Feb 21 Why children's author Jerry Spinelli won't shy away from tough topics By Elizabeth Flock In Spinelli's new book, "The Warden’s Daughter," the Newberry Award-winning author tells the story of a girl growing up without a mother in a county prison. Continue reading
Jan 08 Former congressman seeks to delay prison term amid appeal By Maryclaire Dale, Associated Press Former U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, a Philadelphia Democrat, said he expects to win a new trial over errors during his five-defendant trial this year, including the dismissal of a holdout juror. Continue reading
Jan 07 California inmate receives state-funded sex-reassignment surgery By Corinne Segal An inmate in California has become the first person in the U.S. to receive state-funded sex reassignment surgery while incarcerated. Continue reading
Jan 02 Watch News Wrap: ISIS claims responsibility for Baghdad suicide bombing By PBS News Hour In our news wrap Monday, a suicide bomber detonated a truck bomb at a Baghdad market, killing at least 36 people. Also, a riot at a Brazilian prison left at least 60 inmates dead. Officials blamed a fight between members… Continue watching
Dec 21 Watch 7:32 Unveiling the long-hidden story of the Attica prison takeover By PBS News Hour In September 1971, Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York became the site of a bloody uprising that would shock the nation. Over several days, some 1,300 inmates seized parts of the prison, demanding better living conditions. Heather Ann Thompson… Continue watching
Nov 04 New York City defied national trends, cut incarceration rate in half, study finds By Ryan Connelly Holmes New York City’s incarceration rate fell by more than 50 percent over the last two decades, even as the national incarceration rate rose, a new study reports. Continue reading
Nov 03 Watch 3:38 What it's like to start over after spending your teen years in jail By PBS News Hour As teenageers, Vaughn Brown and Ivan Mayo were incarcerated at Rikers Island, where they confronted danger from fellow inmates, solitary confinement and their own thoughts. The two have vowed to never go back to jail. But being branded a felon… Continue watching
Sep 14 Watch 6:29 Inmates get a 'second chance' at federal grants for higher ed under experimental program By PBS News Hour In a pilot project announced this summer, the Department of Education will partner with dozens of colleges to provide higher education to prisoners who can't afford to pay; eligible inmates will be able to apply for federal grants under the… Continue watching
Aug 20 Watch Justice Department will not renew contracts with private prisons By PBS News Hour Twelve percent of inmates serving sentences for federal crimes in the U.S. are located in private prisons. This week, the Justice Department announced it would phase out its contracts with those prisons, following findings that they are less safe and… Continue watching
Aug 18 Obama administration to end use of private prisons By Eileen Sullivan, Associated Press The Justice Department says it's phasing out its relationships with private prisons after a recent audit found the private facilities have more safety and security problems than ones run by the government. Continue reading