How to Help Inmates Heal After the Trauma of Prison
New York’s Thrive provides a model to the rest of the U.S. for supporting incarcerated men and helping them find stable housing, education, and employment after they’re released.
Criminal justice reform
Homes and Gardens: The Best Thing to Ever Happen to a Prison Site
New plans for the former correctional center include a permaculture farm, a recording studio, and housing for homeless veterans.
Confederate Statues Have Been Invisible to Most White People
We’ve been living alongside the Confederacy too long, and white people are finally starting to notice.
Why Police Violence Against Women of Color Stays Hidden
Data show more Black men are killed at higher rates than women, but police-misconduct attorney Andrea Ritchie says that doesn’t tell the whole story.
How Chicago Became the First City to Make Reparations to Victims of Police Violence
The ordinance provides a meaningful model for creating reparations at the local level.
Black Communities, not Trump Executive Orders, Will End “Carnage”
In Chicago and Detroit, citizens already are protecting their neighborhoods from violence. If the president wants to send in help, they say, he can start with education, housing, and justice.
6 States With Criminal Justice Reform Wins to Celebrate
In Oregon, incarcerated women stay connected with their children through special visitations and virtual parent-teacher conferences.
What It Takes to Get Women Out of Prison—and Stay Out
The rate of women in U.S. prisons is growing faster than men. But in New Orleans, one group is successfully tackling sentencing for drug use and sex work.
Building “Political Power” for Black Americans Where Voter Suppression Is Highest
This election will be the first in 50 years not to offer full protections under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. But the Movement for Black Lives is hopeful.
The Call to “End the War on Black Lives” Starts With Accountability
Next year, the DOJ will collect nationwide data on police shootings and other violent encounters with the public. Is that enough progress?
Who Deserves a Liberal Arts Degree? For Inmates, It’s a Way Out
Obama's controversial pilot program will make higher education dollars available to inmates this year. Proponents hope it will build on the success private liberal arts programs are achieving in prisons across the country.
Divest From Prisons, Invest in People—What Justice for Black Lives Really Looks Like
Instead of addressing the roots of drug addiction, mental illness, and poverty, we’ve come to accept policing and incarceration as catch-all solutions. It’s time for a change.
Meet the Ex-Inmate Whose Successful Prison Rehab Program Goes Beyond Drug Treatment
As California reduces its prison population by tens of thousands, the TimeList Group’s unique approach to rehab keeps parolees from going back.
Fear: What Police Reform Doesn’t Address
The most effective reforms are the ones that build community trust between citizens and the police that serve them.
1 in 11 U.S. Gun Deaths Is at the Hands of Police. How Do We Stop the Killing?
The documentary film “Peace Officer” explains the connection between the war on drugs and the militarization of police, and what it will take to reduce police violence in America.
Forget Nutraloaf—Prisoners Are Growing Their Own Food
From New York to California, prison gardening programs serve as cost-effective food sources and provide inmates with better nutrition.
Formerly Incarcerated Moms Fight for Reforms to Save Families
Two-thirds of women behind bars are mothers of children under the age of 18, and even a short stint in jail can cause them to lose their jobs, housing, and kids. Here are four policies to help prevent that.
40,000 Former Convicts in Maryland Just Got New Voting Rights. Here’s How It Happened
Just in time for this year’s presidential primary, a new law in Maryland will allow former offenders on probation or parole the right to vote.
24 States Put Juvenile Offenders in Solitary, But Advocates Are Trying to Change That
Studies show kids held in solitary confinement experience long-lasting psychological damage. Activists hope a wave of local and national policy changes means widespread reform is on the way.
Anti-Racist Organizers Win as Seattle Council Votes to End Youth Incarceration
The resolution, which passed unanimously, endorses the goal of having no kids in detention in Seattle. It’s a move that chips away at the school-to-prison pipeline.
The US Has Spent $14B on Community Policing—What Have We Learned So Far?
Gauging whether a community policing program has been successful ultimately depends on how you define success.
Can Money Help Shrink Jail Populations? The MacArthur Foundation Is Betting $75M on It
The grants will help jail systems develop a plan for eliminating “the overuse and misuse of jails.” But prisoner advocate Dan Berger says this doesn’t address larger issues like police bias and racism.
Kids on Chicago’s West Side Break the School-to-Prison Pipeline with Restorative Circles
For these Chicago students, restorative justice isn’t just about causing less harm to those around us. It’s also about actively creating safety, on their own terms.
Mentally Ill People Often Face Violence From Police—But These Cities Are Trying to Fix That
Crisis Intervention Teams train police officers to understand mental illness without resorting to violence.
Undercover University: Palestinians Study Up in Israeli Prisons
More than 40 percent of Palestinian males have spent time in Israeli prisons. The schools that operate within are increasingly important.
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