Prisoners have a constitutionally protected right to file grievances over mistreatment—but according to a joint investigation by NPR and The Marshall Project, that right is largely theoretical. An analysis of federal prison data reveals that the vast majority of grievances filed over abuse and denied medical care go unanswered for years, effectively stonewalling inmates' attempts to seek accountability. For incarcerated people with limited recourse, the grievance system represents one of the few formal tools available to address institutional abuse—and when it fails, they're left with nowhere else to turn.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton