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New York Prisons Face 4,600 Empty Officer Posts as Lawmakers Push HALT Act Overhaul

New York State's prison system is staring down a staffing emergency that has been years in the making — and a new legislative push from Albany is

ICE Detention Expansion Meets Resistance From Both Sides of the Aisle

The federal government's plan to dramatically expand immigration detention capacity is running into an unexpected obstacle: the very communities where new

Colorado Jails Hit Breaking Point as Governor Calls for New Prison Construction

Colorado's county jails are buckling under a crisis that has been building for months — and the state's top official is now calling for a dramatic

Police Departments Face Reckoning Over Use-of-Force Policies

In a single week this March, three separate police departments found themselves grappling with the same fundamental question: how much force is

New York Prison Deaths Fuel Push for Independent Oversight

More than 160 people have died in New York state prisons in recent years, with the average age at death in state custody just 56 — nearly two decades

ICE Detention Deaths on Pace for Deadliest Year in Two Decades

The number of people dying in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody is surging at an alarming rate, with 23 deaths recorded since the start of the

Federal Judge Finds Unwritten Policy of Excessive Force at Portland ICE Facility

A federal judge in Portland has issued sweeping restrictions on how Department of Homeland Security officers may interact with protesters outside a local

Mississippi Prison Budget Hits 480 Million as Healthcare Contract Draws Legislative Scrutiny

Mississippi lawmakers are wrestling with a prison budget that has ballooned past $480 million for the coming fiscal year, driven largely by a medical care

Deaths in ICE Detention Surge Past Last Years Total as Oversight Gaps Widen

The numbers are stark and getting worse. Since the start of the federal fiscal year in October, at least 23 people have died while in Immigration and

Federal Judge Restricts DHS Officers Use of Force at Portland ICE Facility

A federal judge in Oregon has imposed restrictions on Department of Homeland Security officers' use of crowd control weapons against protesters outside an

Mississippi Prison Costs Spiral Past \80 Million as Healthcare Contract Draws Legislative Scrutiny

Mississippi lawmakers are staring down a corrections budget that has ballooned past $480 million for the coming fiscal year, driven largely by a prison

ICE Detention on Track for Deadliest Year in Two Decades as Deaths Surpass Prior Fiscal Year Total

Twenty-three people have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since October, already surpassing the total number of deaths recorded during

160 Deaths and Counting: New York State Prison Reforms Stall as Advocates Sound Alarm

More than 160 people have died in New York state prisons since the killing of Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility in December 2024, and advocates

New York City Police Misconduct Payouts Approach 800 Million Dollars Since 2019

New York City taxpayers have now spent nearly $800 million settling police misconduct lawsuits since 2019, with payouts exceeding $100 million for the

ICE Violated Nearly 100 Court Orders in Minnesota as Arrests Surge Under Operation Metro Surge

Federal judges in Minnesota have issued an extraordinary rebuke of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, revealing a pattern of defiance that legal

ICE Arrests of Immigrants Without Criminal Records Surge Across Northern California

North Carolina Prisons at Breaking Point With Nearly Half of Guard Positions Vacant

Missouri Sends Sweeping Criminal Justice Bill to Governor, Drawing Fire From Juvenile Advocates

Federal Prisons Hemorrhaging Staff as Corrections Officers Flee to ICE for Better Pay

Body Camera Footage Fuels Outrage Over Baltimore County Police Use-of-Force Death

New Report Shows Immigration Enforcement Now Driving U.S. Incarceration Growth

A comprehensive new analysis of the American carceral system has found that while traditional prison and jail populations have remained relatively stable,

Federal Officers Testify to Confusion Over Use-of-Force Rules in Portland Protest Case

Depositions from Department of Homeland Security officers are offering a rare and troubling window into how federal law enforcement agents were deployed

Deaths in ICE Custody Surge Past Two-Decade Record as Detention Population Hits 70,000

The number of people dying in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody is climbing at a pace not seen in more than twenty years, with at least 23

Alabama Lawmakers Hear Testimony on Prison Violence as Push for Independent Oversight Grows

Families of incarcerated people, former inmates, and retired corrections staff packed an Alabama State House committee room this week to deliver testimony

Federal Prisons Lose Officers to ICE as Signing Bonuses Fuel Staffing Exodus

The Federal Bureau of Prisons is hemorrhaging experienced corrections officers to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, drawn away by signing bonuses of up

ICE Replaces Contractor at Largest Detention Camp as Custody Deaths Hit 20-Year High

The federal government has terminated the primary contractor operating its largest immigration detention facility and selected a replacement amid mounting

New York Closes Another Prison as National Corrections Staffing Crisis Deepens

Bare Hill Correctional Facility in Franklin County closed its doors this week, becoming the latest New York state prison to shut down as the Department of

Alabama Lawmakers Hear Harrowing Testimony as Prison Oversight Bill Advances

The hearing room in the Alabama State House was standing room only on Wednesday as families of incarcerated people, former inmates, and retired

Deaths in ICE Detention on Pace to Shatter Two-Decade Record as Facilities Strain Under Expansion

The federal immigration detention system is on track for its deadliest year in more than two decades, with 23 people dying in custody since October —

ICE Arrests of Immigrants Without Criminal Records Surge Fivefold in Northern California

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Northern California have arrested roughly five times as many people without criminal records during the

New York Prison Reform Stalls as Albany Ignores Crisis Behind the Walls

New York's state prison system is in the middle of one of its most turbulent stretches in half a century — and Albany is barely talking about it. As the

Deaths in ICE Detention Surge Past Last Years Total as Advocates Sound Alarm

The number of people who have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since the start of the current fiscal year in October has already

San Diego County Sues ICE Over Blocked Health Inspection at Detention Center

San Diego County filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday alleging that Immigration and Customs Enforcement illegally blocked county health inspectors from

Federal Agents Defy Court Orders During Minneapolis Immigration Sweeps

Federal immigration agents defied multiple court orders during enforcement operations in Minneapolis last week, physically removing at least two

Immigration Detention Deaths on Pace for Deadliest Year in Two Decades

Twenty-three people have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since the start of the current fiscal year in October, already surpassing the

The $445 Billion Machine: New Report Maps How Mass Incarceration Drains Families and Taxpayers

The broad system of mass incarceration costs the government and families at least $445 billion every year, according to a February 2026 report from the

Texas Enters Third Summer Without Prison Air Conditioning Despite Court Ruling It Unconstitutional

Texas is heading into its third consecutive summer with most state prison housing units lacking air conditioning, nearly a year after a federal judge

Oklahoma Cancels $74 Million Prison Food Contract After Vendor Fails Nutritional Standards

Oklahoma canceled a $74 million contract to privatize food service in state prisons after the selected vendor, Trinity Services Group, failed to meet

Native American Woman Nearly Deported From Iowa Jail as Tribal Incarceration Disparities Persist

A 24-year-old member of Arizona's Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community was nearly deported from an Iowa jail after a clerical error placed an ICE

Florida Lawmakers Push Corrections Ombudsman Bill as Prison System Faces $189 Million Deficit

Florida legislators have introduced bills to create an independent Office of the Corrections Ombudsman as the state's prison system grapples with chronic

FCC Rolls Back Prison Phone Rate Caps, Hiking Costs Up to 83% for Incarcerated Families

The Federal Communications Commission has raised the caps on phone and video call rates in prisons and jails by as much as 83 percent compared to rules it

DOJ Opens First-of-Its-Kind Investigation Into Colorado's Entire Prison and Youth Detention System

The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a sweeping civil rights investigation into conditions across Colorado's entire state prison system and its

Cuyahoga County Jail Deaths Expose Pattern of Medical Neglect and Failed Emergency Response

At least 24 people have died in the custody of the Cuyahoga County Jail in Cleveland over the past six years, and investigative reporting and state

Analysis: U.S. Incarceration Is Rising Again — And the Data Shows Why That's a Policy Choice, Not a Safety Necessity

After a decade of modest but consistent declines, the U.S. incarceration rate is climbing again. State prisons added roughly 27,000 people in 2023 alone

180,000 Veterans Behind Bars: The Military-to-Prison Pipeline Nobody Talks About

Approximately 180,000 military veterans are currently incarcerated in American prisons and jails, making up roughly 8 percent of the total incarcerated

Virginia Launches Inmate Tablet Pilot as Advocates Warn of Surveillance and Price Gouging

The Virginia Department of Corrections has launched new inmate tablets at four pilot facilities, a modernization effort that corrections officials say

Trump Orders Marijuana Rescheduling as States Push Competing Drug Sentencing Bills

President Trump's executive order directing the Attorney General to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act has

Texas Mother Exonerated After 22 Years in Prison for a Crime That Never Happened

Carmen Mejia walked out of a Texas prison in March 2026 after spending 22 years behind bars for a murder that prosecutors now acknowledge was a tragic

Study Finds Prison Labor in Alabama Auto Plants Suppresses Wages for All Workers

A groundbreaking study by the Columbia Labor Lab has quantified what workers in Alabama's automotive corridor have long suspected: the use of incarcerated

Immigration Court Backlog Hits 3.4 Million Cases as San Francisco Court Shuttered

The nation's immigration court backlog has ballooned to nearly 3.4 million pending cases, with average wait times stretching to almost 900 days — and

ICE Defied Nearly 100 Court Orders in Minnesota as Detention Deaths Hit Record Pace

Federal judges in Minnesota have documented at least 96 instances in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers defied court orders in January

House Passes Bill to Restore Cash Bail in D.C., Threatening City's 30-Year Reform Model

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025, legislation that would dismantle Washington D.C.'s

GEO Group Posts Record $254 Million Profit as Private Prison Industry Banks on ICE Expansion

The GEO Group reported a record $254 million in profit for 2025 — a roughly 700 percent increase over the previous year — driven by a surge in

Federal Data Shows 46% of Prison Suicides Occur in Solitary as Reform Bills Stall

Nearly half of all suicides in federal prisons occur in solitary confinement or other restrictive housing settings, according to a Department of Justice

Chicago Borrows $283 Million to Pay Police Misconduct Settlements as Costs Spiral

Chicago taxpayers will shoulder roughly $335 million in costs — $283.3 million in police misconduct settlements plus an estimated $52 million in

Senator Wyden Demands End to Federal Contracts with Juvenile Facilities Linked to Decades of Abuse

WASHINGTON — Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon is demanding that the Trump administration terminate federal contracts with juvenile detention facilities that

New York Closes Bare Hill Prison Today, Marking Latest Contraction of State System

MALONE, N.Y. — Bare Hill Correctional Facility in Franklin County officially closes its doors today, March 11, 2026, ending operations at a 1,400-bed

Harris County Braces for Jail Population Surge as Texas Bail Laws Take Effect

HOUSTON — Harris County officials are warning that new Texas bail laws could add more than 1,900 inmates to the county jail population by the end of

Fulton County Jail Faces Court-Ordered Population Cap as Staffing Crisis Deepens

ATLANTA — A federal monitor overseeing the Fulton County Jail has warned that a court-mandated population cap may be necessary after a new report

Federal Prisons Hemorrhaging Staff to ICE as Congress Demands Answers on Safety Failures

WASHINGTON — The Federal Bureau of Prisons lost more than 1,800 workers on a net basis last year, with over 1,400 departing for positions at Immigration

Federal Judge Seizes Control of Arizona Prison Healthcare After 14 Years of 'Barbaric' Neglect

PHOENIX — A federal judge has ordered the unprecedented takeover of Arizona's entire prison healthcare system, placing medical and mental health

Family Sues San Diego County After Woman Dies in Jail, Alleges Deputies Called Her a 'Liar' as She Begged for Help

SAN DIEGO — The family of 31-year-old Callen Lines has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against San Diego County, alleging that jail deputies

DOJ and Labor Department Announce $155 Million for Reentry Programs as New Data Shows They Work

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Labor have announced $155.5 million in federal funding opportunities for reentry

Congress Moves to Ban Shackling of Pregnant Prisoners as States Lag on Enforcement

WASHINGTON — The Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act, introduced in the 119th Congress, would prohibit the use of restraints on pregnant and

America's Jails Are Its Largest Mental Health Facilities — and Federal Funding Just Got Cut

WASHINGTON — The three largest mental health facilities in the United States are not hospitals. They are the Los Angeles County Jail, Cook County Jail

Washington State Jail Oversight Bill Dies in Legislature, Leaving Facilities Without Independent Monitoring

A bill that would have established the first independent state oversight body for county jails in Washington died in the legislature this week, leaving

New York Shutters Bare Hill Prison as Staffing Crisis Claims Another Facility

Bare Hill Correctional Facility in Franklin County will shut its doors on March 11, becoming the latest casualty of a staffing crisis that has plagued New

ICE Agents Defy Court Orders as Immigration Arrests Surge Across the Midwest

Federal immigration agents operating in Minneapolis have escalated enforcement actions to levels that local attorneys and advocacy groups say are

Ten Dead in Two Months: LA County Supervisors Order Emergency Jail Safety Reforms

Ten people have died in Los Angeles County jail custody in the first two months of 2026, continuing a grim upward trend that saw 46 in-custody deaths in

Chicago Police Used Force Against Black Residents at Disproportionate Rates, Department Study Finds

A sweeping internal study commissioned by the Chicago Police Department has confirmed what community advocates have argued for years: officers

ICE Detention Population Hits Record Highs as Street Arrests Surge Across Northern California

The federal immigration detention system is expanding at a pace not seen in modern American history, with the number of people held in Immigration and

Inside Georgia's Prison Crisis: What the DOJ Found and Why It Matters

Inside Georgia's state prisons, a man can bleed out from a stab wound and wait hours for medical attention. A correctional officer can work a double shift

New York's Second Look Act: Can Albany Finally Deliver on Prison Reform in 2026?

The Second Look Act would let incarcerated New Yorkers petition for resentencing after 15 years. With 14 states already on board, advocates say 2026 could be the year Albany acts.

ACLU Report Exposes Deadly Overcrowding Crisis at Fulton County Jail: 32 Deaths Since 2021

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Following the Money: Where the $27.7 Billion Incarceration Tax on Families Actually Goes

When the Prison Policy Initiative first published its landmark "Following the Money of Mass Incarceration" analysis, the number that stopped people cold

ICE's Surveillance Web: How Immigration Enforcement Built a Mass Monitoring System

Every time you drive past a highway camera, unlock your phone near a cell tower, or post a photo online, you might be feeding one of the most extensive

ICE Closes Fort Bliss but Opens Warehouses Across the Country

The Department of Defense confirmed this week that ICE will vacate the Fort Bliss detention facility in El Paso, Texas, by the end of March 2026. The

Federal Prisons Hemorrhaging Staff to ICE as \0,000 Signing Bonuses Fuel Mass Exodus

The Federal Bureau of Prisons is losing correctional officers faster than it can hire them, and the agency poaching its workforce is just down the hall.

North Carolina Prison Staffing Crisis: 49% Vacancy Rate Leaves 30,000 Inmates at Risk

On any given night across North Carolina's 55 state prisons, fewer than half the correctional officer posts are filled. The numbers tell a story that

LA County Jails: 9 Dead in 2 Months as California Oversight Agency Fails to Act

Nine people are dead in Los Angeles County jails since the start of 2026. Two months. Nine bodies. And the state agency California created specifically to

Harris County's Bold Experiment: Can Mental Health Diversion Fix America's Jail Crisis?

Nearly Three-Quarters of Harris County Inmates Take Psychiatric Medication. The County Finally Wants to Know Why. The numbers out of the Harris County

Missouri Prisons Face Lawsuit Over Punishing Addiction Instead of Treating It

A new civil rights lawsuit against the Missouri Department of Corrections is forcing a long-overdue reckoning with how the state treats incarcerated

911 Calls From Camp East Montana Reveal Crisis Inside Largest ICE Detention Facility

Leaked 911 call recordings from Camp East Montana, the sprawling immigration detention facility in El Paso, Texas, are painting a grim picture of

Nine Deaths in Two Months: Inside the Crisis at Los Angeles County Jails

The Los Angeles County jail system is once again under intense scrutiny after nine people died in custody during the first two months of 2026 — a pace

Buried CPD Study Reveals Black Chicagoans Face Force in 73 Percent of Police Use-of-Force Incidents

A study commissioned by the Chicago Police Department and completed in March 2025 found that Black Chicagoans were the subject of roughly 73 percent of

Inside Missouri Prisons, Opioid Addiction Treatment Remains a Death Sentence Away

Bradley Ketcherside knew he needed help. Incarcerated at Crossroads Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri, he applied repeatedly for

911 Calls Expose Dire Conditions Inside ICE Camp East Montana as Facility Faces Shutdown

The numbers alone tell a grim story. In just five months of operation, staff at Camp East Montana — the largest immigration detention facility in the

States Split on Sentencing Reform as 2026 Legislative Sessions Heat Up

State legislatures across the country are deep into their 2026 sessions, and criminal justice is dominating the agenda — but the direction of travel

NYPD Misconduct Payouts Top 100 Million for Fourth Straight Year

New York City taxpayers shelled out more than $117 million to settle police misconduct lawsuits in 2025, marking the fourth consecutive year that payouts

911 Calls From Largest ICE Detention Facility Reveal Pattern of Suffering and Neglect

Hundreds of 911 calls placed from inside Camp East Montana — the largest immigration detention facility in the United States — paint a disturbing

Los Angeles County Jails Record 9 In-Custody Deaths in First Two Months of 2026

Los Angeles County's troubled jail system is once again under intense scrutiny after nine people died in custody during January and February of 2026 — a

Chicago Police Used Force Against Black Residents at Disproportionate Rates, Department Study Finds

A comprehensive study commissioned by the Chicago Police Department has confirmed what civil rights advocates and community members have argued for years:

Federal Judges Rule Hundreds Unlawfully Detained at Michigan ICE Facility as Detention System Expands

Federal judges in Michigan have ruled that hundreds of immigrants held at the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin were unlawfully detained, granting a

Missouri Prisons Face Federal Lawsuit Over Denial of Opioid Addiction Treatment

Inside Missouri's Crossroads Correctional Center, inmates struggling with opioid addiction have for years faced a grim choice: endure withdrawal symptoms

The School-to-Prison Pipeline in 2026: Where Things Stand

Here's the good news: the number of young people locked up in the United States has fallen by more than 70 percent over the past 25 years. Juvenile

State of the States — A Corrections Roundup for March 2026

Welcome to the March 2026 corrections roundup, where I track the stories that do not always make the national headlines but tell you everything about

The $27.7 Billion Tax on Families of the Incarcerated

Mass incarceration does not just punish the person behind bars. It reaches through the walls and into the bank accounts of their families — mothers

Body Cameras, Accountability, and What Happens After the Arrest

Two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis — Renee Good on January 7 and Alex Pretti on January 24 — have ripped open a

The Federal Bureau of Prisons Is Hemorrhaging Staff

The Federal Bureau of Prisons is supposed to be the gold standard. State systems are messy, underfunded, politically volatile — but the feds? They're

ICE Is Building a New Detention Empire — One Warehouse at a Time

The federal government is quietly transforming the geography of immigration detention in America. Under the second Trump administration, Immigration and

"Horrific and Inhumane" — The DOJ's Damning Report on Georgia Prisons

The United States Department of Justice doesn't mince words. When federal investigators describe conditions inside a state prison system as "horrific and

Rikers Island Enters a New Era — But Can It Actually Close?

New York City keeps promising to shut down Rikers Island. And Rikers keeps finding ways to survive. The latest chapter in the saga of America's most

The Jail Booking Pipeline: How Policing Trends Are Driving Jail Populations in 2026

The numbers are moving in the wrong direction again. After more than a decade of steady declines in incarceration — accelerated by the pandemic's forced

Florida's Prison System Needs $2.2 Billion — And It's Not Getting It

The number is so large it almost does not register: $2.2 billion. That is what the Florida Department of Corrections says it needs for critical repairs

ICE Converts Former California Prison Into 1,400-Bed Detention Center

A former state prison in Kern County has been converted into one of the largest immigration detention centers in California, holding roughly 1,400

A Death Nearly Every Week: Inside the Crisis at Los Angeles County Jails

Ten people have died in Los Angeles County jail custody in the first two months of 2026. That is nearly one death every six days — a pace that, if it

California Has Closed 5 Prisons and Could Shutter 5 More — Saving $1 Billion a Year

New York City keeps promising to shut down Rikers Island. And Rikers keeps finding ways to survive. The latest chapter in the saga of America's most

Texas Prisons Face a Staffing Catastrophe

On January 13, 2026, Deon Henderson was found unresponsive inside the Connally Unit, a maximum-security prison in Kenedy, Texas. Henderson had a

Inside Texas Prisons: Where Temperatures Top 90 and Nobody's Counting

Somewhere inside the Plane State Jail last summer, Crystal Gayle Frank watched another woman hit the floor. It was the third time that week. "People

California Has Closed 5 State Prisons — and More Could Follow

California has shut down five state prisons since 2021, a direct consequence of a historic decline in its incarcerated population. Now, fiscal analysts

Inmate Found Dead at California State Prison Sacramento as Cellmate Detained in Homicide Investigation

Inmate John Cisneros found dead at California State Prison Sacramento. Cellmate Irvin Sanchez detained as four agencies investigate the homicide.

Federal Bureau of Prisons Faces Unprecedented Staffing Crisis as Officers Flee to ICE

The Federal Bureau of Prisons lost 1,800+ workers in 2025 as corrections officers leave for higher-paying ICE positions. Inside the staffing crisis.

California Closes Fifth State Prison Under Governor Newsom, Saving $150 Million

California closes its fifth state prison under Gov. Newsom, saving $150 million as the incarcerated population declines. Details on the latest closure.

New York Renews Push to Close Rikers Island as Federal Court Appoints Remediation Manager

Federal court appoints remediation manager at Rikers Island amid persistent violence and overcrowding. Latest on New Yorks push to close the jail.

Extreme Heat in Prisons: Legal Challenges Mount as States Face Pressure to Install Air Conditioning

Lawsuits mount as prisons without air conditioning face deadly heat. States under pressure to address dangerous temperatures in correctional facilities.

America Spends $445 Billion Annually on Criminal Justice System, New Study Reveals

The U.S. spends $445 billion annually on criminal justice. New study breaks down policing, courts, and corrections costs across all 50 states.

Florida Drives Sharp National Increase in Executions, Carrying Out 19 Death Warrants in 2025

Florida carried out 19 executions in 2025, driving a sharp national increase. Analysis of state death penalty trends and policy implications.

GAO Report Finds 70% of Eligible Federal Inmates Not Receiving First Step Act Credits

GAO finds 70% of eligible federal inmates not receiving First Step Act credits. Bureau of Prisons faces scrutiny over implementation failures.

County Jails Across America Face Growing Overcrowding Crisis Despite Declining Crime Rates

County jails face a growing overcrowding crisis despite declining crime rates. Driven by pretrial detention, mental health holds, and immigration detainers.

The Hidden Crisis: Corrections Officers Face Soaring Rates of PTSD, Suicide, and Burnout

Corrections officers face PTSD rates comparable to combat veterans. New research reveals the mental health crisis behind prison walls.

Winnable Criminal Justice Reforms in 2026: What States Can Do to Reduce Incarceration

From bail reform to sentence reduction, these are the most achievable criminal justice reforms states can pursue in 2026 to cut incarceration.