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One in Five

The Sentencing Project’s four-part “One in Five” series examines racial inequities in America’s criminal legal system, as well as highlights promising reforms.

Publications

Explore the four-part series below.

  • Part One

    Ending Racial Inequity in Incarceration

    One in five Black men born in 2001 is likely to experience imprisonment within their lifetime.

    Read report
  • Part Two

    Disparities in Crime and Policing

    The wide net that police cast across Black communities and other communities of color is at odds with advancing safety.

    Read report
  • Part Three

    Racial Disparity in Imprisonment — Causes and Remedies

    The report examines three causes of racial disparity in imprisonment and presents a series of promising reforms.

    Read report
  • Part Four

    How Mass Incarceration Deepens Inequality and Harms Public Safety

    Report explores numerous criminal legal laws and policies that exacerbate socioeconomic inequalities.

    Read report

Like an avalanche, racial disparity accumulates as people traverse the criminal legal system. While reforms across the last two decades have helped reduce overall levels of criminal legal system contact, the crisis of mass incarceration and racial injustice persists, and we are at risk of losing momentum and reversing hard-won reforms.

Nazgol Ghandnoosh, Co-Director of Research at The Sentencing Project
Lead author of 'One in Five' series
Webinar

One in Five: Ending Mass Incarceration and its Racial Disparities

The Sentencing Project, Berkeley School of Theology, and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation co-hosted a webinar examining the progress made in the 21st century in reducing the U.S. prison population and its racial and ethnic disparities, as well as the ongoing work to achieve justice.

Watch Webinar