HELP US END MASS INCARCERATION
The Prison Policy Initiative uses research, advocacy, and organizing to dismantle mass incarceration. We’ve been in this movement for 23 years, thanks to individual donors like you.
Can you help us sustain this work?
Thank you,
Peter Wagner, Executive Director Donate
Can you help us sustain this work?
Thank you,
Peter Wagner, Executive Director Donate
Articles by Prison Policy Initiative
- Working in “a meat grinder”: A research roundup showing prison and jail jobs aren’t all that states promise they will be
No wonder prisons and jails face constant understaffing and that communities increasingly resist new facilities: Decades of research show that the physical and mental health problems associated with correctional officers' jobs are inherent to the work, and that new prisons and jails fail to deliver on promises of economic development.
May 9, 2022 - Decarceration—and support on the outside—is the answer, not therapy behind bars
A new report finds little evidence supporting the idea that building new prisons for women will lead to better outcomes, even with gender-responsive and trauma-informed programming.
Feb 3, 2021 - Our new “best practices” guides show counties how to strike fairer contracts for jail services
Most "consumers" of telecom services in jails are families in poverty. Counties can and should negotiate contracts that treat them more fairly.
Feb 7, 2020 - 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, 2019
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.