Where to go for more information

Reference works:

The Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics The Sourcebook brings together data in over 600 tables from more than 100 sources about all aspects of criminal justice in the United States. The Sourcebook is published in about November of each year and covers the most up-to-date statistics of the year prior. The sourcebook is available on the internet in pdf for free or in print for about $9 ($39 in other countries) from: Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6000, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701-0179.

Statistical Abstract of the United States As the National Data Book, it contains a collection of the most up-to-date statistics on social and economic conditions in the United States. Published in about January of each year, the Statistical Abstract is available on the internet in PDF for free or via special order in bookstores for about $40.

Important websites that track research

Prisonsucks.com: Research on the Crime Control Industry Prisonsucks.com is a clearinghouse for useful, verifiable statistics about the crime control industry. The site indexes by topic over 450 internet-available pieces of empirical research on crime and prison issues; contains fact-sheets suitable for redistribution by activists; and contains links to advanced research tools and all of the state Department of Corrections websites. Prisonsucks.com is a project of the Prison Policy Initiative.

Drugwarfacts.org Drugwarfacts.org is a constantly updated website and downloadable book of facts about the war on drugs and related issues of crime and justice. In addition to straight statistics, drug war facts also includes quotations from the research conclusions of eminent scholars. Drugwarfacts.org is a project of Common Sense for Drug Policy.

Email notification services

Juststats Get email notices of new crime and justice statistical materials as they become available from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Subscribe by sending an email to: listproc@ncjrs.org. Leaving the subject line blank, typing in the message "subscribe JUSTSTATS" and your name. [Example message: subscribe JUSTSTATS John Q. Public]

Prisonsucks new research announcement list Receive announcements when new research is added to the prisonsucks database by signing up.

Research Development and Statistics Directorate of the Home Office of the Goverment of the United Kingdom update list.

Other organizations that publish regular reports about prisons in the United States

Bureau of Justice Statistics

Death Penalty Information Center

Human Rights Watch

Justice Policy Institute

Sentencing Project