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
Resource list
U.S. Census Bureau
- U.S. Census Bureau
- Census 2000
- Census 2000 Residence Rules
- American Factfinder Generate tables and maps of population, housing, economic and geographic Census data
- State and County Quickfacts
- Thematic maps for the U.S. and the states with the states/counties labeled
- Mapping Census 2000: The Geography of U.S. Diversity book and data from the Census Bureau. (Underlying datasets)
- Census Count Question Resolution Program State Results (The Bureau eventually put this data in American Factfinder, and we made a zipfile of the data and shapefile layer , and a layer package.
Election and socio-economic research and mapping
- Fairdata.com Community-based mapping and data solutions for education, environment, housing, and poverty-related issues:
- Group Quarters Mapper including correctional facilities down to the Census Block level
- Social Explorer interactive Census mapping
Historical Census Data:
- State Population Data by Decade from the Texas Real Estate Center
- United States Census Historical Data Browser from University of Virginia Geospatial and Statistical Data Center
- Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals By Race, 1790 to 1990, and By Hispanic Origin, 1970 to 1990, For The United States, Regions, Divisions, and States from the U.S. Census
- Selected Historical Decennial Census Population and Housing Counts
- Historical Forms and Questions: 1790 - 1970, 1990 Census Questionnaire [PDF], 2000 Census Questionnaires
Background reading on the Census and Redistricting:
- Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses From 1790 to 2000 by Census Bureau, April, 2002
- Census Q & A from the Center for Voting and Democracy (very short)
- Redistricting Roulette from the Center for Voting and Democracy. Interactive explanation of how subtle differences in drawing the lines between political districts can radically affect the outcome of elections.
- Everything you always wanted to know about redistricting* (*But were afraid to ask!) [PDF] by ACLU, April 2001, 33 pages in question and answer format
- The Impact of Redistricting in Your Community: A Guide to Redistricting, [PDF] by Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Educational Fund, Inc., and the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium. 90 pages
- State Sites Related to Legislative Districts and Redistricting
- Chart of Constituents per State Legislative District
- Redistricting 2000 Population Deviation Table
- Outline of Redistricting Litigation the 1990s
- Outline of Redistricting Litigation the 2000s
- Redistricting in America, A State-by-State Analysis by the Rose Institute provides a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of legislative and congressional redistricting systems in each of the 50 states. "Redistricting in America" offers a behind-the-scenes look at the complex and ever-changing world of redistricting.
- Understanding Redistricting from WXXI in Rochester NY. Has explanations and links to other mapping and database resources.
- VoteLaw from Edward Still. "the intersection of political and law: redistricting campaign finance, the right to vote, election law administration and politicans in trouble.
- ElectionLaw Blog from Professor Rick Hasen. "The law of politics and the politics of law: election law, the California recall, campaign finance, legislation, voting rights, initiatives, redistricting"
Redistricting resources from the National Conference of State Legislators:
Other pages about redistricting:
Prison data of a Census 2000 vintage:
- Federal Prison Populations on May 12, 2000
- Populations in state, federal and private prisons on June 30, 2000
- Populations in local jails on June 30, 1999
National Academies
- Residence Rules in the Decennial Census National Academies Current Project Page
- Reengineering the 2010 Census: Risks and Challenges
- Planning the 2010 Census: Second Interim Report
- Proposed finding and recommendation [PDF] submitted to the Residence Rules in the Decennial Census Panel, at the National Academies, June 2, 2005, Prepared by Peter Wagner, Eric Lotke, and Andrew Beveridge
- Feasibility of using administrative records or personal surveys to enumerate people in correctional facilities [PDF], Peter Wagner and Eric Lotke (memorandum), December 6, 2004
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.
Do prisons draw in Census money for their host communities? No.
We explain that prison gerrymandering is bad for democracy but federal & state aid are not impacted.
Prison-based Gerrymandering in Anamosa, Iowa
How a prison helped one man get elected with just two votes.