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I co-founded the Prison Policy Initiative to put the problem of mass incarceration — and the perverse incentives that fuel it — on the national agenda. Over the last 17 years, our campaigns have protected our democracy from the prison system and protected the poorest families in this country from the predatory prison telephone industry. Our reports untangle the statistics and recruit new allies.

But now, more than ever, we need your help to put data & compassion into the conversation. Any gift you can make today will be matched by other donors and go twice as far.

Thank you.
—Peter Wagner, Executive DirectorDonate

What’s New



Featured report

Getting Back on Course: Educational exclusion and attainment among formerly incarcerated people

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It's common knowledge that the U.S. criminal justice system funnels youth from schools to prisons - but what happens after that? How many people, for instance, are able to finish high school later? We break down the most recent data, revealing that incarcerated people rarely get the chance to make up the education they've missed.

This report is the third and last report in a series. In the previous two reports, we presented the first national estimates of unemployment and homelessness among formerly incarcerated people.



Unpacking mass incarceration

Learn about the national prison crisis and how we can begin to turn the tide on mass incarceration. Then, drill down to your state.




If our work is new to you, you might want to check out our 2016-2017 annual report.





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