UCLA Law

Behind Bars Project

Background

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The UCLA Law Behind Bars Data Project is a national initiative that brings together data on deaths in U.S. prisons and jails. By creating the first centralized, public repository of in-custody deaths across state prison systems, the project aims to increase transparency, inform research, and drive policy reform within the carceral system.

MY ROLE

I led the UX and data visualization design for the entire site, working closely with UCLA Law researchers to interpret and present their data in a way that is intuitive, searchable, and accessible to a wide public audience.

Behind Bars Project makes data on deaths in U.S. prisons and jails publicly accessible for the first time — bringing visibility to a system long hidden from view.

Goals

  • Increase transparency and accountability by centralizing and publishing data on deaths in U.S. prisons and jails.

  • Support research, advocacy, and legal efforts with accessible, reliable data previously unavailable from federal sources.

  • Visualize and compare data across state and federal prisons to help users explore trends, identify disparities, and dive into detailed information by location.

  • Highlight the public health impact of incarceration through a platform designed to inform, educate, and drive systemic understanding.

Visual Style

The visual identity of the Behind Bars Data Project balances strength, clarity, and neutrality to support the weight of its content. I paired Champion Gothic for bold, authoritative headlines with Neue Haas Grotesk for clean readability, and Plantin MT Pro for approachable, research-friendly body text. The muted, earthy color palette avoids sensationalism and centers the data, creating an experience that prioritizes usability and trust.

Features & Solutions

The homepage opens with a bold introduction to the scale and urgency of the issue, combining striking statistics with a mission-driven statement.

Hexbin map to view deaths, population, and crude mortality rate in federal and state prisons in 2019—2021.

Compare deaths, population, and crude mortality rate in selected state and federal prisons.

View detailed statistics on deaths in custody for state and federal prisons in individual location pages. And whether the state prison system has made available data on deaths and population demographics.