The Marshall Project

The Marshall Project. It is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization dedicated to covering the American criminal justice system. Founded in 2014 by former hedge fund manager and journalist Neil Barsky, it is headquartered in New York City. The organization’s work is characterized by in-depth investigative reporting, data analysis, and collaborations with other media outlets to amplify its reach and impact on public discourse and policy.

History and founding

The organization was launched in November 2014 by Neil Barsky, a former reporter for publications like The Wall Street Journal and New York Newsday who later worked in finance. Barsky was inspired to create a newsroom solely focused on criminal justice after witnessing the system's complexities and failures, particularly following high-profile cases like the shooting of Trayvon Martin. The founding editor was Bill Keller, the former executive editor of The New York Times, who helped establish its journalistic standards and mission. Initial funding was secured from a variety of philanthropic foundations and individual donors committed to supporting rigorous journalism on this critical issue. The name honors Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice and a pioneering civil rights lawyer known for his work on landmark cases like Brown v. Board of Education.

Mission and editorial approach

Its core mission is to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the state of criminal justice in the United States. The editorial approach is strictly nonpartisan, aiming to highlight problems and potential solutions without ideological advocacy. A key tenet of its work is collaboration; it frequently partners with other major news organizations such as NPR, The Associated Press, The Washington Post, and local outlets across the country to co-publish investigations. The newsroom employs a mix of traditional investigative techniques, data journalism, and narrative storytelling, often focusing on underreported issues like prison conditions, prosecutorial conduct, bail reform, and reentry. It maintains a strict separation between its news operations and its funders to preserve editorial independence.

Notable investigations and impact

Its reporting has driven significant legal, legislative, and public policy changes. A major investigation, "The Next to Die," created in partnership with The Guardian, meticulously tracked and humanized every execution in the United States for several years. The "Violation" series, co-published with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, exposed systemic failures in the nation’s probation and parole systems, leading to reforms in states like Georgia. Another investigation, "An Unbelievable Story of Rape," done with ProPublica, won a Pulitzer Prize and was adapted into a Netflix series. Its data-driven work on the spread of COVID-19 in prisons and jails provided crucial, real-time information to policymakers and the public during the pandemic, influencing early release protocols and safety measures in facilities nationwide.

Organization and funding

It operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and is governed by a board of directors that includes figures from journalism, law, and philanthropy. Leadership has included presidents like Carroll Bogert, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, and editors-in-chief like Susan Chira, formerly of The New York Times. Funding is derived entirely from philanthropic grants and individual donations, with major supporters including the Ford Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Knight Foundation. It adheres to a public transparency policy regarding its donors and has a clear firewall to prevent funder influence on editorial content. The newsroom employs journalists, data analysts, and engagement editors, with staff often based across the United States to report on local and regional justice issues.

Recognition and awards

The organization has received widespread acclaim and numerous prestigious awards for its journalism. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting in 2016 for its series "An Unbelievable Story of Rape." It has also been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize on multiple other occasions, including for its coverage of prison labor. Other notable honors include the George Polk Award, the National Magazine Award, and the John Jay/H.F. Guggenheim Excellence in Criminal Justice Reporting Award. Its work is frequently cited in academic research, congressional hearings, and by advocacy groups on all sides of the criminal justice debate, cementing its reputation as an essential and authoritative source on the subject.

Category:American news websites Category:Non-profit organizations based in New York City Category:Organizations established in 2014