Prison Policy Initiative

@prisonpolicy.org

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Challenging mass incarceration and over-criminalization through research, advocacy, and organizing. Get email updates: https://prisonpolicy.org/subscribe/

Infographic showing that people with 1 immediate family member incarcerated have 2.6 fewer years of life expectancy; people with 3+ family members incarcerated have 4.6 fewer years of life expectancy

U.S. map showing that most states (all except WA, OR, WY, OK, AR, LA, and MS) have probation violation-related disqualifications for SNAP benefits

Graph showing that formerly incarcerated people are 2x as likely to experience food insecurity: 19.5% vs 10.4%

Graph showing disabilities reported by people in state prisons in 2016 vs the U.S. population: Hearing disability: 10% vs 4%, Vision disability: 12% vs. 2%, Cognitive disability: 24% vs 5%, Ambulatory disability: 12% vs 7%.

Graph showing that in one sample of almost entirely men over 50, those who were ever incarcerated reported more health problems, like cancer, depression, and chronic lung disease.

Graph showing that in one sample of almost entirely mothers (and some fathers) over 50, those who were ever incarcerated reported more health problems, like stroke, heart disease, and cancer.

Graph showing that 113 million adults in the U.S. have an immediate family member who has ever been to prison or jail

U.S. map showing that in 25 states and D.C., federal agencies like ICE and the U.S. Marshals only detain people using local jails. In other states, jails play a part in the detention network alongside federal or private facilities. In Arizona, Delaware, and Hawaii no local jails provide substantial detention space to these agencies.

Graph showing percent of drivers searched or arrested in traffic stops by race in 2022: 9% Black, 5% Other, 4% Hispanic, and 3% White.

Screenshot of chart showing that in 2025, 680 police killings began with police responding to suspected non-violent offenses or no reported crime, 112 began with a traffic violation, and 84 began for unknown reasons.

Infographic with text: Traffic stops are a common site for police violence.

Graph results showing results from a 2022 national survey of 1,500 who reported crime victimization within the past 10 years. Most favor alternatives to incarceration: 75% prefer restorative justice, 80% prefer more mental-health treatment, 72% support incentives for pre-release rehabilitation, and 71% support reducing jail populations.

Screenshot of chart showing that in 2025, 680 police killings began with police responding to suspected non-violent offenses or no reported crime, 112 began with a traffic violation, and 84 began for unknown reasons.
Source: https://policeviolencereport.org

Screenshot of website: https://hrdag.org/usa/

Screenshot of website: https://national.cpdp.co

Screenshot of website: https://cpdp.co/

Screenshot of website: https://clean.calmatters.org/

Screenshot of website: https://llead.co/

Social card with text: Wondering how to effectively track police misconduct? Start here.

Screenshot of chart showing that 116 people were killed after police responded to reports of a mental health crisis

Screenshot of chart showing that most killings (680) began with police responding to a suspected non-violent offense. 112 began as a traffic violation, 84 were unknown.

Screenshot showing there were only 6 days in 2025 when police did not kill people in the U.S.

Graph showing that women experiencing police use of force rose 285% between 1999 and 2022

Graph showing that Black people experience police misconduct at 6x the rate of white people.

Graph showing that, when adjusted for inflation, policing cost $190 billion in 2017. In 2025, it cost $203 billion.

Chart showing that U.S. police kill civilians at a rate (33.5 per 10 million) higher than other wealthy countries, including Canada (9.8), Australia (8.5), the Netherlands (2.3), New Zealand (2.0), Germany (1.3), England and Wales (0.5), Japan (0.2), Iceland (0.0), and Norway (0.0)

Chart showing that U.S. police kill civilians at a rate (33.5 per 10 million) higher than other wealthy countries, including Canada (9.8), Australia (8.5), the Netherlands (2.3), New Zealand (2.0), Germany (1.3), England and Wales (0.5), Japan (0.2), Iceland (0.0), and Norway (0.0)

Graph showing that 40% of people in state prisons have a disability vs. 15% of U.S. adults

Bar graph showing how parents in state prisons keep in touch with their children based on 2016 data: Child has visited the prison (33%), Phone calls (60%), Parent has sent postal mail (70%), Child has sent mail (57%), Parent has emailed (10%), Child has emailed (13%).

Graph showing the prevalence of diagnoses among youth in confinement: 4% autism spectrum, 27% learning disabilities, 60% ADD or ADHD

Graph showing that correctional workers' wages have risen over the last decade even during periods of high inflation. In 2013, the median annual wage was just below $40,000. By 2023, it was approx $55,000.

Screenshot of chart showing how police killings in 2025 began. 680 were suspected non-violent offenses or cases where no crime was reported. 112 were traffic violations. 84 were unknown.

Screenshot of table showing how rates of community supervision changed between 2009 and 2024:
Across the U.S.: -31%
In the South: -27%
In the Midwest: -29%
In the West: -40%
In the Northwest: -40%

Graph showing reasons why people in state prisons are excluded from job training and education programming: Hasn't been offered (29% and 18%), Not qualified or allowed (23% and 11%), Didn't get into program or was waitlisted (10% and 7%), Doesn't know about the program (10% and 3%), Staff didn't want them to participate (1% and 1%).

Bar graph showing that people in state prisons report current participation in: Prison work (58%), Educational Program (17%), and Job Training (10%)

Infographic with details:
Join us for a powerful webinar, that will begin with a firsthand account from Frank Silva and his interview for freedom followed by Clinical Professor of Law Heidi Rummel and the legality of "presumption of release," and how California’s framework has shifted the burden of proof.

Thursday July 9th, 3pm ET. Sign up here https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/AWzUaLqFSPy0eSEge9V3pA#/registration

Bar chart showing unhoused people are more likely to be booked into jail multiple times in a year: 42% of unhoused people had 2+ jail bookings in 12 months vs 20% of housed people.

Bar chart showing that of 173 jail bookings in one year with a top charge of trespassing, 20% were unhoused people.

Pie chart showing that over 1 million jail bookings per year involve missed court dates

Graph showing that 33% of parents in state prisons have never had a visit with their child because the child lives too far away.

Graph comparing employment rates of those who received guaranteed income vs those who did not over the course of one study. At the beginning, 18% of those without guaranteed income had jobs vs. 12% of those with guaranteed income. By the end of 18 months, 15% of those without guaranteed income had jobs vs. 17% of those with guaranteed income.

Graph showing mass punishment rates by state as of 2026. It compares combined incarceration and community supervision across U.S. states, with high rates near 3,000 per 100,000 on the left falling to about 814 on the right, highlighting Minnesota (1,830), Alaska (1,589), and Massachusetts (814).

Graph showing that 38% of everyone in state prisons were first arrested before their 16th birthday

Graph comparing prevalence of health conditions among people in state prisons vs U.S. adults: Asthma 16.7% vs 8%, Hepatitis B 1.2% vs 0.4%, Hepatitis C 9.5% vs. 1.7%, HIV/AIDs 1.1% vs. 0.4%

Graph showing that the median felony bail bond amount ($10,000) is the equivalent of 8 months’ income for the typical person in jail because they can’t afford a bail bond.

Pie chart showing that in the U.S., 3 million people are on probation, 2 million are in correctional facilities, and 649,000 are on parole.

Flow chart showing that the U.S. spends $445 billion on mass incarceration each year. Categories include: $203.2 billion on policing, $115.8 billion on corrections, $54.3 billion on immigration policing & detention, $43.8 billion on judicial & legal, and $27.7 billion on direct costs to individuals & families.

Graph showing that the U.S. incarcerates people at a rate of 614 per 100,000 people, at least 4x the rate of any other founding NATO country

Infographic with text: Mass incarceration in the "land of the free"

Graph showing that the U.S. incarcerates people at a rate of 614 per 100,000. This is at least 4x higher than any other founding NATO countries.

Graph showing that in one sample of almost entirely mothers (and some fathers) over 50, those who were ever incarcerated reported more health problems, like stroke, heart disease, and cancer.

Bar chart comparing U.S. population vs correctional facilities by race: White 56% population vs 35% incarcerated; Black 14% vs 42% (overrepresented); Latino 20% vs 21%; American Indian/Alaska Native 1% vs 3% (overrepresented).

Graph showing that Black youth make up 24% of kids confined for drug offenses, despite comprising just 14% of the general youth population.

Webinar flyer details:
As prisons across the country implement increasingly restrictive communication policies, this webinar will take a closer look at the importance of family connections, discuss the ways they are under attack, and share strategies to help families fight back.
July 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET.

Chart showing that formerly incarcerated men and women aged 51+ have a life expectancy of six fewer years than people without a history of incarceration.

Webinar flyer details:
As prisons across the country implement increasingly restrictive communication policies, this webinar will take a closer look at the importance of family connections, discuss the ways they are under attack, and share strategies to help families fight back.
July 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET.

Graph showing that between 2001 and 2019, after a three-day heatwave, all causes of death in state prisons increased by 7.4%, suicide increased by 15% and heart disease-related by 7.6%

Chart showing that 85% of LGBTQ incarcerated people have been in solitary confinement

U.S. map showing that most states still have laws criminalizing HIV on the books as of 2023. (All states except Oregon, Wyoming, New Mexico, Texas, Illinois, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut)

Graph showing that 1,144 per 100,000 people in U.S. prisons live with HIV, vs. 380 per 100,000 people in the general population.