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Prison Journalism Project

Prison Journalism Project

Independent Journalism by the Incarcerated

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Trauma

Not only are prisons inherently traumatic places, many people suffer from pre-existing mental health conditions. A 2014 study of traumatic exposure among incarcerated men found that 30-60% of them suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compared to 3-6% in the general population. These are stories about personal traumas and their impact on lives.

Subscribe to Inside Story to receive exclusive behind-the-scene looks at our best stories, as well as author profiles and other insights.

An alley with dilapidated buildings in an American city
Posted inPerspective

I Have a Form of PTSD That Is Rarely Talked About

by Samuel Karim August 23, 2023August 18, 2023
A lens flare creates a blinding light
Posted inOpinion

The Constant Light And Sound of Prison Life Is Unbearable

by David Annarelli August 17, 2023July 21, 2023
Red paint drips abstract painting
Posted inPerspective

When Blood Spills in Prison

by Troy Chapman August 9, 2023July 21, 2023
A chain link fence and barbed wire against a cloudy sky
Posted inPoetry

Institutionalized

by Rahja Rose July 11, 2023June 29, 2023
The words #metoo are typed on a vintage typewriter.
Posted inPoetry

#MeToo: Speak Up

by Luisa Cutting June 29, 2023June 22, 2023
Aerial view of Colorado State Prison
Posted inPerspective

How I Survive in The Most Dangerous Prison in Colorado

by Robert Turner May 25, 2023May 18, 2023
Writing a detective novel while in prison can be rehabilitative
Posted inPerspective

Writing Helped Me Discover the Invisible Shame I Carried

by David "Razor" Babb November 30, 2022November 23, 2022
A 2mg dose of fentanyl next to a penny to demonstrate its lethality
Posted inEssays & Memoirs

Watching My Cellie Overdose in Prison

by C.R. Addleman November 2, 2022October 28, 2022
A tangle of above-ground roots at the base of a tree trunk
Posted inPoetry

Roots

by E.D.H. October 10, 2022October 7, 2022
A balled up fist with black background
Posted inPoetry

Hollow

by Aaron London July 29, 2022July 23, 2022

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