What you’re looking at above is the visitors area at the Super Maximum Security Michael Unit in Tennessee Colony, Texas. It’s just one of the images in Offender, a new collection of work by Austin-based photographer Matt Rainwaters. The photos were taken for Esquire UK and Texas Monthly, and focus on two very different inmates inside the Texas Department of Justice: The first, Steven Russell, is serving 140 years for financial fraud four counts of escape. (He claims he’s a successful escape artist because “people constantly underestimated him.”) The second, Susan Wright, was convicted of murder after stabbing her husband 193 times. She was recently granted an appeal, and may be released after resentencing.
Steven Russell
Susan Wright
OK, now be honest: Who would your rather bunk with? [via NOTCOT]