Prison Policy Initiative

While 17 states and D.C. have taken discretionary parole off the table for most or all incarcerated people, they still have other forms of parole and conditional release that could safely release many more people from prison. Here, we examine these slimmed-down parole systems and other release mechanisms, and show they are not wildly different from states still using discretionary parole.

HB 338 would end access to higher education for people in maximum security prisons in Ohio, making prisons less safe and worsening outcomes after release. by Sarah Staudt, June 16, 2026 On June 10, 2026, the Prison Policy Initiative submitted written testimony in the Ohio Senate Legislature in opposition to HB 338, also known as “Andy’s Law”. The bill claims to promote safety in prisons, but instead is counterproductive.

Two recent studies authored by Professor Carmen Gutierrez and her colleagues show that prior incarceration is associated with various geriatric health conditions and reduced life expectancy later in life.

by Sarah Staudt, June 4, 2026 Protecting family connections and bonds with loved ones during incarceration is one of the most important and, increasingly, one of the most difficult things advocates can do. Contact visitation, handwritten cards and letters, and regular phone calls improve mental health outcomes for both people in prisons and the families who love and support them.

Data and methodology For this briefing, we collected comprehensive historical community supervisions statistics for each state. We compiled, or estimated when necessary, community supervision data comparable both across states as well as within states over time. The primary data for this briefing comes from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Annual Surveys of Probation and Parole (ASPP).

A recent case, In re Kowalczyk, affirms that money bonds are unfair, harmful, and make communities less safe. by Sarah Staudt, May 27, 2026 In January 2021, Gerald Kowalczyk, a disabled man experiencing homelessness, found a credit card on the ground in San Mateo, California. He attempted to use the credit card to buy a $7 hamburger, then had a change of heart, asked for a refund, and when the manager refused, left without the hamburger.

We've made it easier to access the topline statistics about the criminal legal system. by Wanda Bertram, May 18, 2026 Through dozens of publications each year, we compile a lot of data. This data is incredibly valuable to advocates, lawmakers, and journalists pushing for change in America’s criminal legal system. But so much information can also be overwhelming. We just launched a new website feature that puts the most sought-after facts about the criminal legal system at your fingertips.

Updated data visualizations illustrate the scale of — and disparities within — mass incarceration. by Leah Wang, April 27, 2026 Here at the Prison Policy Initiative, almost everything we write is accompanied by clear and powerful visualizations that convey the harms of mass criminalization and incarceration. When new data are available, some of our most-referenced charts merit an update.

Guaranteed income programs show reduced recidivism and improved self-sufficiency, quickly paying for themselves. by Aleks Kajstura, April 10, 2026 Upon coming home from prison, people face the same — and rising — costs of living as the rest of us. But they have to bear additional costs imposed by the criminal legal system as well, all while navigating additional and unique barriers to employment. The resulting financial insecurity makes it harder to succeed at reentry.

The U.S. keeps millions of people on probation and parole every day. Rather than serving as an alternative to incarceration, supervision is often a tripwire to harsher punishments. April 7, 2026 In many states, the number of people on probation or other forms of “community supervision” far outstrips the number of people behind bars.