Learn More

Want to learn more about some of the topics from the interactive tour or Food for Thought poll questions?

Browse some informative articles on various topics in the criminal justice system:

Cost of Inmate Housing

This report from the VERA Institute documents the cost of incarceration by state. In contrast to social media infographics, which are usually inaccurate, reports like this provide accurate information on prison costs. I encourage students to seek valid and reliable sources of information.

This report and infographic from the Prison Policy Initiative provides a detailed breakdown of the inmate population in 2020, organized by type of facility, crime, and conviction status.

Inmate Mental Health

Learn more about mental health as it specifically relates to female inmates in this article from The Marshall Project.

Explore some of the challenges related to providing mental health treatment to inmates in this NPR story.

Violence

Violence is both predictable and controllable. This Washington Post article discusses common myths related to inmates incarcerated for violent offenses in state prisons.

This USA Today article discusses alternatives to incarceration for those convicted of violent crimes.

Visitation

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on inmate visitation requires further investigation. Will prisons adapt to visitations via technology? The impact is detailed in this article from The Nation.

Reentry

Programs for education, therapy, and reentry require adequate staffing. However, staff in these programs face numerous safety and wellbeing challenges. I conducted one of the few reports on Correctional Officer Safety and Wellness for the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

This article from USA Today discusses the overwhelming rate at which recidivism occurs in the United States, and the need for reentry services.