Prison

"What makes this pandemic so scary is all the unknown factors," writes 40-year-old Mohammed Monsuri.

Lockdown In Lockup: A Prisoner At Sing Sing On Life During The COVID-19 Crisis

5:28pm June 26, 2020

Mohammed Monsuri, who is incarcerated at the New York prison, describes how he learned about the pandemic and the challenges of staying safe. The coronavirus has hit prisons across the U.S. hard.

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35 Years After Wrongful Conviction, Darryl Hunt’s Legacy Of Hope Remains

11:57am June 12, 2020

by David Ford

With thousands of young demonstrators marching in Winston-Salem to protest the police killing of George Floyd, an older generation in Winston-Salem is looking back.

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The progressive advocacy group FWD.US recommends Arizona release at least 10,000 inmates, or one-quarter of the prison population, to make a significant impact in stopping the spread of the virus.

National

'A Ticking Time Bomb': Advocates Warn COVID-19 Is Spreading Rapidly Behind Bars

11:27am April 28, 2020

The spread of coronavirus behind bars is likely much more rampant than what's known right now. In prisons, jails and immigration detention centers, limited testing already shows widespread infection.

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Attendees at a January rally at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson called for the state to close the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, where a number of deaths have occurred.

National

After Inmate Deaths, Mississippi Faces Pressure To Reform Its Prisons

8:23am April 20, 2020

by Debbie Elliott

The state of Mississippi is the subject of lawsuits and a federal investigation following the deaths of more than 30 inmates in its prison system since late last year.

A view of the entrance to Rikers Island penitentiary complex.

'You Just Get Written Off': One Inmate On Life On Rikers During The Pandemic

7:01pm April 18, 2020

Rikers Island jail in New York City is currently in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak. Inmate Daryl Campbell is currently under quarantine and shares his experience.

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Health & Safety

COVID-19 Outbreak At North Carolina Prison Grows To Over 250

4:31pm April 17, 2020

by Associated Press

A COVID-19 outbreak at a North Carolina state prison has spread to more than 250 inmates, prison officials said Friday.

A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department van enters the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles on April 1, 2020. California is planning to release as many as 3,500 inmates who were due to be paroled in the next two months as it tries to free sp

National

Advocates: Inmates Released Early Due To Pandemic Need Help To Safely Shelter

4:44pm April 09, 2020

by Eric Westervelt

In California, former inmates released early to help reduce coronavirus risks behind bars lack support when they get out, say advocates, who want better, organized help to address the crisis.

A man does maintenance work at the Monroe Correctional Complex in Monroe, Wash., in a 2016 photo. At least six inmates in a minimum-security unit of the prison have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Inmates In Washington State Protest After Fellow Prisoners Test Positive For COVID-19

12:29pm April 09, 2020

by Scott Neuman

More than 100 prisoners at Monroe Correctional Complex's minimum-security unit set off fire extinguishers in protest after six fellow inmates were diagnosed with COVID-19 in recent days.

Eight In State Correctional System Test Positive For COVID-19

4:15pm April 02, 2020

by Eddie Garcia

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety has announced that four inmates and four prison employees have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

A sign placed in the window of an inmate's cell calls for "HELP" during a visit by state officials last year. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Ala., long criticized for its conditions, will be largely decommissioned.

National

Alabama To Move Most Inmates From Notoriously Crowded, Violent Holman Prison

7:50pm January 29, 2020

by Colin Dwyer

The state's Department of Corrections said it is largely decommissioning the facility. Federal officials have condemned Alabama's prison system as understaffed, overcrowded and outright "cruel."