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Using stories, logic, facts, and conversation,
to breakdown walls and boundaries.
The Des is information, news and voices from the frontlines of the criminal justice system. The stories we cover are the ones easier forgotten than read. We challenge you not to turn away and in return we promise independent journalism. We invite you to learn with us and pay attention to some of the most silenced corners of America. It won’t be an easy or light hearted read. But we guarantee The Des will change the way you see the United States.
OUR VALUES
Storytelling is the best way to humanize and connect people to each other.
Giving a greater understanding of the U.S Justice System.
Validating the lived experience of those people involved in the System.
Presenting new perspectives to reckon with presumptions and views.
The Des is short for Desmoterion, “place of chains,” used to describe prisons in ancient Athens. We like the idea of the chains because the impacts of incarceration penetrate every aspect of society.
We are here to cover it all.
Everyone has a responsibility to witness what is happening in America. Sparing 10 minutes for centuries of injustice is the least we can do.
We are biased, and our bias is that we believe that every person is human.
Journalism outlets primarily display their biases in what they choose to cover and who they interview. We make those decisions based on the following values.
We prioritize the people most impacted by the justice system in our coverage.
We judge a source or interviewee’s expertise and knowledge on subject. Just about anyone can have an opinion that doesn’t mean they deserve a platform.
We cover all angles of issues and stories. This is not a place for cancel culture but a place to engage in ideas and topics and stories even if they make you uncomfortable.
We believe the current justice system is institutionally and fundamentally broken. The systems and the policies that are in place are not making our country or communities safer or healthier. The harm they prevent is far outweighed by the systemic harm they inflict.
When justice comes to the frontlines, so does humanity.