prisons
The Real 'Shawshank' Is So Creepy You'd Crawl Through a River of Shit to Escape It Too
Former inmate Michael Humphrey now gives tours of the place, and man he has stories.
The Heartbreaking Stories Behind Prison Inmates' Art
We talked to some of the artists featured in a new gallery exhibition that showcases work made by inmates while in prison.
When American Prisons Become Haunted Houses
Some former prisons now cater to haunted house enthusiasts and people who believe in the paranormal.
Mentally Ill Prisoners Are Destroyed By Solitary Confinement
For those predisposed to mental illness, isolation can induce anxiety, depression, distortions, paranoia, even psychosis.
'Prison Legal News' Is a Publication by Prisoners, for Prisoners
The monthly magazine that Paul Wright founded from his jail cell now has a circulation of 10,000—and a reputation for not being afraid to fight the government to get its issues into prisoners' hands.
How America Became the Most Imprisoned Nation in the World
How the US became the most Imprisoned nation in the world.
'Orange Is the New Black' Explores Motherhood Behind Bars in Season Three
We spoke with Orange Is the New Black actress Selenis Leyva and former real-life inmate, Joanne Archibald, about the challenges and realities of rearing a child from behind bars.
Coal Ash May Be Making Pennsylvania Inmates Sick, and Now They're Fighting to Shut Their Prison Down
People incarcerated near a coal-ash dump in Pennsylvania are getting sick at an alarming rate, and now they're organising to shut down their prison
Abuse Against Mentally Ill Prisoners Is 'Widespread' Across US, According to Human Rights Watch Report
According to the study, corrections officials in the United States use violence to punish prisoners for exhibiting behaviours of their mental illness, which violates the Constitution and international human rights laws.
The Life, Death and Possible Resurrection of the Asylum
Half a century ago, state mental hospitals closed after a series of horrific abuses – but in the aftermath, many mentally ill people were forced onto the streets or into jails. Now some are arguing it's time to bring these institutions back.
What Happens When You Build a Town Around a Prison?
A tour of Huntsville, Texas, where penitentiaries serve as job creators, tourist attractions and the centre of the community.