In her August 2024 Truthout op-ed, journalist Paula Lehman-Ewing calls attention to the urgent need for reporters to protect incarcerated sources who courageously expose abuses within the prison system. She outlines how speaking out can lead to harsh retaliation—such as solitary confinement, cell extractions, or transfers to higher-security prisons—and stresses that journalists must take proactive steps to shield these vulnerable individuals. Lehman-Ewing challenges the industry to reexamine its ethics when reporting on incarceration and to recognize the heightened risks faced by people behind bars who contribute to the public record.
An excerpt from the piece reads: “When an incarcerated source risks everything to speak truth to power, our silence or carelessness can cost them their safety—or their life. It is not enough to tell the story; we must do so in a way that protects the people trusting us to get it right.”