Prison Abolition and Mass Incarceration Resources

Introduction

Recently, I discussed the topic of prison reform and prison abolition with some friends. So I decided I'd put together some resources I have saved on the topic. In the interest of full disclosure, this is not a topic that I consider myself especially well-read in. I know the basics, but most of these resources are coming from my "to read" list, so I haven't reviewed them in great detail. I'm mostly posting these publicly because that is easier than sharing them with every interested party, and I figure I can edit as needed. I did my best to review all these resources. As for those which I am not closely familiar with, they were most likely included because they were recommended by a person or group I consider reliable. That being said, feel free to let me know if something looks off with any of these.

Definitions

Here are some excerpts defining relevant terms, which I have pulled from the organization Critical Resistance (included in the list later in this post). To read the full descriptions, visit the Critical Resistance webpage on definitions.

The prison industrial complex (PIC):

The prison industrial complex (PIC) is a term we use to describe the overlapping interests of government and industry that use surveillance, policing, and imprisonment as solutions to economic, social and political problems.
Through its reach and impact, the PIC helps and maintains the authority of people who get their power through racial, economic and other privileges.

Abolition:

PIC abolition is a political vision with the goal of eliminating imprisonment, policing, and surveillance and creating lasting alternatives to punishment and imprisonment.

Disclaimer

These resources will focus on the United States. I have collected some resources for other countries as well, but at the moment most of those resources are not open access, and not worth posting at the moment. If that changes, I will edit this post. However, I am not really qualified to post a comprehensive guide for any other country, so if anyone knows of guides that others have posted, please let me know and I will link them. Given the incredibly political nature of prison abolition, and how closely it is tied with citizenship and national laws, prison abolition resources and movements tend to be rather specific to their nation of origin. In addition, while incarceration is certainly not a U.S.-exclusive issue, mass incarceration in the U.S. is dramatically greater than other countries, and thus the prison abolition movement which has developed in response to those conditions may not externalize well to other nations. Thus, if you want to delve into the movement outside the U.S., I would highly suggest that you seek out resources specific to your country (or region). General international resources will be listed first.

Resources

International

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United States

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