Jul 26 50-year war on drugs imprisoned millions of Black Americans By Aaron Morrison, Associated Press Fifty years ago this summer, President Richard Nixon declared a war on drugs. Decades later harsh penalties continue to feed a prison industrial complex that has millions of mostly Black and brown people locked up. Continue reading
May 17 New law in South Carolina makes inmates choose electric chair or firing squad By Associated Press South Carolina had been one of the most prolific states of its size in putting inmates to death. But a lack of lethal injection drugs brought executions to a halt. Continue reading
Feb 16 Watch 8:32 How obtaining identification can complicate the road from prison By William Brangham, Mike Fritz, Gretchen Frazee For men and women coming out of prison every year, one of the first steps to re-entering society can be one of the most difficult: simply getting a valid ID. William Brangham reports on the many hurdles returning citizens often… Continue watching
Feb 06 Inmates at St. Louis jail set fires, break out windows By Heather Hollingsworth, Associated Press Inmates at a St. Louis jail set fires, broke out windows and threw things from fourth-floor windows Saturday in the latest disturbance over concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions that have limited visits and stalled court proceedings, officials said. Continue reading
Jan 28 Why kids need special support when a parent is locked up By Sam Lane, Cat Wise CHICAGO – Ray Robinson was 8 years old when he was first detained by police. He grew up mostly on the south side of Chicago, surrounded by poverty, drugs and gang violence. Robinson’s parents “did the best they could,” but… Continue reading
Dec 29 Congress lifts long-standing ban on Pell grants to people in prison By Andrea Cantora, The Conversation For the first time since 1994, incarcerated individuals can get federal aid to pay for college. A prison education scholar explains how higher education helps those who have run afoul of the law. Continue reading
Dec 25 Watch 8:09 The power of presidential pardons The ability to pardon criminals is a unique power of a president, one that can be politically motivated and often draws criticism But as Reveal's Michael Schiller explains, pardons can also change lives. Continue watching
Dec 13 Watch 6:58 Prisons, jails are COVID-19 hotspots. Is vaccinating inmates a priority? By Zachary Green Jails and prison, which house 2 million incarcerated people, have had some of the largest rates of COVID-19 in the country. As new vaccines begin to be distributed, what priority do incarcerated people take in receiving treatment? NewsHour Weekend’s Zachary… Continue watching
Dec 11 Watch 3:46 For families, the negative effects of incarceration continue far beyond time served The effects of mass incarceration in this U.S. are felt by many more people than those convicted of crimes. Student Reporting Labs, our journalism training program, explores how the criminal justice system can also create far-reaching obstacles for kids and… Continue watching
Dec 09 Watch 7:55 Changing the criminal justice system on behalf of children We continue with our week-long reporting on the challenges facing former prisoners with Bryan Stevenson, an American lawyer, social justice activist and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative. Kelly Corrigan, host of PBS’ "Tell Me More," spoke to Stevenson about… Continue watching