On March 24, 1800, the first issues of Forlorn Hope rolled off the presses and into the hands of eager readers at a New York City debtors’ prison. Though its incarcerated staff initially sought to use Forlorn Hope to advocate for debtor emancipation, the paper’s purview soon expanded. Across its spirited pages, readers could find articles on issues as varied as temperance, slavery and capital punishment.
Forlorn Hope shuttered after only six months. But the publication has had a lasting legacy as the first in a long line of U.S. prison newspapers. Since the 19th century, incarcerated journalists have founded hundreds of prison publications in U.S. jails and prisons. Collectively known as the prison press, they have ranged from upstart mimeographed newsletters to established gazettes with organized staffs and outside support.
The goals of the prison press have shifted over time and geography. Some publications are inward facing, intended primarily for incarcerated audiences. Others seek to spur activism among outside readers. Yet nearly all prison newspapers have aimed to inform, entertain and educate their readers.
Indeed, there are notable examples of the prison press succeeding in this regard. The San Quentin News at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center in California is one of the most robust, far-reaching prison newspapers. One publication, The Prison Mirror, at Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater, Minn., has been around since 1887. And it was articles in Louisiana State Penitentiary’s The Angolite that led the state to ditch the electric chair in 1990.
But the prison press has not been without its challenges. Prison publications often maintain a tenuous relationship with prison administrations, who may seek to influence their content. Court decisions limiting incarcerated free speech narrowed the scope of their coverage. And budgetary constraints as the U.S. prison population ballooned sunsetted many stalwart publications. From a time when nearly half of prions had a publication in 1935, only six remained by 1998.
Prison Journalism Project launched the Prison Newspaper Project to preserve and amplify a remarkable part of the U.S. journalism tradition. Our centerpiece resource, the prison newspaper directory, is an active list of currently operational prison publications.
In order to be listed, publications must offer information that is thoughtful, useful and obtained from reliable sources. PJP has obtained copies of each publication listed or has otherwise verified their existence through public reporting. We also maintain correspondence with their incarcerated staffs.
We update the prison newspaper directory once a year. If you have information about other newspapers or magazines that belong on this list, please reach out to us at pjp@prisonjournalismproject.org.
Interested in learning more? The American Prison Newspapers and California Prison Press databases are both valuable resources.
Spotlighting prison newspapers is central to PJP’s mission of training incarcerated journalists and amplifying their stories. The outcome of a healthy prison press is like that of any newspaper staff — they strengthen their communities through journalism.
Most of all, prison newspapers provide an invaluable archive of the murky world behind bars — one which, through combined effort, is beginning to be revived.
— Max Grinstein, Prison Newspaper Project editor
Prison Newspaper Directory
Prison Journalism Project’s prison newspaper directory is an active list of 38 operational prison publications across 17 states as of October 2026. The total number of included publications has increased significantly since we last updated this page two years ago.
Anecdotally, we are contacted frequently by people who want to start publications in their facilities, leading us to believe that there is an increase in interest rather than a decline. We also have been told of the existence of some publications, but we did not include them because we were unable to confirm that they are active.
It is also important to note that this directory represents PJP’s best effort to keep track of active publications. It is almost certainly incomplete, given the closed nature of prisons and that most prison publications are not distributed outside of their facilities. We’ve done our best to remove inactive publications.
In order to be included, a publication must be produced predominantly by incarcerated individuals (even if it is under a corrections department’s supervision or produced in partnership with an outside organization).
Prison Journalism Project has obtained copies of each publication listed below or otherwise verified their existence through publicly available reporting in reputable sources. Entries are organized by state and then alphabetically. Whenever possible, we’ve provided contact information and links to online issues or digital archives.
Take note of special information listed with each publication, including opportunities to subscribe as an outside reader. We have also highlighted the publications that have received recognition through the Stillwater Awards, co-sponsored by PJP and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Know of a publication that should be included? Interested in being connected with a specific publication? Please reach out to Prison Newspaper Project Editor Max Grinstein at max@prisonjournalismproject.org.
Federal
Publication: The Atlantian Revival
Publisher: United States Penitentiary, Atlanta (and Atlanta Community Support Project)
Subscription/Website: Contact them here.
Publication: Bars and Stripes
Publisher: Federal Correctional Institution, Seagoville (a publication for incarcerated veterans)
California
Publication: CCWF Paper Trail
Publisher: Central California Women’s Facility
Subscription/Website: Read CCWF Paper Trail here and contact them here: papertrail@polleninitiative.org
Publication: The San Quentin News and Wall City Magazine
Publisher: San Quentin Rehabilitation Center (in partnership with the Pollen Press)
Subscription/Website: Subscribe here.
Read The San Quentin News here.
Publication: The Side Bar
Publisher: Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility
Publication: Mule Creek Post
Publisher: Mule Creek State Prison
Subscription/Website: Read The Mule Creek Post here.
Publication: The Onion
Publisher: California State Prison, Corcoran
Publication: Echo Extra
Publisher: California Health Care Facility, Stockton
Publication: The Hard Climb Journal
Publisher: California Correctional Institution, Tehachapi (in partnership with the Pollen Press)
Subscription/Website: Read The Hard Climb Journal here.
Publication: The Razor Wire
Publisher: California Institution for Women (in partnership with the Pollen Press)
Subscription/Website: Read The Razor Wire here.
Colorado
Publication: Messenger Quarterly
Publisher: Colorado Department of Corrections (in partnership with the Pollen Press and Unbound Authors)
Subscription/Website: Read Messenger Quarterly here.
Florida
Publication: The Endeavor
Publisher: Everglades Correctional Institution
Subscription/Website: Everglades Correctional Institution / Attn: The Endeavor / 1599 SW 187th Ave. / Miami, FL 33194-2801
Publication: The Insider
Publisher: Homestead Correctional Institution
Publication: Tales from the Lagoon
Publisher: Wakulla Correctional Institution Annex
Subscription/Website: Wakulla Annex Education Department / 110 Melalucea Dr. / Crawfordville, FL 32327
Publication: The Illuminator
Publisher: Polk Correctional Institution
Idaho
Publication: High Desert News
Publisher: Idaho State Correctional Institution
Illinois
Publication: Kewanee Horizons
Publisher: Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center
Subscription/Website: Read Kewanee Horizons here and contact them here: DOC.KewaneeHorizons@Illinois.gov
Publication: Stateville Speaks
Publisher: Statewide
Subscription/Website: Contact them here: info@statevillespeaks.org
Publication: Two Roads
Publisher: Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center
Subscription/Website: Read Two Roads E-Zine here and contact them here: DOC.tworoads@Illinois.gov
Publication: Northwestern Insider
Publisher: Northwestern Prison Education Program
Subscription/Website: Read the Northwestern Insider here.
Louisiana
Publication: The Angolite
Publisher: Louisiana State Penitentiary
Subscription/Website: Send $30 check to The Angolite / c/o Cashier’s Office / Louisiana State Penitentiary / Angola, LA 70712 to be added to The Angolite’s subscription list.
Michigan
Publication: Behind the Wire
Publisher: Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility (in partnership with Eastern Michigan University)
Subscription/Website: Contact them here: college_in_prison@emich.edu
Minnesota
Publication: The Prison Mirror
Publisher: Minnesota Correctional Facility, Stillwater
Subscription/Website: Mail a check or money order for $24 to be added to The Prison Mirror’s subscription list.
The Prison Mirror / 970 Pickett St. / Bayport, MN 55003
Publication: Gold Rush Chronicle
Publisher: Minnesota Correctional Facility, Rush City
Subscription/Website: MCF-RC GRC – Education Department / 7600 525th St. / Rush City, MN 55069
New Jersey
Publication: Perceptions Reimagined
Publisher: Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women
Subscription/Website: Read a previous issue here.
North Carolina
Publication: The Nash News
Publisher: Nash Correctional Institution (in partnership with the Pollen Press)
Publication: The Franklin Standard
Publisher: Franklin Correctional Center
Subscription/Website: The Franklin Standard / PO Box 155 / Bunn, NC 27508
Publication: North Carolina Prison News Today
Publisher: North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (in partnership with the Pollen Press)
Subscription/Website: Read North Carolina Prison News Today here.
Oklahoma
Publication: The Warrior Standard
Publisher: Eddie Warrior Correctional Center (and Poetic Justice)
Subscription/Website: Read and subscribe to the Warrior Standard here.
Publication: The Mabel Bassett Balance
Publisher: Mabel Bassett Correctional Center (and Poetic Justice)
Subscription/Website: Read and subscribe to The Mabel Bassett Balance here.
Oregon
Publication: 1664 Magazine
Publisher: Oregon Department of Corrections (and the Pollen Press)
Subscription/Website: Read 1664 Magazine here.
Publication: The Echo
Publisher: Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution (in partnership with the Pollen Press)
Subscription/Website: Read The Echo here.
Pennsylvania
Publication: Veterans Voice
Publisher: State Correctional Institution Mercer Veterans Service Unit
Publication: Daughters
Publisher: State Correctional Institution, Muncy (in partnership with Let’s Get Free)
Subscription/Website: Read and subscribe to Daughters here.
South Carolina
Publication: The MAC Newsletter
Publisher: MacDougall Correctional Institution
Subscription/Website: Contact Gary Farlow to be added to The Mac Newsletter’s subscription list.
Texas
Publication: The Echo
Publisher: Texas Department of Criminal Justice Windham School District
Subscription/Website: Read The Echo here.
Mail a $12 money order or personal check made out to The Echo/Windham School District to be added to The Echo’s subscription list.
The Echo, c/o Windham Admin. Building / P.O. Box 40 / Huntsville, TX 77342
Washington
Publication: The Elephant in the Room
Publisher: Monroe Correctional Complex
Publication: 23and1
Publisher: Washington State Penitentiary
Subscription/Website: Read and subscribe to 23and1 here.
Contact 23and1: 23and1Media@gmail.com
