What’s New
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Failing to Protect and Serve: Police Department Policies Towards Transgender People by National Center for Transgender Equality
May 24: Research Library: LGBT
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Washington Governor Jay Inslee signs law ending prison gerrymandering Washington State moved swiftly, ending prison gerrymandering in a single legislative session.
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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Heat in U.S. Prisons and Jails Corrections and the Challenge of Climate Change by Daniel W. E. Holt
May 1: Research Library: General
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:
Breaking Down Mass Incarceration in the 2010 Census:
State-by-State Incarceration Rates by Race/Ethnicity
Research Library
We curate a searchable database of 2,900+ original research reports, organizing each entry by topic and adding brief summaries.
Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie
The U.S. incarcerates 2.3 million people, more than any other country. Where are they locked up and why? Read our report.
Jails and bail: Our research
One out of three people behind bars is in a local jail. Our research drives jail reform.