January 28, 2026 – Prison Journalism Project (PJP), a national nonprofit that trains incarcerated writers in journalism and publishes their stories, today released its 2025 Impact Report showcasing record growth, national recognition and deepening impact since the organization’s launch in 2020, including major gains in literacy rates for incarcerated individuals.
PJP was founded on the belief that those individuals most affected by the prison system should tell their stories and has evolved to become a national hub for lived-experience journalism. The 2025 Impact Report and accompanying anniversary video highlights the rapidly growing community that has collectively published more than 2,600 stories from behind prison walls.
“This was a transformative year for PJP, working with writers more deeply and telling a wider range of stories about prison experiences,” said Yukari Kane, Co-founder & CEO, Prison Journalism Project. “What began as a small, pioneering publication has grown into an organization that embeds literacy and skill-building into journalism itself – an approach that is expanding learning inside prisons and strengthening our ability to document the full arc of the prison experience.”
Key highlights from the Impact Report include:
- Literacy Gains: More than 90% of writers who have completed the first course in PJP’s certification program have improved their literacy by at least two grade levels – a rarely seen milestone.
- Audience Engagement: PJP has more than 800,000 views and 10,000 newsletter subscribers. PJP Inside, its print educational publication for incarcerated writers, reaches over 8,200 incarcerated readers per issue through a new partnership with education platform Edovo. PJP Inside is also distributed to 345 prison libraries in 42 states and growing.
- Writer Recognition: Incarcerated voices have been amplified by co-publishing with major outlets including The Guardian, USA Today and The Marshall Project. PJP writers have also been published in top outlets such as The New York Times and Al Jazeera English. PJP and its contributors have been honored by the Online Journalism Awards, LION Publishers, Poynter, PEN America and the Stillwater Awards – launched in partnership with the Society of Professional Journalists to honor outstanding incarcerated journalism.
- Illuminating Projects: PJP has elevated critical issues often uncovered by traditional media outlets, with stories from “What It’s Like to Have Your Period in Prison” to “I’m Fighting for My Freedom Using Outdated Technology.”
- Transformative Education Initiatives: PJP launchedLearning+, a three-year training and publishing progression for writers and previously introduced “A Prison Writer’s Guide to Media Writing,” now used by prison education programs and partners in 12 states.
“As a formerly incarcerated writer, PJP not only gave me a platform to share my experience as a queer man in prison but also equipped me with the skills to rebuild my life after release,” said Kashawn Taylor, PJP’s first Audience Engagement Fellow and a former program participant. “Because of PJP’s educational programs, I’ve enrolled in an MFA program, published a poetry collection and now teach creative writing. I’m incredibly proud to work with PJP to empower other incarcerated writers to discover their voices and shape their futures.”
In 2026, PJP is committed to expanding access to literacy and workforce development-based journalism training that will help incarcerated individuals when they leave prison. The organization is prioritizing its programs for incarcerated women and plans to launch special projects to elevate their stories as well as those facing illness behind bars in addition to deepening engagement with formerly incarcerated writers, families and supporters.
For the full report and information on how to support PJP’s mission to empower incarcerated individuals and foster a more informed public conversation, visit prisonjournalismproject.org.
ABOUT PRISON JOURNALISM PROJECT
Prison Journalism Project is a national, nonprofit journalism organization that trains and publishes incarcerated writers so they can shift the narrative on mass incarceration through journalism while building literacy, professional skills, and confidence for life after prison. Sign up for PJP’s newsletter, The Inside Story, at: prisonjournalismproject.org/newsletter/.