Prison Policy Initiative

Supporting incarcerated Americans through research and advocacy

At True Terpenes, we proudly support the Prison Policy Initiative, a non-profit organization that works to end mass incarceration through research and advocacy. Their work is a vital tool for numerous ongoing efforts nationwide to stand up for the individual rights of the incarcerated. 

As we observe the progress of another potential bill to legalize cannabis, attention must be given to those who remain imprisoned unfairly. Prison Policy Initiative (PPI) collects insightful data that provides a bird’s-eye-view of the United States criminal justice system. This kind of national and state-level data may otherwise be inaccessible, and it serves as an important part of creating responsive grassroots movements to protect those whose lives are affected by incarceration.

This key organization has been operating now for 20 years, compiling data and providing a snapshot that illustrates just how disproportionally the prison system affects marginalized groups. It serves as a research-driven watchdog of issues such as racial justice, women and gender, public health, exploitation, prison gerrymandering, collateral consequences of incarceration, among many other equally pressing matters.

How Prison Policy Initiative Informs Movements

One of PPI’s main tools for advocacy is its powerful data graphic, Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie. This compelling illustration gives us a look at the big picture of how the U.S. prison system operates, breaking down where and why people are incarcerated throughout the country.

For instance, a quick look at the numbers reveals that over 225,000 people are being held by the federal system for drug offenses. Not only does their incarceration affect each and every one of them individually, but their confinement also collaterally affects their families and loved ones, as well as their communities. PPI’s data exposes ongoing racial disparities on a state-by-state basis that gives us a startling perspective of how specific groups are impacted. This kind of research is the backbone for building definitive evidence that supports advocacy work on numerous levels.  

In order for us to enact reformative change that can end the disproportionately unfair criminalization and incarceration of Americans, we need organizations like PPI to collect information that represents the hard facts about current prison policies. By supporting PPI, True Terpenes is working to help bring attention to their important work, and the challenges faced by those who have been affected by the criminal justice system. 

You can join us by donating to PPI and sharing their groundbreaking research with your friends and followers.