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Is Obama Finally Becoming The President African-Americans Wanted?

The president has tackled issues of race much more forcefully and directly of late, as seen not only in his speeches but in his policies — including commutation of the sentences of drug offenders.

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'Driving Straight,' Giving Back: Rebuilding A Life After Prison

As President Obama pushes to overhaul the criminal justice system, three former inmates share what it's like to strive for success on the outside — and what it takes to leave an old life behind.

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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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Mother And Child Behind Bars: The Women Of Afghanistan's Prisons

In Afghanistan, a woman who has premarital sex or cheats on her husband can be charged with moral crimes and imprisoned. Many of these women serve their time with their children by their side.

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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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Former Peanut Corp. Exec Gets 28 Years For Role In Deadly Salmonella Outbreak

The former owner of Peanut Corporation of America, Stewart Parnell, had been convicted of knowingly shipping tainted peanut butter that was linked to the 2009 deaths of nine people.

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Even In Prison, Health Care Often Comes With A Copay

Although the government is responsible for providing health services to people in jail and prison, inmates are still often expected to pay for a share of the treatment.

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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, Cheap Ramen Is As Good As Gold

Instant noodles are a staple for inmates: a basis of recipe hacks, a form of currency. They've even helped defuse a prison riot, as an ex-inmate details in Prison Ramen, a book of stories and recipes.

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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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Treating Prisoners With Hepatitis C May Be Worth The Hefty Price

About 15 percent of people in prison are infected with hepatitis C. Screening and treating inmates would save $750 million over 30 years and prevent many new cases in the general public.

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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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Last Of 'Angola 3' Released After More Than 40 Years In Solitary Confinement

Albert Woodfox, accused of killing a prison guard in 1972 with two other men, has always maintained his innocence. His decades in solitary became an international human rights issue.

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Riot Breaks Out In Alabama Prison

The 1,031-bed Holman Correctional Facility, about 50 miles north of Mobile, is the only prison in Alabama that carries out executions. Prisoners are reportedly setting fires and roaming the facility.

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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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