Federal law allows eligible people to ask a court to proceed without prepayment of fees, often called in forma pauperis. For many prison civil actions, 28 U.S.C. § 1915 requires the incarcerated filer to submit a certified account statement

Writing from New Jersey, Derek Jason LeCompte describes a cellmate exhibiting alarming symptoms after suspected K2 use. His Prison Journalism Project opinion describes the substance as a major safety problem. It is a firsthand narrative, no

The Prison Policy Initiative's August 2025 Youth Confinement report found that the number of confined youth declined by more than 70 percent over about 25 years, to around 31,900 in its 2023 snapshot. That total brings togeth

Prison Policy Initiative's Parole in Perspective compares the procedures of 35 states with discretionary parole. Board membership, hearing formats, grant rates and decision standards differ widely. The study warns that discus

Federal guidance permits eligible incarcerated students to receive Pell Grants through approved prison education programs.

Two Supreme Court decisions shape the duty to disclose favorable and material information about prosecution witnesses.

United States v. Georgia explains when disability-rights damages may be available against a state prison system.

The Supreme Court requires a reasonable relationship between many prison rules and legitimate correctional goals.

Prison Policy Initiative's new state-by-state report looks beyond prison populations to the millions under probation and parole supervision.