Life Inside
Getting Busted for Drugs in College Changed My Life Forever
When I stood in front of a judge and accepted a plea deal, I did not understand that I was, in effect, branding myself with a lifetime sentence.
I Served 26 Years for Murder Even Though the Killer Confessed
His lawyers wouldn't tell anyone because of attorney-client privilege. Meanwhile, I kept a homemade metal shank with me at all times.
I Officiated a Lesbian Wedding on Rikers Island
Jail had put the baby-making on hold, but the marriage was going ahead as planned.
Working in the Prison System Took Over My Life
If you don't learn how to turn it off, the job can destroy you.
I Deliver Bad News to Victims of Horrible Crimes
One of the worst parts about being a prosecutor is telling victims their attacker's conviction got overturned—or that a family member is dead.
Confronting the Truth About My Friend on Death Row
Even if he is guilty, I don’t think he should die.
I Can't Visit My Sons in Prison Because of My Unpaid Traffic Tickets
A mother facing terminal cancer and debts she'll never be able to pay wonders if she'll ever see her incarcerated children again.
My Strange, Dangerous Job Building Furniture in Prison
Employee perks did not include actual money, but we always had nail gun fights.
I Set a Defendant Free And Got Blamed When He Raped Someone
A judge explains how he decides whether to release someone before trial without bail—and how it can go bad.
I Thought Being Gay Was a Sin Until I Saw My Friend Suffer in Prison
I prided myself on being a compassionate Christian but never missed a chance to subtly attack him. It haunts me still.
There's a Neo-Nazi in My Prison Book Club
An inmate who grew up worshipping Hitler forced me to examine my own beliefs.
What I Think About When I'm Going Back to Prison
After I carjacked a man, I went to Yale Law School. Now I speak to young incarcerated people while trying to face my own past.