Short, timely investigations and issue explainers

Wendy Sawyer and Leah Wang | August 10, 2026

When bad policies spread: The expansion of the “sex offense registry” model to other convictions

Shaming doesn't prevent crime.

Jacob Kang-Brown | July 23, 2026

The federal system: A patchwork of agencies rapidly expanding federal surveillance and punishment

Because it is so fragmented, the federal system can be particularly hard to understand, which only makes it harder to change effectively through policy. We explain the agencies involved, the loophole that undermines ‘sanctuary’ policies, and overlooked problems with federal pretrial detention.

More briefings

Emily Widra | July 21, 2026

Involuntary commitment: How forced hospitalization expands the criminal legal system

Civil and criminal courts both mandate the detention of people for extended — and often indefinite — periods of time in state hospitals, essentially extending the already-long arm of the criminal legal system.

Leah Wang | June 23, 2026

Since you asked: What does early release look like in states that eliminated discretionary parole?

While 17 states and D.C. have taken discretionary parole off the table for most or all incarcerated people, they still have other forms of parole and conditional release that could safely release many more people from prison. Here, we examine these slimmed-down parole systems and other release mechanisms, and show they are not wildly different from states still using discretionary parole.

Emily Widra | June 9, 2026

New research: How past incarceration affects people later in life

Two recent studies authored by Professor Carmen Gutierrez and her colleagues show that prior incarceration is associated with various geriatric health conditions and reduced life expectancy later in life.

Jacob Kang-Brown | June 2, 2026

Probation and parole trends by state: A look back at the data on ‘alternatives’ to incarceration

We compiled, corrected, and analyzed 45 years of state-level probation and parole data, and found that while most (but not all) states have reduced the number of people they’ve placed under supervision, many states have had more people on probation than previously reported.

Sarah Staudt | May 27, 2026

The California Supreme Court puts on the record the best arguments against money bail

A recent case, In re Kowalczyk, affirms that money bonds are unfair, harmful, and make communities less safe.

Leah Wang | April 27, 2026

Updated data and charts: Women’s incarceration, national prison population counts, psychological distress behind bars, and more

Updated data visualizations illustrate the scale of — and disparities within — mass incarceration.

Aleks Kajstura | April 10, 2026

Guaranteed income helps people leaving jail and prison, and that helps everyone

Guaranteed income programs show reduced recidivism and improved self-sufficiency, quickly paying for themselves.

Brian Nam-Sonenstein | March 24, 2026

In federal prisons, the grievance system is designed to reject nearly all complaints about medical care

We analyzed data about formal complaints made by incarcerated people regarding medical care in federal prisons and can only conclude that grievance systems are designed to thwart nearly every one.

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Short, timely investigations and issue explainers

When bad policies spread: The expansion of the “sex offense registry” model to other convictions

Shaming doesn't prevent crime.

The federal system: A patchwork of agencies rapidly expanding federal surveillance and punishment

Because it is so fragmented, the federal system can be particularly hard to understand, which only makes it harder to change effectively through policy. We explain the agencies involved, the loophole that undermines ‘sanctuary’ policies, and overlooked problems with federal pretrial detention.

More briefings

Involuntary commitment: How forced hospitalization expands the criminal legal system

Civil and criminal courts both mandate the detention of people for extended — and often indefinite — periods of time in state hospitals, essentially extending the already-long arm of the criminal legal system.

Since you asked: What does early release look like in states that eliminated discretionary parole?

New research: How past incarceration affects people later in life

Two recent studies authored by Professor Carmen Gutierrez and her colleagues show that prior incarceration is associated with various geriatric health conditions and reduced life expectancy later in life.

Probation and parole trends by state: A look back at the data on ‘alternatives’ to incarceration

We compiled, corrected, and analyzed 45 years of state-level probation and parole data, and found that while most (but not all) states have reduced the number of people they’ve placed under supervision, many states have had more people on probation than previously reported.

The California Supreme Court puts on the record the best arguments against money bail

A recent case, In re Kowalczyk, affirms that money bonds are unfair, harmful, and make communities less safe.

Updated data and charts: Women’s incarceration, national prison population counts, psychological distress behind bars, and more

Updated data visualizations illustrate the scale of — and disparities within — mass incarceration.

Guaranteed income helps people leaving jail and prison, and that helps everyone

Guaranteed income programs show reduced recidivism and improved self-sufficiency, quickly paying for themselves.

In federal prisons, the grievance system is designed to reject nearly all complaints about medical care

We analyzed data about formal complaints made by incarcerated people regarding medical care in federal prisons and can only conclude that grievance systems are designed to thwart nearly every one.

Stay Informed

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Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie

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