What’s New
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Washington Governor Jay Inslee signs law ending prison gerrymandering For immediate release — Today, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill into law ensuring that people in….
May 21: Prisoners of the Census Blog
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Policing Women: Race and gender disparities in police stops, searches, and use of force We analyze gender and racial disparities in traffic and street stops, including arrests, searches, and use of force that occurs during stops.
May 14: Briefings
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New report, Does our county really need a bigger jail?, helps counties avoid needless jail growth All too often, proposals to expand local jails receive no pushback or critical attention. A new report helps counties think twice.
May 6: Press releases
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Legal Resources The legal resource database was updated with new listings for Florida and Indiana.
May 3: Legal Resources
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Say Her Name: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women by African American Policy Forum
May 2: Research Library: Race and ethnicity
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Cellphones, Law Enforcement, and the Right to Privacy by Brennan Center for Justice
May 2: Research Library: Police and Policing
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Criminal Justice Solutions: Model State Legislation by Brennan Center for Justice
May 2: Research Library: Gun Control
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Prisoners in 2017 by Bureau of Justice Statistics
May 1: Research Library: General
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Criminal Justice Administrative Fees: High Pain for People, Low Gain for Government by The Financial Justice Project of San Francisco
Featured report
Does our county really need a bigger jail?
A guide to avoiding unnecessary jail growth
Our report gives cities and counties a long-needed tool for fighting mass incarceration: a guide to preventing needless jail expansion. With jail populations having tripled in the last three decades, overcrowding in local jails is common — but there are simpler, cheaper, and more just solutions to jail crowding than building a new or bigger jail. We lay out 33 questions, and a list of best practices, to help local decision-makers understand the true costs of — and alternatives to — jail expansion.
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 2017-2018 annual report.
Recommended Reading:
50 state incarceration profiles
All of our recent reports about prison/jail growth, racial disparities, and more, re-organized by state.
Legal Resources for Incarcerated People
The internet's first always-up-to-date list of organizations that provide legal services and resources for incarcerated people, organized by state.
Exploitation in the criminal justice system
Companies and correctional facilities exploit captive markets. We expose them.
Prison Gerrymandering Project
We are leading the movement to protect our democracy from the Census Bureau's prison miscount.