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
(Map: Emily Widra, 2021)
This map originally appeared in States of emergency: The failure of prison system responses to COVID-19.
While New Jersey’s prison population dropped by almost 42% from March 2020 to July 2021, other states’ population reductions have not been anywhere near sufficient. For example, nine state populations have dropped by only 10% or less over the same 16 month period. Of note, we measured the population "reduction" -- as distinct from the number of releases — because we have found that there are multiple mechanisms impacting populations, of which releases are but one part. For detailed data, see the population reduction appendix table.
