Help End Prison Gerrymandering
Prison gerrymandering funnels political power away from urban communities to legislators who have prisons in their (often white, rural) districts. More than two decades ago, the Prison Policy Initiative put numbers on the problem and sparked the movement to end prison gerrymandering.
Can you help us continue the fight? Thank you.
—Peter Wagner, Executive DirectorDonate
Can you help us continue the fight? Thank you.
—Peter Wagner, Executive DirectorDonate
Maryland Incarceration Rates by County, 2002
| County of conviction | In state prison, 2002 | Incarceration rate per 100,000 population, 2002 |
|---|---|---|
| Allegany | 180 | 244 |
| Anne Arundel | 614 | 122 |
| Baltimore City | 15,626 | 2,434 |
| Baltimore County | 1,927 | 251 |
| Calvert | 110 | 137 |
| Caroline | 85 | 282 |
| Carroll | 158 | 100 |
| Cecil | 135 | 150 |
| Charles | 400 | 313 |
| Dorchester | 133 | 437 |
| Frederick | 249 | 119 |
| Garrett | 39 | 131 |
| Harford | 533 | 235 |
| Howard | 124 | 48 |
| Kent | 83 | 426 |
| Montgomery | 388 | 43 |
| Prince George's | 915 | 111 |
| Queen Anne's | 95 | 223 |
| Somerset | 81 | 319 |
| St. Mary's | 95 | 106 |
| Talbot | 91 | 265 |
| Washington | 523 | 389 |
| Wicomico | 425 | 495 |
| Worcester | 137 | 284 |
Recommended Reading:
About the Prison Policy Initiative
Learn more about the organization behind the Prison Gerrymandering Project.
The Racial Geography of Mass Incarceration
The transfer of Black and Latino incarcerated people to communities very different than their own is a nationwide problem.
How to get elected without being a candidate first.
Iowa Public Radio explores how Anamosa Iowa ended prison gerrymandering.
Events
- November 13-15, 2024:
Members of our Research and Advocacy teams will be attending the American Society of Criminology annual meeting in San Francisco from November 13 through the 15th. Please reach out if you’d like to set up a meeting. - November 14-16, 2024:
Members of our Research and Advocacy teams will be attending a convening at the University of Texas in Austin from November 14 through the 16th. Please reach out if you’d like to set up a meeting.
Not near you?
Invite us to your city, college or organization.