Articles by Brian Nam-Sonenstein
- 10 ways that mass incarceration is an engine of economic injustice
The fight for a fair economy and the movement against prisons are one and the same.
Aug 27, 2024 - Research roundup: Evidence that a single day in jail causes immediate and long-lasting harms
Recent research suggests the onset of pretrial detention’s criminal legal system, social, and economic harms is earlier than previously thought.
Aug 6, 2024 - Donald Trump can still be president, but he could be barred from being a bartender, car salesman — or real estate developer
The former president’s conviction spotlights how state policies make it hard for people with felony convictions to find good jobs.
Jun 5, 2024 - Research spotlight: PrisonOversight.org equips the fight for accountability in jails and prisons
The United States' massive practice of incarceration goes almost entirely unchecked. This new resource aims to change that by centralizing news, educational resources, legislative updates, and more to support movements for independent corrections oversight.
Mar 25, 2024 - New reentry simulator highlights the perils of life after prison
"ReEntry" was created by formerly incarcerated people to communicate the contradictions, difficult decisions, and unexpected events that make staying out of prison nearly impossible for people under community supervision.
Dec 5, 2023 - New resource: Prison discipline policies
Our collection of prison discipline policies covers all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and highlights how each system classifies the severity of offenses and punishments.
Oct 17, 2023 - Seeking shelter from mass incarceration: Fighting criminalization with Housing First
Providing unconditional housing with embedded services can reduce chronic homelessness, reduce incarceration, and improve quality of life – especially for people experiencing substance use disorder and mental illness.
Sep 11, 2023 - High stakes mistakes: How courts respond to “failure to appear”
Research shows that while most people who miss court are not dangerous or evading justice, the way courts treat “failure to appear” may make our communities less safe.
Aug 15, 2023 - Breaking news from inside: How prisons suppress prison journalism
Building on data from the Prison Journalism Project, we find that most states enforce restrictions that make practicing journalism extremely difficult and sometimes risky.
Jun 15, 2023 - Unhoused and under arrest: How Atlanta polices poverty
New research from the Atlanta Community Support Project finds 1 in 8 city jail bookings involve a person experiencing homelessness
Jun 8, 2023
Recommended Reading:
Advocacy Toolkit
Resources, tips, and best practices to help advocates working to end mass incarceration.
50 state incarceration profiles
All of our recent reports about prison/jail growth, racial disparities, and more, re-organized by state.
Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie
The U.S. incarcerates over 1.9 million people, more than any other country. Where are they locked up and why? Read our report.
Events
- October 11-13, 2024:
Prison Policy Initiative’s Advocacy Department (Sarah Staudt and Emmett Sanders) will be at the Formerly Incarcerated, Convicted People, and Families Movement (FICPFM) conference in Detroit, Michigan from Friday, October 11th to Sunday, October 13. If you’re going to be there, contact us if you’d like to meet up and talk about how Prison Policy Initiative might be able to support your state and local activism to change the criminal legal system!
Not near you?
Invite us to your city, college or organization.