News of Interest

Selected news stories of interest to the Freedom Reads community.

The Poet Who Taught in Prison
Prison Journalism Project by Mesro Dhu Rafa'a March 21, 2024

The Book of Judith: Opening Hearts Through Poetry is a tribute to Judith Tannenbaum, who taught poetry in San Quentin State Prison.

What a Day in Prison is Really Like
Vera Institute of Justice by David Sell March 14, 2024

David Sell, a writer incarcerated in the New York state prison system, reflects on a day in prison and why people on the outside should care.

5 Stories About Education in Prison
Prison Journalism Project by Gerard Edic March 5, 2024

5 stories about education in prison to celebrate restored access to Pell Grants for incarcerated students after a 30 year ban.

In This Cell, Pen in Hand, I’m Creating My Own Future
Prison Journalism Project by Kory McClary February 25, 2024

Incarcerated writer Kory McClary writes about the importance of creating your own history through writing.

My Mom Helped Me Think Bigger Than Prison. Soon, I’ll Graduate College.
Prison Journalism Project by Khaȧliq Shakur February 15, 2024

Khaȧliq Shakur writes about not letting the criminal legal system define their future.

My Biggest Daily Challenge in Prison Isn’t Violence. It’s the Monotony.
The Marshall Project by Jy'Aire Smith-Pennick February 9, 2024

Jy'aire Smith-Pennick, an incarcerated writer in Pennsylvania, writes about the maintaining his mental health with the loss of autonomy and the monotony of prison life.

Exonerated, Graduated and Ready for Law School
Prison Journalism Project by Anthony Ehlers January 25, 2024

An interview with James Soto, "the longest-serving wrongfully convicted prisoner in Illinois history," about what's next for him after his release in December, 2023.

The Farm-to-Prison Pipeline
VICE News December 30, 2023

A glimpse into Mountain View Correctional Facility in Maine where incarcerated people grow their own food, and the right to a healthy meal.

First Class of Incarcerated Students Earn Degrees From Northwestern University
Prison Journalism Project by Anthony Ehlers December 21, 2023

Ta-Nehisi Coates delivered the commencement address for the first class of incarcerated students to receive bachelor's degrees from Northwestern University via the Northwestern Prison Education Program.

I’d Never Owned a Computer. After 17 Years in Prison, I Finally Have One of My Own
Slate by Kunlyna Tauch December 13, 2023

A currently incarcerated student at California State University writes about the transformative effect of receiving a laptop for the first time.

About half of Michigan's "juvenile lifers" now free from prison
Michigan Radio by Lindsey Smith December 7, 2023

In accordance with the 2012 US Supreme Court ruling, nearly half of the folks previously sentenced to life without parole as juveniles in Michigan have been re-sentenced, providing a vital renewal of hope for the future.

Justice Department Making Historic Investment in Prison and Jail Reform
Brennan Center for Justice by Lauren-Brooke Eisen & Ram Subramanian December 6, 2023

The Justice Department will award $10 million to projects that aim to "transform prison cultures, climates, and spaces" in an attempt to ameliorate the conditions within carceral facilities that have led to poor outcomes for both incarcerated people and correctional staff.