineteen-year-old bisexual inmate who was rumored to be a convicted sex offender. That was already at least two strikes. He was also…
Editor’s Note: Michael Daniels has been released from prison and is finally home with his family. This story was written before his release and remains…
Scottie’s Thorazine shots became routine, every two weeks. If Scottie resisted, which he did at first, he’d get beaten up, four-pointed, and still get the…
One day I was returning from the morning yard recreation. As I neared the entrance gate, I heard a “Thwap!” and saw a body fall…
There are two main emotions every convict locked away in America is forced to cope with during his incarceration: Anger, and Loneliness. Anger at the…
I don’t think that anyone believes U.S. prisons will ever serve quality meals, certainly prisoners are not holding their breath. I have come across…
There aren’t many positive prison programs available in the criminal justice system these days. But forty-years ago, college courses were offered with the possibility…
The internet is awash with anecdotes (many of them horror stories) of the pitfalls and ups and downs of being in an MWI (Met While…
My son, Jay has been locked up for twenty-three years and is doing life. He received ninety-nine years for assaulting a guard while at the…
Agnes Fury is the mother and grandmother of author Leonard Scoven’s two victims. Years ago, she contacted Scovens in prison to find answers and closure.…
Editors Note: Mustafa Zulu spent 20 years in solitary confinement in the harshest Federal Prison in America: ADX Florence in Colorado. One day, he was…
I learned it’s better to be as independent as possible in here to avoid any chance of becoming someone’s sex slave in prison. Everyone…
I am a mother of three children and the partner of an incarcerated individual. He’s a good man. A man who made mistakes as a…
Solitary confinement is now firmly embedded in this country’s prison system. Indeed, the control units that specialize in housing prisoners in solitary by the tens…
Texas has so many prisons its motto should be “The Gulag State” instead of The Lone Star State. After the 1990s decade of massive prison…
Monday, Tomoka's first fatality was recorded. No info on who it was or cause of death. Latest TV news reported 18 prisoners and 4 staff…
More than 80% of prisoners at Marion Correctional Institute are Covid-19 positive. 4 have died. Wayne Snitzky, who is positive, has the latest report. Come…
I started stealing when I was 4, from yards and shoplifting. I don’t know where I learned it, but I knew it was wrong. I…
January 20, 2020: Listening to NPR, I hear something about a mysterious disease that alarmed China into building 2 hospitals in 5 days to handle…
Covid19 has affected Ohio’s prisons like it has the outside population, slowly. As things have slowly clamped down out there, they have clamped down in…
The sun was a brilliant orange ball dropping slowly behind the Adirondack mountain range. As far as the eye could see, spring had dressed…
This is a true story, a story of prisoners killing other prisoners, witnessed by me, Sidney Martin. It was a hot June afternoon at Lawrenceville…
Like many others who find themselves locked in a cage with no way out, he too had a breaking point. The day we met, he…
Now we are faced with the coronavirus pandemic threatening to wash through prisons nationwide like the Passover Angel of Death. What are we to do?
My bunkie Michael Jackson (his real name... he's white; uhm, was born white), who came down with his symptoms just a few hours before me,…
"Polling” prisoners is a no-no, it’s taboo. And not easy to do, because who would personally know hundreds of inmates in prisons all cross the…
All this contraband went from cell to cell with fish lines. A guy may be at the other end of the gallery, but a long…
Where is Ted Bundy's Daughter? Charles Norman, who has been in prison for decades, knew Ted Bundy, knows how he was able to impregnate a…
Prisoners usually enjoy sharing their pictures, reliving their lives before everything went south, showing that they inhabited a robust, colorful existence beyond the current beige…
After spending over five years in solitary confinement, I have finally come to realize that solitary confinement is known torture — and the prisoners aren’t…
As I stared at the cell phone screen prompting me to register and start to build my own Facebook page, what was shining back at…
There is a distinctive “ting” when metal snaps: a sharp, high-pitched note reverberates through the air long after the metal stops vibrating. “Shit,” I grumbled…
As miserable as prison is, it can also be pretty entertaining at times. I remember one day when two women were about to “throw down.”…
Simple communication could prevent so much trouble in prison. It is my experience that guards do not communicate with inmates effectively or at all. Guards…
Believe me, when you are in prison, just always remember: hypocrite is everyone’s new name. In the outside world, allegedly 10% of the population has…
Jermaine from New York describes prison acts of kindness when he got sick in Sing Sing during a brutal flu outbreak — and the unexpected…
This is a look at prison life from both sides of the glass. I am a former corrections officer, now serving a 7-year sentence. I…
Sometimes, after my roommate has gone to sleep (or has left the room, or when no one is looking), I grab my pillow and hold…
Anyway, it was a close race and you only needed about 800 votes to win. All of us would have voted for you if we…
Prison is more so a school for the advancement of criminalization. Where crime, corruption and cold-blooded murder is often encouraged, praised and applauded.
Murph the Surf and I are walking in the rain past the steam plant heading back to the Southwest Unit. The chapel is off…
Hello. My name is Brad but everyone calls me Lou. I’m in prison for killing an inmate while doing time for another crime. The reason…
Nationwide, 43.3% of prisoners return to prison within 3 years of their release. However, for prisoners holding a Bachelor’s degree, the recidivism rate plummets to…
Today I had to go to the clinic to get a medical check-up. My ducat was for 7:30 a.m. I arrived at the medical wing…
Like thousands of other inmates across the nation, I had a job. I worked in the kitchen. In the stock room area, out of sight…
I have always been a private person in so far as wanting to be left alone when I’m reading, drawing, writing or just listening to…
I don’t generally start conversations with the pronouncement that I married a prisoner and my husband is still in prison. However, many of those who…
Ask anyone who has been in prison to describe how to survive it and you’ll probably get a different answer from every one of them.…
The guards conduct their master count at 10 p.m. each night, going from cell to cell with their list, calling out each person’s name in…
Jason Cooper from California writes about an unusual discovery his cellmate found on ground in the rec yard, something that was worth far, far more…
” …he allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers…
Christopher from California writes about how a stray dog named Sprocket wandering a prison camp briefly restores a sense of humanity and shared memory among men…
Death stands in the path of all prisoners here with a chronic or terminal illness. It may step out of their way for a time,…
Gilbert Paliotta, Department of CorrectionsAfter almost 20 years of being in maximum, I’ve come to notice the types of individuals that choose to work in…
Here I was, months into a jail sentence that was going to be the beginning of my prison sentence. I had no idea how…
“The next time I have to tell you something twice, I’m gonna knock ya teeth outta ya mouth,” he whispered, his breath hot against my…
Never in a million years would I have ever guessed I would end up engaged to a man in prison. I want to stop any…
A few years back, some asshole came up with the idea to hold a pedophile footrace around the track here at our facility. (Pedophiles are at…
About fifty prisoners, out of 1500 or so in this prison, crowded into the visiting area this morning. Barely three percent of the total population…
After almost two months of being free… I sometimes wish I was still locked up… there’s was a lot less things to worry about and…
Here, "normal," i.e. civil, is as alien to prisoners as criminal activity is to decent people. Therefore, it is difficult to embrace change when it…
I arrived to death row on August 28, 2000. I did not think I’d still be alive 14 years later, but here I am. Surely,…
Just read this, okay? What does whatever I, or any other prisoner, have to say matter? We’ve “committed the crime, now do the time.” Yes,…
Convict or Inmate? First of all, the two are definitely not, in any way, synonymous. The first is a state of being – and describes who…
Do you know what pisses me off? The fact that I can’t get it together. I’m trying so hard to build a future for myself…
What would you think if I told you that amongst America’s prison blues, prison uniforms and prison commonality there existed a thriving and flourishing fashion…
I’ve had people ask me if I’m happy to be going “home” soon and the truth is, I’m not quite sure what I feel. It…
Kenton Warnock from New Mexico writes about how he learned an important life lesson in prison. He describes how he was influenced by a documentary…
Captain lost his life, Grumpy died in misery, and the prison riot that ensued when the prison system’s inadequate healthcare was overlooked and left untreated,
A year ago, the heat became stuck wide open in another unit. Sweat stained grievances choked the collection box. In particular, one prisoner filed emergency…
President Trump fulfilled his vow to relieve prison overcrowding, implementing his top secret Executive Order 62254 yesterday. Specially trained Federal Militia entered 486 state and…
One night in the early part of 2000, as I lay in my bed in Sullivan Correctional Facility’s Special Housing Unit (solitary), my mind…
A common perception about prisoners is the well-worn statement, delivered with a roll of the eyes, “They all claim they’re innocent.” Prisoners’ innocence claims have…
Throughout my 22 years of incarceration, I’ve survived many shades of torture. My most horrible experience was in 1995, in the federal prison in Terre…
In some ways GED instruction in prison is a big charade. The program looks good on paper (lots of prisoners in class) for those that…
I want to talk about disappointment. There is no internet access in prison — no-e-mail, texting, or IM. So if you want to communicate with…
I’m in the Hobby Unit in Texas and my view on things is crazy but very realistic. It’s like someone picked a bunch of convicts…
The alarm went off, signaling that once again the prison was about to be shut down and placed on lock-down because of the major fights…
April 5, 1978, dawned clear and bright in Tampa, Florida. My father was sick, at home, and I drove out to Thonotosassa, east of Tampa,…
Yesterday I was moved to a cell with an observation camera in it. There was a good reason for the move, although the staff was…
We might have been crazy, and they certainly said that about us, though they said that about all the youth. Every child who came to…
Troy David has been released from prison! After saving up money for the first six months — while he worked and lived in a halfway…
Other than a person’s age there is no greater indicator of whether someone will recidivate than one’s level of education.
A decade ago Steve Bogira’s Courtroom 302 gave us a glimpse of the corrupt culture of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s courthouse at 26th…
Getting a visit can almost be harder than not ever setting any at all. The pain of seeing them walk away, for what can seem…
SUPER FRIENDS SUMMARY from AMAZON: In late 2008 twenty-four year old Cincinnati native Whitney Smith begins writing a blog he titles “Super Friends” from his…
I am often amused by the prison stereotypes I run across in the media. We are all big, buff, tattooed beasts who spend our days…
Editor’s Note: Tracy Lee Kendall gave us permission to print this personal letter to his long-lost son, Kaleb, in hopes he will someday read it. …
“Dope is how I do my time,” Dale explained, after asking me about the availability of drugs in prisons I’d that he might be transferred.…
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