Short, timely investigations and issue explainers

Lucius Couloute | January 30, 2018

Findings from Knox County, Tenn.: Replacing in-person visits with video calling is bad policy

A new report highlights how the replacement of in-person visits with video calling makes jails less safe, but more profitable for sheriffs.

Lucius Couloute | January 24, 2018

New poll shows mass incarceration is a Latinx issue

A new poll from Latino Justice PRLDEF shows that the Latinx community is deeply concerned about mass incarceration.

Wendy Sawyer | January 10, 2018

BJS update: Women’s state prison populations rose while men’s fell, again.

Released on the heels of our recent report on women's state prison populations, a new BJS report shows that in 2016, the "gender divide" in incarceration trends widened even more.

Stephen Raher | December 20, 2017

Money and Power: Corruption in Local Sheriff Departments

The New York Times looks at how corruption is tolerated and even encouraged in some county sheriff offices.

Emily Widra | December 7, 2017

Tracking the impact of the prison system on the economy

This country employs more people to run the justice system than to grow food.

Elliot Oberholtzer | November 8, 2017

The dismal state of transgender incarceration policies

We evaluated the current transgender and gender non-conforming policies of 21 states in terms of PREA standards, World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care, and correctional staff training and treatment of transgender individuals. All but one come up short.

Aleks Kajstura | October 12, 2017

Jail phone companies flood money into sheriff races

New research shows jail phone companies contributing significant sums to Sheriff's campaigns, in one case funding a quarter of Sheriff's campaign spending.

Emily Widra | September 8, 2017

The parallel epidemics of incarceration & HIV in the Deep South

HIV disproportionately impacts communities that are already marginalized by poverty, inadequate resources, discrimination — and mass incarceration.

Wendy Sawyer and Emily Widra | August 24, 2017

Findings from Harris County: Money bail undermines criminal justice goals

A recent study of misdemeanor pretrial detention in Harris County, Texas, offers evidence that money bail actually increases risks to public safety, affects case outcomes in ways that contribute to more incarceration, and infringes on constitutional rights.

Alex Clark | August 24, 2017

Exploring the staying power of elected sheriffs – a preliminary analysis

A closer look at the incumbency advantages and campaign expenditures of America's elected sheriffs.

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Short, timely investigations and issue explainers

Findings from Knox County, Tenn.: Replacing in-person visits with video calling is bad policy

A new report highlights how the replacement of in-person visits with video calling makes jails less safe, but more profitable for sheriffs.

New poll shows mass incarceration is a Latinx issue

A new poll from Latino Justice PRLDEF shows that the Latinx community is deeply concerned about mass incarceration.

BJS update: Women’s state prison populations rose while men’s fell, again.

Released on the heels of our recent report on women's state prison populations, a new BJS report shows that in 2016, the "gender divide" in incarceration trends widened even more.

Money and Power: Corruption in Local Sheriff Departments

The New York Times looks at how corruption is tolerated and even encouraged in some county sheriff offices.

Tracking the impact of the prison system on the economy

This country employs more people to run the justice system than to grow food.

The dismal state of transgender incarceration policies

We evaluated the current transgender and gender non-conforming policies of 21 states in terms of PREA standards, World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care, and correctional staff training and treatment of transgender individuals. All but one come up short.

Jail phone companies flood money into sheriff races

New research shows jail phone companies contributing significant sums to Sheriff's campaigns, in one case funding a quarter of Sheriff's campaign spending.

The parallel epidemics of incarceration & HIV in the Deep South

HIV disproportionately impacts communities that are already marginalized by poverty, inadequate resources, discrimination — and mass incarceration.

Findings from Harris County: Money bail undermines criminal justice goals

A recent study of misdemeanor pretrial detention in Harris County, Texas, offers evidence that money bail actually increases risks to public safety, affects case outcomes in ways that contribute to more incarceration, and infringes on constitutional rights.

Exploring the staying power of elected sheriffs – a preliminary analysis

A closer look at the incumbency advantages and campaign expenditures of America's elected sheriffs.

Stay Informed

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Advocacy Toolkit

50 state incarceration profiles

Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie

Shadow Budgets