Prisoners in 2018

From the end of 2017 to the end of 2018, the total prison population in the United States declined from 1,489,200 to 1,465,200, a decrease of 24,000 prisoners. This was a 1.6% decline in the prison population and marked the fourth consecutive annual decrease of at least 1%. ****See report HERE

Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2020

This report offers some much needed clarity by piecing together this country’s disparate systems of confinement. The American criminal justice system holds almost 2.3 million people in 1,833 state prisons, 110 federal prisons, 1,772 juvenile correctional facilities, 3,134 local jails, 218 immigration detention facilities, and 80 Indian Country jails as well as in military prisons, civil commitment centers, state psychiatric hospitals, and prisons in the U.S. territories.

This report provides a detailed look at where and why people are locked up in the U.S., and dispels some modern myths to focus attention on the real drivers of mass incarceration, including exceedingly punitive responses to even the most minor offenses.

Go to the webpage HERE

Pie chart showing the number of people locked up on a given day in the United States by facility type and the underlying offense using the newest data available in March 2020.

Pie chart showing the number of people locked up on a given day in the United States in jails, by convicted and not convicted status, and by the underlying offense, as well as those held in jails for other agencies, using the newest data available in March 2020.

Graph showing the number of youth incarcerated in the United States by offense and whether or not they are incarcerated with adults.

We spoke to hundreds of prison gang members – here’s what they said about life behind bars

Gangs are still a significant reality in US prisons. But most inmates say that their power has been watered down, and they no longer rule facilities with an iron fist.
— Read on theconversation.com/we-spoke-to-hundreds-of-prison-gang-members-heres-what-they-said-about-life-behind-bars-132573

Report finds Tens of Thousands of New Yorkers Jailed Because of Unaffordable Bail | New York Civil Liberties Union

NEW YORK – The New York Civil Liberties Union released a report today on five years of bail data in eight small, medium and large upstate New York counties, which found tens of thousands of New Yorkers spent time in jail before trial because they could not make bail. The report, Presumed Innocent for a Price, draws from 2010-2014 data obtained through public records requests
— Read on www.nyclu.org/en/press-releases/report-finds-tens-thousands-new-yorkers-jailed-because-unaffordable-bail

The Arrest-Jail Admission Gap | Vera Institute

More than 10 million arrests were made across the United States in 2016. Although the numbers have decreased since 1997, roughly 28, 000 arrests still happen…
— Read on www.vera.org/blog/the-arrest-jail-admission-gap-jail-admission-rates-surpass-arrest-rates-in-small-and-rural-counties

California Gave Billions in Taxpayer Dollars to Improve Jails. But That’s Not How These Sheriffs Are Spending It. — ProPublica

California has given counties more than $8 billion to handle thousands of new inmates. But lax spending rules and limited scrutiny have allowed some sheriffs to use that money for other things, which may violate state law.
— Read on www.propublica.org/article/california-gave-billions-in-taxpayer-dollars-to-improve-jails-but-thats-now-how-these-sheriffs-are-spending-it

How a Phone Changed My Life on Death Row | The Marshall Project

“I felt like a virgin on my wedding night — eager to put this thing to use, not sure if it’ll hurt.”
— Read on www.themarshallproject.org/2016/10/06/how-a-phone-changed-my-life-on-death-row

What mercy in the criminal justice system could look like | The Christian Century

What if all were extended the gift of a second chance?
— Read on www.christiancentury.org/article/publisher/what-mercy-criminal-justice-system-could-look

Overview of Probation and Supervised Release Conditions | United States Courts

The Overview of Probation and Supervised Release Conditions is intended to be a resource for defendants, judges, probation officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and other criminal justice practitioners.
— Read on www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/overview-probation-supervised-release-conditions

‘Largest commutation’ in U.S. history expected in Oklahoma Nov. 1

This would be an opportunity to test theories and strategies on Risk Assessments and Recidivism. The mandated release would allow tracking those released to see how the released prisoners would compare to previous prisoners whose release was denied or who were given parole or were released for treatment.

Thanks to new state law, Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board officials expect more than 400 inmates to pass through the expedited commutation process Nov. 1.
— Read on www.readfrontier.org/stories/largest-single-day-commutation-in-nations-history-expected-to-take-place-in-oklahoma-next-month/