President Trump’s recent comments about sending Americans to a Salvadoran prison mark a new, dark turn in the fight to end mass incarceration.
April 17: Prison Policy Initiative Blog
Our analysis of Jail Data Initiative data offers the first detailed, national view of the criminal charges for which people are jailed since the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ 2002 survey. We look at the one-day jail population as well as bookings over a full year; ‘top’ charges versus all charges; and break down trends by sex, jail size, and region.
April 17: Briefings
Thousands of New York prison guards went on strike to demand changes to the HALT Solitary Confinement Act. They claim limitations on solitary confinement have worsened working conditions. Here’s why the decision to return long-term isolation to New York’s prisons won’t fix things.
April 11: Briefings
How many people go to county jails every year, and how many times do they go? These basic data points — essential to understanding whether counties are using police and jails properly — weren't available until now. In our report, we break down the number of people booked in jail every year, including how many return multiple times. We go on to analyze the demographic characteristics of people who go to jail, including rates of poverty, access to health care, and race. Lastly, we present policy recommendations for counties hoping to change how their jails are used.
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 2023-2024 annual report.