Prison Policy Initiative

🚨NEW REPORT: Most people think of probation and parole as pathways away from the carceral system — but that couldn't be further from the truth. New data reveal how community supervision has grown in parallel with mass incarceration and widened the net of social control 🧵

"The hardest part about being in prison during a heat wave is like any other time: We completely lack control of our surroundings. We can make no attempt at comfort and we have no outlet to voice concern." What summer heat means for people behind bars: prisonjournalismproject.org/2024/09/19/wha…

With all of this in mind, the U.S. is long overdue to ask the question: Who exactly does this system serve & protect? We also encourage you to check out these orgs, which offer valuable tools and resources on staying up to date with the state of policing: prisonpolicy.org/blog/2020/08/2…

➡️ Police escalate mental health crises. In 2025, 116 people were killed after police responded to reports of a mental health crisis. policeviolencereport.org

Today marks 6 years since the murder of George Floyd. During that time, more Americans have questioned the role and practices of police in society — and hoped for meaningful reform. So, what does the state of policing look like now, 6 years later? 🧵

“I am unable to see my son because no one wants to pay for the gas to bring him six hours away. It hurts so bad. I love my boy and want to see him." Incarcerated people are not insulated from the devastating consequences of record-high gas prices prisonjournalismproject.org/2026/03/26/gas…

❌ MYTH: Some people need to go to jail to get treatment and services. ⚠️ REALITY: Time & time again, people trapped in the system are left worse off because they cannot get the treatment they need. Jails and prisons are designed for punishment, not care.

There is no “safety and security” interest in denying people the basic sanitary products they need to manage normal bodily functions. Punishing people for menstruating is cruel, dehumanizing, and unnecessary. Learn more 👇 prisonpolicy.org/blog/2025/11/1…

Importantly, many of the sanctions actually further restrict access to menstrual products, leading to a dangerous cycle of violations and punishments that inhibit access to hygiene products.

Punished for... having a period? Yes, you read that right. May is National Women's Health Month. And behind bars, menstruation is treated like misconduct. Here's how prisons punish people for a bodily function they have no control over 🧵 prisonpolicy.org/blog/2025/11/1…