Publication

 August 2023

Changing Prison Culture Reduces Violence

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Overview

Restoring Promise, an initiative of the MILPA Collective and Vera, works with departments of corrections to transform housing units so that they are grounded in dignity for young adults in prison. Launched in 2017, Restoring Promise is now operating in six prisons and one jail across five states. The housing units are led by trained corrections professionals and mentors—incarcerated people serving long sentences who live on the unit and guide the young adults. The program strives to transform the prison culture into one of accountability, healing, and learning.

Key Takeaway

This brief presents findings from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in prisons in South Carolina. The study found that Restoring Promise’s approach to culture change in prisons significantly reduces violence and the use of solitary confinement.

Key Facts

Compared to those housed in the general population, living in a Restoring Promise unit decreased young adults’ odds of receiving a violent infraction by 73 percent.
Living in a Restoring Promise unit reduced young adults’ odds of experiencing a stay in solitary confinement by 83 percent.