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Prison Policy Initiative The non-profit, non-partisan Prison Policy Initiative produces cutting edge research to expose the broader harm of mass criminalization.

This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we want to highlight how the carceral system affects Native people across the U.S. Little ...
10/12/2026

This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we want to highlight how the carceral system affects Native people across the U.S. Little data overall is available on the incarceration of Native people, but from the data that does exist, what’s clear is that, like so many other parts of the U.S. government, the criminal legal system continues to target & fail Native people.

Today is World Mental Health Day and World Homeless Day – two issues that are undoubtedly targeted by the criminal legal...
10/10/2026

Today is World Mental Health Day and World Homeless Day – two issues that are undoubtedly targeted by the criminal legal system. Clearly, the U.S.’ approach is not working.

Incarceration is extremely traumatic and can create or worsen existing mental health issues. More than half of people in state prisons report mental health problems, but only 1 in 4 have received professional help in prison.

And formerly incarcerated people are 10x more likely to be homeless than the general population – creating a vicious revolving door with the carceral system as more communities criminalize homelessness.

It’s time to focus on care – not criminalization. Housing First does more than put a roof over people’s heads; housing gives people the space and stability necessary to receive care, escape crises, and improve their quality of life.

October is . Even though the rate of youth incarceration is lower than it was 20 years ago, youth with disabilities–and...
10/07/2026

October is . Even though the rate of youth incarceration is lower than it was 20 years ago, youth with disabilities–and youth of color–are still overrepresented in custody, and these disparities are getting worse.

Youth with disabilities represent almost 25% of confined youth. Children with disabilities face some of the highest rates of arrest in schools, in part because police are often called to respond to youth who have challenges with processing emotions and information, communication, and disability-related behaviors. Youth of color with disabilities are arrested at even higher rates in schools, with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander boys and Black boys with disabilities facing rates four to six times the average arrest rate.

Kids need care, not cages.

Today is International Day of Older Persons. Unfortunately, in the U.S., older people are increasingly ensnared in all p...
10/01/2026

Today is International Day of Older Persons. Unfortunately, in the U.S., older people are increasingly ensnared in all parts of the criminal legal process — from arrests to imprisonment.

The crisis of our aging prison population is not an accident but the result of policy choices that hurt incarcerated people, their loved ones, families, and communities. Existing tools — like compassionate release and parole — can help, but are not enough to address this problem on their own. States should follow the lead of advocates who are fighting to reduce police encounters, end draconian sentencing like life without parole, and expand release mechanisms like elder parole.

A federal judge has ordered Texas to air-condition all its prisons by the end of 2029. Texas has one of the largest carc...
09/29/2026

A federal judge has ordered Texas to air-condition all its prisons by the end of 2029. Texas has one of the largest carceral systems in the world, and this order is a long-overdue win for the thousands of incarcerated people forced to endure the Lone Star State’s sweltering heat with no relief.

It’s important to keep in mind that this isn’t just an issue in Texas. The reality of climate change is here, and high temperatures across the U.S. are now commonplace. Prisons were not built to withstand climate emergencies, and as a result, thousands of incarcerated people are trapped in concrete coffins.

A heatwave should not be a death sentence for people in prison.

September is National Su***de Prevention Month. Su***de is an affliction for the general U.S. population, but behind bar...
09/21/2026

September is National Su***de Prevention Month. Su***de is an affliction for the general U.S. population, but behind bars, the crisis is even worse.

Incarceration is not only difficult for someone who comes in with mental health needs, but it also creates and exacerbates disconnection, despair, and overall psychological distress. Prison is basically a mental health crisis in and of itself, and too many incarcerated people contemplate and/or die by su***de – even after release.

If you or someone you know are in need of finding resources for mental health care, check out Inclusive Therapists Directory, Community & Resources

A reminder this back-to-school season: Each year, instead of returning to classrooms, thousands of children are confined...
09/17/2026

A reminder this back-to-school season: Each year, instead of returning to classrooms, thousands of children are confined in facilities far away from home. For many, it’s a bad omen for a wave of adult criminalization in the not-so-distant future.

Kids need care — not cages.

The issue of forced hospitalization doesn't end with the Lindsay Clancy trial. Each year, thousands of people are confin...
09/09/2026

The issue of forced hospitalization doesn't end with the Lindsay Clancy trial. Each year, thousands of people are confined in the murky space between the legal system and the health care system. And, as with all parts of the racist criminal legal system, data show that it's an issue that disproportionately affects Black people.

Many view forced hospitalization as a "get out of jail free card," but in reality, it's an extension of the criminal legal system. It's criminalization disguised as care. Instead of continuing to misdiagnose the problem, the U.S. must expand access to community-based treatment.

Last month, ICE arrested nearly 50,000 people. As the agency pushes to raise that number to record highs, it’s important...
08/26/2026

Last month, ICE arrested nearly 50,000 people. As the agency pushes to raise that number to record highs, it’s important to remember that local jails and police departments play a key role in the deportation agenda.

This collaboration often looks like local police arresting people for a minor offense, then flagging them to ICE for pickup at the local jail. It’s a sinister tactic that is happening across the U.S.

Local law enforcement does not have to play along. Working with ICE is entirely voluntary, and its deportation plan won’t work if states refuse to participate.

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