Incarcerated People Are on the Front Line of Hurricane Helene’s Destruction
Prisons and jails across the Southeast have experienced utility outages, evacuations, visitation disruptions, and staff shortages in the storm’s wake.
As Climate Change Worsens, Deadly Prison Heat is Increasingly an Everywhere Problem
With heat waves sweeping across the country, incarcerated people in states with traditionally milder climates are facing brutal conditions that have long plagued the South and Southwest. A survey by…
The Hunger Strike to End Solitary Confinement in California
In 2011, more than 6,600 people imprisoned in California stopped eating for 19 days to protest extreme isolation inside the state’s prisons. The protests lead to state hearings and a…
Investigators Wanted to Close an Abusive Ice Facility. Biden’s Administration Extended Its Contract.
The Appeal found a system culture of abuse and mismanagement at the Winn Correctional Center, an ICE jail in Louisiana. Biden’s administration has kept people detained there against the wishes…
Judge Orders Changes to Louisiana Prison Labor Program Likened to ‘19th Century Slavery’
Incarcerated laborers on Angola’s Farm Line face “substantial risk of injury or death” during extreme heat, a federal judge ruled this week, ordering corrections officials to make policy changes to…
Abortion ‘Trafficking’ Laws, Travel Bans, Medication Crackdowns: How the GOP is Criminalizing Abortion Post-Dobbs
Multiple states have created a new crime called “abortion trafficking,” which makes it illegal for adults to transport minors to get abortions without parental consent. Others are trying to restrict…
An Investigation Tracking 2,500 Pro-Palestinian Campus Arrests and How Prosecutors Are Responding
The Appeal contacted 113 prosecutors and city attorneys to ask if they’ll file criminal cases against campus demonstrators. So far, only three expressed apprehension at doing so.
He Rebuilt His Life After Prison. Then He Was Deported for a 23-Year-Old Drug Conviction.
Samuel Anthony moved away from Sierra Leone at six years old. That didn’t stop the U.S. from deporting him to a country where he doesn’t know anyone and doesn’t speak…
We Asked Prosecutors if They’ll Charge Pro-Palestinian Campus Protestors
The Appeal contacted more than 50 prosecutors and city attorneys to ask if they’ll file criminal cases against campus demonstrators. So far, only two expressed apprehension at doing so.
The Slow Death of a Prison Profiteer: How Activism Brought Securus to the Brink
On the hook to repay $1.3 billion of debt this year, the nation’s largest prison telecom company, Securus, is on the verge of bankruptcy. Its failure would represent a remarkable…
Eric Adams’ Thoughts on Solitary Confinement Are Dangerous and Cruel
On Jan. 19, New York City Mayor Eric Adams vetoed a bill that would have effectively banned solitary confinement in his city’s jails. Incarcerated writer Chris Blackwell and CUNY Law…
Non-Police Crisis Response Programs Have Been Working. Here’s How.
After decades of protests over police violence, many cities have created non-police crisis response teams. These unarmed first responders typically answer 911 calls for people having mental health crises. Here’s…
I’m a Spiritual Advisor for Condemned Men. Alabama’s Next Execution Could Kill Me, Too.
Alabama plans to execute Kenneth Smith next month by suffocating him with nitrogen. But the new method is untested—since I’m supposed to be in the room with Kenny when he…
East Coast Wildfires Put Incarcerated People on Frontlines of Climate Crisis
More than 150 detention facilities experienced “hazardous” air last week, according to an analysis by The Appeal. As wildfires have gotten worse, prisoners are facing a unique threat.
NYC Advocates Fear More Police Violence, Homeless Criminalization Amid Forced Hospitalizations
New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a directive this week that puts police at the center of renewed efforts to remove people exhibiting signs of mental illness from public…