Can you help us sustain this work?
Thank you,
Peter Wagner, Executive Director Donate
What’s New
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Naming and Shaming: Violations of the Human Rights of Transgender Persons with Felonies in Texas by Human Rights Clinic, Austin Community Law Center, and Trans Pride Initiative
November 24: Research Library: LGBT
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Since you asked: Can correctional facilities negotiate phone contracts that prohibit deposit fees? (Yes! Many do.) We review the evidence and find 15 states that said no to unnecessary fees. Who will be next?
November 20: Prison Policy Initiative Blog
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Releasing people pretrial doesn’t harm public safety When these states, cities, and counties began releasing more people pretrial, there were no corresponding waves in crime.
November 17: Briefings
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The promise — and peril — of Biden’s criminal justice reform platform We discuss Biden’s plans for clemency, reentry support, drug courts, and juvenile justice reform.
November 13: Prison Policy Initiative Blog
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When the Census says most of your town is in prison Prisons account for over half of the population in nearly 40 municipalities, painting a distorted picture of communities.
November 10: Prisoners of the Census Blog
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Prison Policy Initiative asked California Public Utilities Commission to cap the cost of calling home from California jails Yesterday, the Prison Policy Initiative filed comments before the California Public Utility Commission, calling for it….
November 10: Prison Policy Initiative Blog
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Since you asked: What role does drug enforcement play in the rising incarceration of women? Women are being jailed at higher rates than ever. We explore whether drug arrests and substance abuse could be having an impact.
November 10: Briefings
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2020 State Ratings Report: Human Rights Protections for Children in the U.S. Justice System by Human Rights for Kids
November 10: Research Library: Youth
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COVID and Corrections: A Profile of COVID Deaths in Custody in Texas by COVID, Corrections, and Oversight Project
November 10: Research Library: Health impact
Featured report
Eligible, but excluded: A guide to removing the barriers to jail voting
Most of the 746,000 people incarcerated in jails can vote, but nearly-insurmountable barriers prevent them from doing so. In this report with Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.'s Rainbow PUSH Coalition, we provide a concise guide to understanding which people in jail in every state are eligible to vote (including a handy flowchart and 50-state table), and explain how advocates and elected officials can bring down the logistical barriers that prevent people in jail from having their votes counted.
Mass incarceration, state by state
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 2019-2020 annual report.
Recommended Reading:
Five ways the criminal justice system could slow the pandemic
Quick action could slow the spread of the viral pandemic in prisons and jails and in society as a whole
The "services" offered by jails don't make them safe places for vulnerable people
Even in the best of times, jails are not good at providing health and social services.
The most important statistics from our work on policing
Racial disparities, bloated budgets, the criminalization of homelessness, and more.
Is social distancing possible behind bars?
No. It's even harder than on cruise ships or in nursing homes.