Key Facts

Total Number of People in County Jails and State Prisons, 2015
Explore your state's use of local jails and state prisons.

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I Grew up Undocumented. This Is What It’s Really Like.

After years of feeling erased, having a lawyer to fight for me changed my life. Everyone deserves the same chance.

By Andres* If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the United States immigration system, it’s that even those of us who work in immigration can find it incredibly overwhelming. The forms, deadlines, and constant policy changes can make anyone’s head spin. But my experience wasn’t just professional; it’s been deeply personal. I moved to New York C ...

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What “Breaking Cycles of Crime” Actually Means

A web of barriers keeps people leaving jail and prison from meeting their basic needs. It leads to more crime and less safety.

When Pam Thompson was released from prison, she couldn’t find housing. Landlords wouldn’t rent to her because of her conviction history. Employers, too, wouldn’t hire her. “I just hit wall after wall,” she said. Eventually, she started taking more risks to make ends meet and ended up back in prison. Thompson is far from alone. Many of the millio ...

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  • Nazish Dholakia
April 17, 2025
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With 16 Deaths in 2025, LA Jails Continue Deadly Trend

91 people have died in LA County jails since the start of 2023.

How are people dying? Los Angeles County has not yet publicly issued causes of death for everyone who has died in county jails in recent months. And even once even once autopsy reports are finalized, they don’t tell the whole story. When the coroner rules that a death is the result of “natural causes,” jail conditions can still be to blame. Researc ...

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  • Sam McCann
April 15, 2025
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