Inside Story | The Marshall Project

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Discredited hair analysis is fueling efforts to overturn convictions

Rapper Common talks about his work bringing music into prisons, and incarcerated people fight their convictions from debunked forensic science.
Rapper Common
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In the premiere of its second season, "Inside Story" spotlights the efforts incarcerated people are making to have their convictions reviewed based on the now-discredited science of hair analysis.

Actor and rapper Common sits down with host Lawrence Bartley to discuss why he believes music is healing and why he created music studios for people on the inside.

In an animated explainer, The Marshall Project explores the long history of music as an outlet for incarcerated people to create a future for themselves when they get out.

Then, folks on the inside share the dreams they have while serving their sentences, including returning home to have movie night with their children.

Inspired by the story on hair analysis, Bartley unpacks the word “suspect” and how it can mean those accused of crimes, but also the science behind the accusations.