What’s New
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The Prison Discovery Crisis
by James Stone
April 8: Research Library: Conditions of confinement
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New 50-state report, Punishment Beyond Prisons 2026, shows that 5.5 million people are under the control of the criminal legal system
The U.S. keeps millions of people on probation and parole every day. Rather than serving as an alternative to incarceration, supervision is often a tripwire to harsher punishments.
April 7: Press releases
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An end to prison gerrymandering? Not in the 2030 Census
The U.S. Census Bureau will once again put the burden on states and local governments to solve prison gerrymandering.
April 1: Prisoners of the Census Blog
Featured report
Punishment Beyond Prisons: Incarceration and supervision by state
This report breaks down the correctional population in all 50 states and D.C., and explains how probation and parole — thought of by many as "lenient" sentences — are often a tripwire to harsher punishments.
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:
The unmet health needs of people in prison
States fall far short of their duty to meet the health needs of incarcerated people.
All profit, no risk
The bail industry exploits cracks and loopholes in the legal system to avoid accountability, while growing its profits.
Compare your state's use of the prison to the world at large
Criminal justice policy in every region of the United States is out of step with the rest of the world.
Prison Gerrymandering Project
We are leading the movement to protect our democracy from the Census Bureau's prison miscount.