This afternoon, the head of Virginia’s Department of Corrections dismissed complaints about inhumane conditions at Red Onion State Prison— and instead told lawmakers that prisoners who intentionally ...

After 3.5 years co-leading The Appeal, Tara Francis Chan is stepping down at the end of 2024. As Managing Editor & Operations Director, Tara oversaw our newsroom and our efforts to build an innovative ...

There isn’t much Michael Simmons can do but hope and wait. The 46-year-old has spent more than two decades in Illinois Department of Corrections custody. If he’d taken the plea deal prosecutors ...

I spent years visiting prisons and courts. At every turn, facilities forced me to comply with invasive searches that left me feeling sexually violated. As an adolescent, I learned what it’s like to ...

The City of Atlanta may have violated its own ordinance in its apparent attempts to undermine a pre-arrest diversion program’s pending contract with the city. After an open bidding process for ...

In the last few weeks, President Joe Biden pardoned two Thanksgiving turkeys and his own son. But it remains unknown if he will extend that grace to the 40 men on federal death row. Today, U.S.

The Appeal and the Reynolds Journalism Institute are thrilled to announce a new resource for news leaders and entrepreneurs: The Care & Collaboration Toolkit. This toolkit serves as a practical ...

This article is supported by a grant from The Ridgeway Reporting Project, managed by Solitary Watch with funding from The Vital Projects Fund. In February 2021, Washington State Representative David ...

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker tried to use the state’s parole board to safely free more people from prison. But after Republican backlash, the board’s work has essentially been frozen.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker tried to use the state’s parole board to safely free more people from prison. But after Republican backlash, the board’s work has essentially been frozen.

Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative is still waiting on Mayor Andre Dickens to approve the organization’s contract.