Our National Work on Criminal Justice Reform
Ending mass incarceration remains one of the most pressing policy imperatives for the 21st century.
The good news is that we’ve made a lot of progress, and have done so safely: in the past decade, 45 states have reduced imprisonment rates and crime rates at the same time, and crime fell faster in the states that reduced imprisonment. Safe and effective criminal justice reforms have reduced the jail and prison population by more than 20%, and the Black imprisonment rate by nearly half.
America is with us.
In national polling, more than 8 in 10 voters across political parties support criminal justice reform and policies to reduce prison and jail populations. Now more than ever we must remind ourselves that the momentum of criminal justice reform is strong, the number of people in prisons and jails is lower than it’s been in recent history, and the data about the compatibility of safer, stronger communities and less incarceration is on our side. We’ve come so far, and yet mass incarceration still defines America for the worse: 1 in 2 Americans have had a close family member incarcerated. Further reforms are urgently needed.
National Research and Resources on Criminal Justice Reform
We have a lot to protect, and a lot more work to do. Below are research and resources on voter support for criminal justice reform, advancing safety and justice, and on the incredible progress we’ve made in the past decade thanks to safe and effective reforms.
New Polling Shows Criminal Justice Reform is a Winning Issue for 2024 Election
Recent polling shows strong support for criminal justice reform among the American public, as well as for candidates who advocate for policies aimed at reducing incarceration rates.
Advancing Public Safety and Moving Justice Forward
Americans deserve real solutions to the rise in gun violence, not a return to the failed policies that brought us mass incarceration. Evidence and experience tells us we can–and we must–have more safety and more justice together.
Turning the Tide on Mass Incarceration
After nearly forty years of uninterrupted prison population growth, our collective awareness of the costs of mass incarceration has fundamentally shifted–and our sustained efforts to turn the tide have yielded meaningful results.
People First Language Guide
It’s time for the media to drop dehumanizing labels from their reporting. There are many resources and alternate terms journalists can use when reporting about justice-impacted individuals.
Black Voters Want More Safety and More Justice
Black Americans are disproportionately impacted by both mass incarceration and gun violence, which is why it’s critical their voice be uplifted in this moment. New polling shows that Black voters overwhelmingly support reforms that reduce incarceration and investments that address the root causes of violence.
By the Numbers
Americans want Criminal Justice Reform
81% of likely voters
8 in 10 likely voters support criminal justice reform, including 76% of Republicans, 82% of independents, and 85% of Democrats
More than 7 in 10 voters
More than 7 in 10 voters believe it is important to reduce the jail and prison population
7 in 10 Black voters
7 in 10 Black voters believe that mass incarceration causes many of the problems that lead to unsafe communities such as homelessness, poverty, and drug or mental health challenges
70% less likely
People in 2021 were 70% less likely to be a victim of a violent crime than in 1993
21% fewer people incarcerated
Since their peak, reforms to our criminal justice system have meant 21 percent fewer people incarcerated
45 U.S. states
An overwhelming majority of states have experienced reductions in both crime and imprisonment – and crime fell faster in states that reduced imprisonment than in states that increased imprisonment.
Voters in key swing states overwhelmingly support criminal justice reform.
National Campaigns
Issue Center
Your Deep Dive:
Crime, Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform
