A federal judge in Nevada has ruled that a law that further penalizes those who re-enter the U.S. after deportation is unconstitutional. Section 1326 says if you were denied entry to the U.S. or were deported at some point, that law makes entering the U.S. a felony. The Nevada judge says it violates the U.S. Constitution because of its racist, anti-Mexican origins. The U.S. Department of Justice is appealing this decision.
After months of repeated written questions and public records requests from NPR and the Mountain West News Bureau, Interior Department officials said they now plan to contract with an outside agency to examine the troubles plaguing tribal detention centers.
The National Congress of American Indians has urged the federal government to place medical personnel in its tribal jails, arguing that the current situation "exacerbates the already challenging problem of health disparities for American Indians."
Willy Pepion had a cracked skull, and guards at the federal jail on the Blackfeet Reservation dismissed his pleas for help. He died in his cell. Three hours went by until anyone noticed.
Mohammed Monsuri, who is incarcerated at the New York prison, describes how he learned about the pandemic and the challenges of staying safe. The coronavirus has hit prisons across the U.S. hard.
In Getting Wrecked: Women, Incarceration, and the American Opioid Crisis, aRikers Island doctor says drug treatment in U.S. jails and prisons is often shaped by societal prejudice, not science.
Natalie Lynch spent the last two weeks of her pregnancy in a prison cell, mostly alone. As female incarceration rates rise, some states are banning solitary confinement of pregnant women.
In Arizona, prisoners are being charged for medical procedures the state is supposed to pay for. The bills can ruin inmates' credit, adding to their challenges when they rejoin society.
Pregnant women in prison face difficult circumstances, and data on their pregnancies has been scarce. New research lays the groundwork for addressing this neglected public health issue.
Dr. Homer Venters describes a number of traumatic outcomes related to subpar medical care inside the New York City jail complex, including the death of a man who was denied insulin during intake.
Incarcerated pregnant women are often shackled during medical appointments and childbirth. A provision in a criminal justice bill aims to end the practice in federal facilities.
When HIV-positive people leave prison, they often lose access to medical care and the drugs that suppress the virus. It's a missed opportunity in the fight against HIV, public health advocates say.
While visiting jails and prisons across the country, author Alisa Roth witnessed mentally ill inmates in solitary confinement, wearing restrictive jumpsuits and receiving very limited therapy.
Authorities in Massachusetts want to cut the recidivism rate for men ages 18 to 24. They're trying a new program based on a German model that teaches responsibility as a means to greater freedoms.
Each year, millions of Americans leave jail or prison. When they do, they're likely to have a hard time managing their health. Some clinics are trying to provide ex-inmates with better, cheaper care.
The inmates have private cells and dine with the guards. Norway spends three times as much as the U.S. per prisoner. Norwegians say it pays off, with less than half the U.S. recidivism rate.
Many of the inmates died of natural causes, but a series of suspicious deaths — against the backdrop of a shrinking budget and staff shortages — has lawmakers calling for a prison oversight board.
