What’s New
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California may take a big step backwards towards more incarceration with Proposition 36 The measure would defund prevention and reentry services, and is projected to grow the state prison population by 35% over the next 5 years.
October 17: Briefings
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Highlights from a bustling year at Prison Policy Initiative In our new annual report, we share examples of how we empower the reform movement with the data it needs to counter “tough on crime” narratives
October 16: Prison Policy Initiative Blog
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New report, One Size Fits None, explores counterproductive and difficult conditions of probation in all 50 states Easthampton, Mass. — A new report from the Prison Policy Initiative provides one of the most comprehensive….
October 15: Press releases
Featured report
One size fits none: How ‘standard conditions’ of probation set people up to fail
Nearly 3 million people in the U.S. are on probation, and all are required to follow a set of "standard conditions" set at the state or local level — rules like restrictions on where they can go, expectations to "be good," and mandatory burdensome fees. Our report breaks down the rules set by 76 jurisdictions across all 50 states, showing how conditions are often in conflict with each other and make it impossible for those on probation to succeed.
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 2023-2024 annual report.
Recommended Reading:
50 state incarceration profiles
All of our recent reports about prison/jail growth, racial disparities, and more, re-organized by state.
The rapid & unregulated growth of e-messaging in prisons
It can strengthen connections, but instead has been used to sap money from incarcerated people.
Incarceration and supervision by states
Probation and parole are the leading forms of mass punishment in America.
Prison Gerrymandering Project
We are leading the movement to protect our democracy from the Census Bureau's prison miscount.