What’s New
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Taking A Life
by Alabama Appleseed
June 12: Research Library: Sentencing policy
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New research: How past incarceration affects people later in life
Two recent studies authored by Professor Carmen Gutierrez and her colleagues show that prior incarceration is associated with various geriatric health conditions and reduced life expectancy later in life.
June 9: Briefings
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WEBINAR: Fighting for families: How advocates are resisting attacks on visitation and physical mail
Protecting family connections and bonds with loved ones during incarceration is one of the most important and….
June 4: Prison Policy Initiative Blog
Featured reports
Chronic Punishment: The unmet health needs of people in state prisons
This report offers the most recent national data on the health of people in U.S. state prisons, showing that prisons are continuing to ignore the plight of people in their care. People in prison suffer from several chronic illnesses and infectious diseases at disproportionate rates — such as hepatitis C, HIV, and mental illness — and prisons are failing to get many people the treatment they need. 50% of incarcerated people also lacked health insurance before prison, underscoring the reality that our criminal justice system punishes poverty.
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. Be sure to also check out our pages focused on D.C., and the incarceration of Native people.
If our work is new to you, you might want to check out our 2024-2025 annual report.
Recommended Reading:
The unmet health needs of people in prison
States fall far short of their duty to meet the health needs of incarcerated people.
All profit, no risk
The bail industry exploits cracks and loopholes in the legal system to avoid accountability, while growing its profits.
Compare your state's use of the prison to the world at large
Criminal justice policy in every region of the United States is out of step with the rest of the world.
Prison Gerrymandering Project
We are leading the movement to protect our democracy from the Census Bureau's prison miscount.
Events
- July 1, 2026:
On July 1, 2026 at 1 p.m. EST, join the Prison Policy Initiative and guests Jodi Hocking, Executive Director of Return Strong Nevada, and Taj Mahon-Haft PhD, Director of The Humanization Project, as they discuss the importance of family connections, highlight the ways they are under attack, and share strategies to help families fight back.
Register here
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Invite us to your city, college or organization.