Contribute: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 14:33, 3 June 2026

Prisonpedia is built from documents. Court records, Bureau of Prisons data, sentencing transcripts, agency press releases, and the firsthand knowledge of people who have been through the federal system. Much of that knowledge is not written down anywhere else. This page explains how to add to it.

Anyone can contribute. You do not need an account to send a correction or a tip. You do not need to be a lawyer. If you served time at a facility we have a page on, you know things the public record does not capture, and that is worth submitting. If you spotted a wrong release date or a misspelled case number, tell us. Small fixes matter as much as long accounts.

What we will not do is publish rumor, settle scores, or run anything that reads like a press release. Read the rest of this page and you will know what fits and what does not.

Ways to Contribute

There are a few different kinds of contributions, and they get handled differently.

Corrections. A date is wrong. A sentence length is off. A name is misspelled. A facility is listed at the wrong security level. These are the fastest to process. Point us to the exact spot and, where you can, the source that proves the right answer.

New information on an existing page. Maybe a person on one of our pages was resentenced, transferred, or released, and the page has not caught up. Maybe a facility changed its visiting rules. Send what changed and how you know.

Firsthand accounts. If you were incarcerated at a facility we cover, or you went through a process we describe, your direct experience is useful. We use these in the "Notes from Alumni" sections of facility pages and to sanity-check the procedural pages. Tell us what you saw, what the daily routine looked like, how intake actually worked, what the commissary stocked. We will treat your account as a primary source and weigh it accordingly.

Suggested new pages. A facility with no page. A legal topic we have not covered. A case that belongs in the record. Tell us the subject and point us at the documents that exist on it.

Source tips. Sometimes the most helpful thing is a link. A newly unsealed indictment, a docket entry on PACER, a BOP policy statement nobody has written up. Send the link and a line about why it matters.

What We Look For

A good submission is specific and checkable.

Names spelled the way they appear in court records. Dates in full. Case numbers when you have them. The facility's real designation, not a nickname. If you are describing a process, say which step you mean and roughly when you went through it, because rules change year to year and the year matters.

We are an encyclopedia, not a forum. That shapes what we can use. We do not publish opinions about whether someone deserved their sentence. We do not publish guesses about guilt, motive, or what someone was "really" like. We do not run anonymous accusations against a named person. State what happened. Leave the verdict to the reader.

Firsthand accounts get a little more room than that, because lived experience is the point of them. You can describe how a place felt, what the staff were like, what the food was. What we still ask is that you stick to what you witnessed and not present secondhand stories as your own.

Neutral does not mean bloodless. The clearest entries read like a careful reporter wrote them: plain, exact, no adjectives doing work the facts should do. If a draft leans on words like "shocking" or "mastermind," we cut them. We would rather under-write than oversell.

Sourcing and Accuracy

Every factual claim on a person page needs a source behind it. We rank sources in tiers.

At the top are primary documents: Department of Justice press releases, court filings pulled from PACER or RECAP, the BOP inmate locator, the U.S. Code, the Federal Register. These are the spine of the site. Below them are the major news organizations, the wire services and national papers of record. Below those, reputable regional outlets and national magazines. We do not cite Wikipedia, personal blogs, anonymous posts, or non-DOJ press releases as fact. They can point us toward a source, but they are not the source.

When a claim could damage someone's reputation, we hold it to a higher bar: two or more independent sources before it goes in. We state legal outcomes exactly. "Charged with" is not "convicted of." "Pleaded guilty to" is not "was found guilty of." If charges were dropped or someone was acquitted, that fact leads.

Firsthand accounts are their own category. We cannot independently verify what you personally lived through, and we do not pretend to. We label these as alumni notes so a reader knows the nature of the source. That honesty is what makes them usable.

If you send a correction, the best thing you can include is the document that settles it. A docket link beats a memory. A BOP record beats a news summary. We will still take the tip without a source and go find one, but you will speed things up if you bring the receipt.

How to Submit

Use the talk page attached to the article you want to change. Every page has one. Open it, describe the fix or addition, and link your source if you have one. This is the best route for corrections and new information, because it keeps the discussion next to the page it concerns.

For a firsthand account, a suggested new page, or anything that does not map onto an existing article, email the team at [email protected] or use the contact form linked in the site footer. Tell us the subject, what you know, and how you know it. If you want your account credited a certain way, or kept anonymous, say so in the message and we will honor it.

If you plan to edit regularly, you can create an account. An account is not required to send a correction or a tip, but it lets you track your edits and build a record on the wiki.

We read everything that comes in. We cannot promise to use everything. Some tips do not check out. Some accounts cannot be sourced to the standard a public page needs. When we can use what you send, we will, and the page will be more accurate because of it. That is the whole point of the project. The record is only as good as the people willing to correct it.

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-== Contribute to Prisonpedia ==
+Prisonpedia is built from documents. Court records, Bureau of Prisons data, sentencing transcripts, agency press releases, and the firsthand knowledge of people who have been through the federal system. Much of that knowledge is not written down anywhere else. This page explains how to add to it.
-=== Our Mission ===
+Anyone can contribute. You do not need an account to send a correction or a tip. You do not need to be a lawyer. If you served time at a facility we have a page on, you know things the public record does not capture, and that is worth submitting. If you spotted a wrong release date or a misspelled case number, tell us. Small fixes matter as much as long accounts.
-Prisonpedia exists to provide accurate, comprehensive, and accessible information about the American criminal justice system—particularly for those navigating it firsthand. Launched in March 2024, we are building a knowledge base '''for us, by us''': created by individuals with direct experience in the criminal justice system, legal professionals who work within it, families who have supported loved ones through it, and subject matter experts committed to demystifying its complexities.
+What we will not do is publish rumor, settle scores, or run anything that reads like a press release. Read the rest of this page and you will know what fits and what does not.
-Our mission is to compile reliable, well-sourced information that helps people make informed decisions during some of the most challenging periods of their lives. We cover topics ranging from pre-sentencing strategies and prison consultant services to facility-specific information, legal processes, re-entry resources, and post-incarceration life. Every article is intended to serve as a practical resource grounded in real experience and verifiable facts.
+== Ways to Contribute ==
-=== Why Contributor Quality Matters ===
+There are a few different kinds of contributions, and they get handled differently.
-As a young project still in its early stages, we are acutely aware that our credibility depends entirely on the quality and accuracy of our content. The information we provide has real-world consequences for real people making critical decisions. A poorly researched article about prison medical care could lead someone to make uninformed choices about their health. Inaccurate information about sentencing guidelines could give false hope or unnecessary anxiety. Unverified claims about prison conditions could mislead families trying to support their loved ones.
+'''Corrections.''' A date is wrong. A sentence length is off. A name is misspelled. A facility is listed at the wrong security level. These are the fastest to process. Point us to the exact spot and, where you can, the source that proves the right answer.
-For this reason, we maintain high editorial standards and carefully vet all contributors. We are not a platform for rumor, speculation, or personal grievance. We are building a serious reference work that can be trusted by defendants, families, attorneys, researchers, and policymakers alike.
+'''New information on an existing page.''' Maybe a person on one of our pages was resentenced, transferred, or released, and the page has not caught up. Maybe a facility changed its visiting rules. Send what changed and how you know.
-=== Current Registration Policy ===
+'''Firsthand accounts.''' If you were incarcerated at a facility we cover, or you went through a process we describe, your direct experience is useful. We use these in the "Notes from Alumni" sections of facility pages and to sanity-check the procedural pages. Tell us what you saw, what the daily routine looked like, how intake actually worked, what the commissary stocked. We will treat your account as a primary source and weigh it accordingly.
-Registration is currently restricted. Unlike open wikis where anyone can create an account and begin editing immediately, we require prospective contributors to connect with us directly before gaining editing access. This allows us to:
+'''Suggested new pages.''' A facility with no page. A legal topic we have not covered. A case that belongs in the record. Tell us the subject and point us at the documents that exist on it.
-* Verify the identity and background of potential contributors
+'''Source tips.''' Sometimes the most helpful thing is a link. A newly unsealed indictment, a docket entry on PACER, a BOP policy statement nobody has written up. Send the link and a line about why it matters.
-* Understand each contributor's areas of expertise and experience
-* Ensure alignment with our editorial standards and mission
-* Maintain the integrity and reliability of our content
-* Build a community of trusted contributors who can collaborate effectively
-We recognize this creates a higher barrier to entry than fully open platforms, but we believe it is necessary at this stage of our development. As we grow and establish robust editorial processes, we may revisit this policy. For now, quality and trustworthiness take precedence over rapid expansion.
+== What We Look For ==
-=== What We're Looking For in Contributors ===
+A good submission is specific and checkable.
-We seek contributors who bring one or more of the following qualifications:
+Names spelled the way they appear in court records. Dates in full. Case numbers when you have them. The facility's real designation, not a nickname. If you are describing a process, say which step you mean and roughly when you went through it, because rules change year to year and the year matters.
-'''Direct Experience:''' Individuals who have navigated the federal or state criminal justice systems, either as defendants, inmates, or family members of the incarcerated. Personal experience provides invaluable insights that cannot be found in official documentation, particularly regarding day-to-day realities, unwritten rules, and practical strategies for survival and success.
+We are an encyclopedia, not a forum. That shapes what we can use. We do not publish opinions about whether someone deserved their sentence. We do not publish guesses about guilt, motive, or what someone was "really" like. We do not run anonymous accusations against a named person. State what happened. Leave the verdict to the reader.
-'''Professional Expertise:''' Criminal defense attorneys, prison consultants, sentencing mitigation specialists, probation officers, corrections professionals, social workers, re-entry counselors, and other professionals who work within or adjacent to the criminal justice system. Your professional knowledge helps ensure our content is legally accurate, procedurally correct, and practically useful.
+Firsthand accounts get a little more room than that, because lived experience is the point of them. You can describe how a place felt, what the staff were like, what the food was. What we still ask is that you stick to what you witnessed and not present secondhand stories as your own.
-'''Research and Writing Skills:''' Contributors should be capable of writing clearly, citing sources appropriately, and presenting information in an encyclopedic, neutral tone. We model our editorial standards on those of Wikipedia and other serious reference works. Personal opinions and advocacy have their place, but Prisonpedia articles should be factual, balanced, and well-documented.
+Neutral does not mean bloodless. The clearest entries read like a careful reporter wrote them: plain, exact, no adjectives doing work the facts should do. If a draft leans on words like "shocking" or "mastermind," we cut them. We would rather under-write than oversell.
-'''Commitment to Accuracy:''' All claims must be verifiable and properly sourced. We prioritize primary sources (statutes, court documents, official Bureau of Prisons policies) and reputable secondary sources (legal publications, academic research, established news organizations) over anecdotal reports or hearsay.
+== Sourcing and Accuracy ==
-'''Collaborative Spirit:''' Contributing to Prisonpedia means working with other editors to build something larger than any individual could create alone. This requires patience, willingness to accept editorial feedback, and commitment to consensus-building when disagreements arise.
+Every factual claim on a person page needs a source behind it. We rank sources in tiers.
-=== What We Expect from Contributors ===
+At the top are primary documents: Department of Justice press releases, court filings pulled from PACER or RECAP, the BOP inmate locator, the U.S. Code, the Federal Register. These are the spine of the site. Below them are the major news organizations, the wire services and national papers of record. Below those, reputable regional outlets and national magazines. We do not cite Wikipedia, personal blogs, anonymous posts, or non-DOJ press releases as fact. They can point us toward a source, but they are not the source.
-'''This is volunteer work.''' Prisonpedia is a community resource, and all contributors donate their time and expertise. There is no compensation for articles written, edits made, or time invested. Contributors participate because they believe in the mission and want to help others navigate the system they themselves have experienced or studied.
+When a claim could damage someone's reputation, we hold it to a higher bar: two or more independent sources before it goes in. We state legal outcomes exactly. "Charged with" is not "convicted of." "Pleaded guilty to" is not "was found guilty of." If charges were dropped or someone was acquitted, that fact leads.
-'''Neutrality and objectivity.''' While many of our contributors have strong views about criminal justice reform, individual articles must maintain an encyclopedic tone. Advocacy, opinion, and personal narrative belong in clearly labeled sections or separate projects—not in reference articles about legal processes, facility information, or procedural guidance.
+Firsthand accounts are their own category. We cannot independently verify what you personally lived through, and we do not pretend to. We label these as alumni notes so a reader knows the nature of the source. That honesty is what makes them usable.
-'''Proper attribution.''' All information must be properly sourced. Original research and personal experience can inform articles, but claims of fact must be verifiable through reliable sources. We follow citation standards similar to those used by Wikipedia and academic publications.
+If you send a correction, the best thing you can include is the document that settles it. A docket link beats a memory. A BOP record beats a news summary. We will still take the tip without a source and go find one, but you will speed things up if you bring the receipt.
-'''Respect for editorial process.''' Articles may be edited, restructured, or supplemented by other contributors. No one "owns" an article. The goal is to create the best possible resource, which often requires collaborative refinement over time.
+== How to Submit ==
-'''Long-term commitment.''' We are looking for contributors who will remain engaged over months and years, not those seeking to make a single edit and disappear. The criminal justice system evolves constantly—laws change, policies shift, facilities close or open, and programs are created or eliminated. Maintaining an accurate, up-to-date knowledge base requires ongoing attention.
+Use the talk page attached to the article you want to change. Every page has one. Open it, describe the fix or addition, and link your source if you have one. This is the best route for corrections and new information, because it keeps the discussion next to the page it concerns.
-=== How to Apply ===
+For a firsthand account, a suggested new page, or anything that does not map onto an existing article, email the team at [email protected] or use the contact form linked in the site footer. Tell us the subject, what you know, and how you know it. If you want your account credited a certain way, or kept anonymous, say so in the message and we will honor it.
-If you believe you would be a valuable contributor to Prisonpedia, we want to hear from you. Please email '''team@prisonpedia.com''' with the following information:
+If you plan to edit regularly, you can [https://prisonpedia.com/wiki/Special:CreateAccount create an account]. An account is not required to send a correction or a tip, but it lets you track your edits and build a record on the wiki.
-* Your background and areas of expertise (personal experience, professional credentials, research interests, etc.)
+We read everything that comes in. We cannot promise to use everything. Some tips do not check out. Some accounts cannot be sourced to the standard a public page needs. When we can use what you send, we will, and the page will be more accurate because of it. That is the whole point of the project. The record is only as good as the people willing to correct it.
-* Specific topics or areas where you could contribute valuable information
-* Examples of your writing, if available (published articles, blog posts, legal briefs, or other relevant materials)
-* Your motivation for wanting to contribute to Prisonpedia
-We review applications on a rolling basis and will respond to all serious inquiries. If we determine you're a good fit for our contributor community, we'll provide you with login credentials, access to our editorial guidelines, and guidance on how to begin contributing.
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Contribute}}
+[[Category:Prisonpedia]]
-We understand that some potential contributors may wish to remain anonymous or use pseudonyms given the sensitive nature of this subject matter. We can accommodate these concerns while still verifying credentials and expertise through our vetting process.
+[[Category:Help]]
-=== Building Something That Lasts ===
-Prisonpedia is still in its infancy. We have much to build, refine, and improve. But we are committed to doing this work carefully and correctly, laying a foundation that can support decades of growth. We are not interested in becoming the largest criminal justice wiki—we are interested in becoming the most reliable, the most trusted, and the most useful.
-If you share that vision and have the expertise, commitment, and integrity to help us achieve it, we welcome your application.
-Email us at: '''[email protected]'''
-== See Also ==
-* [[About Prisonpedia]]
+{{#seo:
-* [[Editorial Standards]]
+|title=Contribute to Prisonpedia — Corrections, Accounts, and Sources
-* [[Citation Guidelines]]
+|title_mode=replace
-* [[Community Guidelines]]
+|description=How to contribute to Prisonpedia: send corrections, firsthand accounts, and source tips. Sourcing tiers, neutrality standards, and how to submit through talk pages or the contact form.
+|keywords=contribute to Prisonpedia, submit a correction, firsthand prison account, prison wiki sources, editorial standards, how to edit Prisonpedia
+|type=Article
+|site_name=Prisonpedia
+|locale=en_US
+|modified_time=2026-06-03
+}}
-[[Category:Prisonpedia]]
+{{MetaDescription|How to contribute to Prisonpedia: send corrections, firsthand accounts, and source tips, plus the sourcing tiers and neutrality standards we hold submissions to.}}
-[[Category:Community]]