Holiday decorating can be done with commissary materials and a good dose of creativity.

I hope my son does not fall victim to our generational curse.

Efforts to ban isolation have repeatedly failed. Since it’s sticking around, here’s a little tour of our hell-in-the-hole.

Holiday reflections stir childhood memories

Colorful blooms, a goldfinch and a praying mantis help me feel peace and, for a time at least, free.

Constant clamor inside prisons — from violence and mentally distressed residents — can cause serious distress for those with neurological disorders.

Tricks and treats help animate this California prison during the spooky season.

On the art of teaching incarcerated men how to bake Girl Scout cookies behind bars.

The relationship I enjoyed with my dad was unique among the men where I was incarcerated.

California’s Paws For Life K9 Rescue program helps incarcerated people learn valuable lessons from the pups they train.

Combat veterans fight daily against PTSD and its effects, with little help from the country they pledged to protect. The fight is even harder in prison.

“Hood PTSD” is experienced by children in cities across America. It’s sending people to prison and to the grave.

Serving a life sentence amid the noise and violence of prison can be maddening (literally). Here’s how I broke free (metaphorically).

Before she could fight cancer, Grandma had to fight for her diagnosis.

I was 15 when I tasted it for the first time at a German inn. The creamy hazelnut spread has been with me ever since — though it’s become harder to obtain while incarcerated in a Florida prison.

After six years in the hole, the mental exhaustion is unbearable. So is the need for human connection. A story shared by a prisoner in Pennsylvania.

Another day, another act of violence in prison. A story shared by an incarcerated writer.

Incarcerated female writer shares a poem on her strength as a woman behind bars.

Aging prisoners are left to languish under substandard prison medical care. If older people feel set aside outside, inside they would feel thrown away.

Ten years ago, 29,000 people in California prisons staged a hunger strike.

At Waffle House or the convenience store, the incarcerated mindset kept coming back. A story shared by an ex-con.

Throughout my incarceration, blazes big and small have been a feature of my life.

When I encountered him, I was astounded by his enormity and the peacefulness of his presence.

A story shared by an incarcerated prisoner who has witnessed many cellies overdose in prison.

Entering prison at age 15, my first task was simply to survive. Eighteen years later, I’m learning what it means to be an adult.