About
Nation Inside is a project of Working Narratives with our homebase in Wilmington, NC.
We are still in the process of launching Nation Inside. If you see a problem or have a great suggestion about how to make Nation Inside better, please let us know: info@nationinside.org
ABOUT US
Nation Inside is a community of people dedicated to changing the U.S. criminal justice system. We do this by using our collective voices to
- spark public dialogue about criminal justice
- educate policy makers
- develop strategies for safer and healthier communities.
The Nation Inside community includes parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, educators, clergy, activists, artists, policymakers, and others concerned about our family, friends, and neighbors behind bars, as well as the larger social, moral, and economic implications of criminal justice policy. Ultimately, we seek to reduce our society's over-reliance on incarceration.
We are outraged at criminal justice policy in our country today. Our name refers to the nation inside our nation, a population behind bars that is equal to the size of other countries, and touching millions of families from every political party, religion, and community in the U.S.
- More than 1 in 100 adults are behind bars, making the U.S. the world leader in incarceration, ahead of countries like Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
- Most of the people locked up in the U.S. are African American or Latino, even though crime is roughly equal across all racial groups.
- The vast majority of people in prison or jail are in for nonviolent crimes, often drug offenses, which are social problems that could be dealt with more fairly, safely, and economically.
- Some states spend more money on criminal justice than on education, and treat juvenile offenders too harshly, which creates a veritable pipeline from schoolhouse to jailhouse.
Each of the dozens of campaigns you see on Nation Inside is independent and has its own goals, but together are building a movement to fight for justice, human rights, and safer communities for all. Many of the participating campaigns on the Nation Inside website are statewide, and others work at the federal level. Campaigns educate and organize on such issues as probation, parole, racial disparities in sentencing, and the pipeline from schoolhouse to jailhouse. All campaigns organize in their own communities, and come together both online and in person to share ideas, experiences, and resources.
OUR PARTNERS
Visit our Campaign list to learn more about the organizations involved in Nation Inside.
WRITE US
Nation Inside
P.O. Box 448
Wilmington, NC 28402
OUR FUNDERS
Nation Inside is supported by individual donors like you. Please consider a tax-deductible donation.
Foundation support comes in part from the Nathan Cummings Foundation, the Media Democracy Fund, the Funding Exchange, NET/TEN, Creative Capital, and the Women Donors Network.