We’re building evidence to advance innovative prison and jail reforms that promote the safety and well-being of both incarcerated people and corrections staff.
The Prison Research and Innovation Initiative
From 2020 to 2024, we coordinated a consortium of five states that each worked to establish a model of transparency, accountability, and innovation in one local prison. Through the efforts of local research partners, the initiative produced one of the few multistate datasets on the experiences of incarcerated people and corrections staff.
Research Topic Areas
Prison and Jail Conditions
To transform prisons and jails, we need high-quality research that spotlights the perspectives and experiences of people confined and working in corrections facilities. In our work, we engage directly with incarcerated people and corrections staff to capture their experiences and identify current gaps in knowledge.
Violence and Safety
Violence in corrections facilities can stem from unsafe living and working conditions. In our work, we summarize the available information on violence in corrections facilities, including assessment of the effects of the 2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act.
Our work also looks at how reducing recidivism and addressing contraband items makes communities inside and outside of corrections facilities safe. We explore how improving jail operations and conditions can create safer, more stable environments that make it less likely people return to jail or prison and provides guidelines and technical assistance to facilities looking to address contraband.
Health and Health Care
In our work, we document and identify incarcerated people’s access to health care in corrections facilities and spotlight gaps in existing research.
Incarcerated Women
Incarcerated women are often overlooked in prison and jail research given they constitute a small share of the incarcerated population. We work to understand how corrections can effectively address the needs of incarcerated women.