What’s New
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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.
March 24: Briefings
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The Prison Policy Initiative submits testimony in favor of SB503 to improve young adult sentencing in Connecticut
SB 503 would include people in their early 20s in important sentencing and parole provisions that consider age and maturity.
March 24: Prison Policy Initiative Blog
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Mental health, chronic and infectious conditions among pregnant persons in US state prisons and local jails 2016-2017
by Caitlin A. Hendricks et al
March 19: Research Library: Women and gender
Featured report
Parole in Perspective: A deep dive into discretionary parole systems
Parole, a release mechanism that could significantly reduce the number of people behind bars, has reached a moment of reckoning. Dysfunctional in some states and banned in others, parole looks very different from state to state. But parole is a system worth having, if states can implement it fairly and broadly.
In this two-part report, Parole in Perspective, we take a deep dive into these systems, providing the most accessible and comprehensive look at how they operate, and what can be done to make them real tools for decarceration.
- In part 1, we examine the composition of these boards and how their hearings work.
- In part 2, we look at parole grant rates and the decisionmaking guidelines and realities that lead to those rates.
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 2024-2025 annual report.
Recommended Reading:
Tracking Trump's criminal legal system moves
The Administration is making America's criminal legal system harsher, less effective, and even more unjust.
Research Library
We curate a searchable database of 4,000+ original research reports, organizing each entry by topic and adding brief summaries.
Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie
The U.S. incarcerates nearly 2 million people. Where are they locked up and why? Read our report.
Bad Behavior
This national report explains how prison disciplinary policies manufacture misconduct and severly punish incarcerated people.