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Inmate With Stock Tips Wants To Be San Quentin's Warren Buffett

Curtis Carroll taught himself to read in prison. He also discovered a passion for finance. Now inmates and guards seek out his advice, and everyone calls him Wall Street.

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How Solitary Confinement Became Hardwired In U.S. Prisons

Early experiments in isolating inmates took place at a Philadelphia prison in the 1800s. Though discredited as cruel, the practice was later revived nationwide during the drug war.

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New York Begins To Question Solitary Confinement As Default

Many corrections officers oppose efforts to change the practice of isolating inmates. They say solitary confinement has been a trusted tool in American prisons for half a century.

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Inside-Out: Where Campus Life Meets Prison Life

Two decades ago, a prisoner serving a life sentence had an idea of a college course. This year, over 100 universities and colleges will be offering a class just like the one he envisioned.

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Biking Behind Bars: Female Inmates Battle Weight Gain

Women in prison often eat to relieve stress or boredom. The resulting weight gain can make other physical and emotional problems worse. In one prison, spinning helps keep the pounds and rage at bay.

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Behind Bars, Vets With PTSD Face A New War Zone, With Little Support

"For my PTSD issues, jail is the least therapeutic atmosphere you could ever imagine," says Iraq veteran David Carlson. "You come in one way and you leave three times worse."

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2 Prisoners Mistakenly Released Early Now Charged In Killings

Washington state let about 3,200 felons out early over 12 years because of a software glitch. Now it's tracking them down, and finding some have re-offended while they should've been behind bars.

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Chess Wars: 20 Inmates, 5 Weeks, 1 Champion

Deep in the woods of New Hampshire, 20 inmates are engaged in a fierce chess tournament in a secluded prison. The prize may be just a paper certificate, but even then, winning means a lot.

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From A Life Term To Life On The Outside: When Aging Felons Are Freed

A landmark ruling by Maryland's highest court affected prisoners convicted of violent crimes before 1981. None of them has re-offended so far. But that's no comfort to angry families of their victims.

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Doubling Up Prisoners In 'Solitary' Creates Deadly Consequences

Imagine living in a cell smaller than a parking space or a king-size mattress. Now add a roommate. The result for some inmates forced to live together in solitary can be murder.

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This Bakery Offers A Second Chance For Women After Prison

Together We Bake in Alexandria, Va., supplies granola, cookies and kale chips to local eateries. It's also a job-training program for women — many of whom have criminal records.

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Training Helps Inmates Build A Bridge To Life Outside Prison Walls

Loretta Lynch made her first visit to a federal prison as the nation's top law enforcement officer. She highlighted the need for more services to help inmates re-enter society.

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Investigation Into Private Prisons Reveals Crowding, Under-Staffing And...

Seth Freed Wessler reported on substandard medical care in privately-run prisons in the federal corrections system for The Nation, which may have led the Justice Department to phase out their use.

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From Homemade Weapons To Inmate Art, An Inside Look At Life Behind Bars

The Texas Prison Museum displays wooden guns that look real, shanks made from spoons and a chess set carved from soap. The item that gets the most attention? An electric chair nicknamed Old Sparky.

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Reports Of Prison Guard Brutality In New York Draw A Harsh Spotlight

A rash of incidents involving guards' use of violence against prisoners, sometimes caught on video, is fueling calls for accountability. Others say the focus should be on increasingly violent inmates.

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