Beth Schwartzapfel
@journo-beth.bsky.social
Writer, reader, nerd. Reporter for The Marshall Project covering criminal (in)justice, esp LGBTQ+, parole, addiction, health. Host of VIOLATION. It's not on us to complete the work—but neither can we stop doing it.
The U.S. govt deported >21k people to countries the State Department deemed too dangerous to visit. The overwhelming majority of those deported had no criminal convictions. At least 600 were children. My latest for @themarshallproject.org. www.themarshallproject.org/2026/05/29/d...
The U.S. Deported Them to Iran Just Before American Bombs Dropped
Trump’s State Department told Americans to avoid Iran, Venezuela, Ukraine, South Sudan and other nations where the U.S. simultaneously deported people.
themarshallproject.org
The food on the trays doesn’t even look like food. In photos smuggled out of Georgia’s prisons, what passes for a meal is either grossly inadequate for a grown man, unrecognizable sludge, or both. www.themarshallproject.org/2026/05/16/g...
Rats, Insects and Mold: How Bad Food Leaves Prisoners Hungry and Sick
Georgia spends about 60 cents per meal for prisoners. One man described it as ‘Being hungry all the time, and being fed slop.’
themarshallproject.org
This is how the United States Department of Justice writes now.
I never see skunk cabbage and don’t think of Boris, my fathers dragon
I appeared on "Here and Now" on @wbur.org today to talk about our new investigation with @nbcnews.com into sexual misconduct at the federal women's prison in Bryan, TX. Listen to the interview— www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2...
New investigation dives into sexual misconduct allegations at federal women's prison
For years, inmates at a federal women's prison in Texas have accused staff members of sexual misconduct, but none appear to have been criminally charged.
wbur.org
"One person plus one typewriter constitutes a movement" —Pauli Murray www.thecity.nyc/2026/04/08/r...
Closing the Rikers Island 311 ‘Black Hole’
Proposed new law follows reporting by the THE CITY that found jail-related 311 calls are not publicly tracked or clearly resolved.
thecity.nyc
An important story to read, and one that's far too common.
Beth Schwartzapfel@journo-beth.bsky.social · 4mo agoVery proud to publish this @themarshallproject.org investigation today with Erik Ortiz and @nbcnews.com. Humbled and grateful to the women who bravely shared their stories with us. www.themarshallproject.org/2026/03/27/p...
Very proud to publish this @themarshallproject.org investigation today with Erik Ortiz and @nbcnews.com. Humbled and grateful to the women who bravely shared their stories with us. www.themarshallproject.org/2026/03/27/p...
A Women’s Prison Conceals a Sinister Secret: Staff Sexual Misconduct, Accusers Say
Some employees at a Texas federal prison that holds high-profile women including Ghislaine Maxwell said they faced retaliation for reporting abuse.
themarshallproject.org
Eight women who were incarcerated at a federal prison in Texas tell The Marshall Project and NBC News that staff members groped them or pressured them into unwanted sex acts in deserted corners where there were no security cameras or witnesses.
A women's prison conceals a sinister secret: Staff sexual misconduct, accusers say
Some employees at a Texas federal prison that holds high-profile women including Ghislaine Maxwell said they faced retaliation for reporting abuse.
nbcnews.to
I appeared on @kjzz.org yesterday to talk about recent developments in the decade-long lawsuit against the Arizona prison system and the "plainly grossly inadequate" health care they provide. www.kjzz.org/the-show/202...
Here's what a new receiver overseeing Arizona prison health care could do, journalist says
The state Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry late last week announced it planned to appeal a judge’s ruling that appointed a receiver to oversee Arizona’s prison health care system.
kjzz.org
The Marshall Project@themarshallproject.org · 6mo agoThe judge overseeing a federal lawsuit brought by prisoners in Arizona said Thursday she would appoint a receiver to take over the deeply dysfunctional healthcare system in the state prisons. This is a huge deal. It’s only been done a handful of times. www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Jaw-dropping admission by DOJ to court. DOJ admits to having repeatedly made "material mistaken" representations to judge - ICE never had authority (under 2025 Guidance) to conduct arrests at immigration courthouses! DOJ admits court "relied on...prior misrepresentations." DOJ blames ICE (page 2)
"I apologize for the delay." The...12 year delay.
Jason Leopold@jasonleopold.bsky.social · 5mo agoHappy #FOIA Friday? Not really
“I don’t give a fuck what that judge says, I do what I want.” In a declaration in the ongoing case challenging the federal prison system's ban on gender-affirming care, Grace Pinson says that she's been targeted for speaking up. www.lawdork.com/p/trans-inma...
Breaking: Trans inmate's lawyers claim "egregious retaliation" in violation of court order
Trans woman involved in a lawsuit challenging anti-trans policies says federal prison official told her on Feb. 22: “I don’t give a fuck what that judge says, I do what I want.”
lawdork.com
The judge overseeing a federal lawsuit brought by prisoners in Arizona said Thursday she would appoint a receiver to take over the deeply dysfunctional healthcare system in the state prisons. This is a huge deal. It’s only been done a handful of times. www.kjzz.org/politics/202...
Arizona prison health care takeover comes after 14-year lawsuit
In an 83-page order, Judge Roslyn Silver detailed complaints that go back 14 years about inadequate physical and mental health care at the 10 prison complexes across the state. That included a history...
kjzz.org
This declaration from WaPo journalist Hannah Natanson describing what the FBI took is utterly devastating. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
"At some point it becomes unethical to continue to participate in that..Can we provide this group of humans the care they’re entitled to? The answer is no. One person cannot ethically do that.” My latest for @themarshallproject.org www.themarshallproject.org/2026/01/26/m...
Amid ‘Catastrophic’ Shortage, Psychologists Flee Federal Prisons in Droves
With fewer and fewer employees to run the prisons, psychologists were repeatedly forced to act as guards.
themarshallproject.org
It is continually shocking to me how utterly awful is customer service at Securus, the prison email system (aka the only way this captive audience can readily communicate with the outside world).
OTOH, these people were actually held accountable
Keri Blakinger@keribla.bsky.social · 7mo agoIn case you are wondering things are going great in the Federal Bureau of Prisons
In case you are wondering things are going great in the Federal Bureau of Prisons
11 yrs ago, @themarshallproject.org launched our brand-new website with part 1 of a @bykenarmstrong.bsky.social investigation & our first Life Inside piece, by John J. Lennon. Since then, we've published >2,600 pieces. And still, so much work to do. www.themarshallproject.org/2014/11/15/d...
Death by Deadline, Part One
How bad lawyering and an unforgiving law cost condemned men their last appeal.
themarshallproject.org
OK Louisiana, you do you. lailluminator.com/briefs/orlea...
Orleans sheriff says she missed campaign report deadline because her attorney was incarcerated • Louisiana Illuminator
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson successfully argued Friday that she shouldn’t have to pay the full fine for missing a campaign reporting deadline because her attorney was incarcerated at the time.
lailluminator.com
A “modern-day slave ship” was tugged off towards LA today, sold as scrap. The Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center—a floating jail—"caged tens of thousands of people unable to afford bail—mostly Black and brown men—for months and sometimes years while awaiting trial.” gothamist.com/news/nyc-cas...
NYC casts away floating jail, scorned by critics as 'modern-day slave ship'
For three decades, the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center was moored to the banks of Hunts Point, serving as an overflow facility for Rikers Island.
gothamist.com
Hotels that don’t have carpet are making good choices
The city of LA and the LAPD are asking the court to lift the injunction that prevents the dept from assaulting and arresting journalists ahead of tomorrow’s No Kings protests due to officer and public safety risks.
![PARTE APPLICATION
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that, in accordance with Local Rule 7-19 and this
Court's Civil Standing Order Section XIII, Defendants City of Los Angeles and Chief Jim McDonnell ("City" or "Defendants"), by and through their counsel of record, respectfully apply to this Court on an ex parte basis for an order staying the Preliminary Injunction entered on September 10, 2025 (ECF No. 83) pending appeal. This Application is based on Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 62 and Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 8(a)(1)(A), the accompanying Memorandum of Points and Authorities, the Declarations of Lt. Joseph Dunster, the Declaration of Richard Egger, other supporting declarations and exhibits, the record, and any further evidence or argument the Court may permit.
Good Cause and Urgency
Good cause and urgency exist for the relief requested. The City has filed a
Notice of Appeal of the Preliminary Injunction. In addition, the City faces imminent enforcement obligations under the Court's September 10, 2025, Preliminary Injunction Order ("Order") because there is an upcoming "No Kings" protest scheduled for Saturday, October 18, 2025, which requires it to deploy officers subject to the constraints of the Order. The Order enjoins the Los Angeles Police Department ("LAPD") from a broad range of actions relating to its handling of "journalists" during protests, and requires LAPD to take a number of affirmative actions, described in the accompanying Memorandum of Points and Authorities below. Although the Court described the injunction as "mirror[ing] the Defendants' own policies" (Order at p. 27), it imposes ambiguous mandates that create serious operational uncertainty and a substantial risk of contempt for good-faith conduct to preserve public safety. Given the immediate and concrete risk to officer and public safety posed by these uncertainties-and the fact that the City has](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:vnsn3gjqvtaianuuziyiqxlx/bafkreiclgogepwv2z33rjia2tx4jubo6tmhl7sy6gp6nptv4xirwcppiqu)
"Its a good time to be an American born criminal." 28,000 federal law enforcement agents have been detailed to ICE for immigration efforts (including almost 1/2 of DEA agents and 1/3 of ATF agents). I spoke to @themarshallproject.org @journo-beth.bsky.social about the impact. t.co/xZieyefxc8
https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/10/04/federal-government-trump-ice-crime
t.co