news
August 12, 2016
Can Marijuana Reform End Mass Incarceration?
While current marijuana enforcement is counterproductive in many respects, there is little evidence to indicate that it has been a substantial contributor to mass incarceration. Of the 1.5 million people in state or federal prisons, only about 40,000 are incarcerated for a marijuana offense.
news
August 08, 2016
Disenfranchisement News: California bill would allow some voting in custody
California considers a bill to allow some individuals to vote while in custody, the Virginia Supreme Court overturns Governor Terry McAuliffe’s executive order restoring voting rights to an estimated 200,000 Virginians who have completed their sentences, and more in our latest Disenfranchisement News.
Andres Idarraga
After his release in June of 2004, Andres Idarraga became a full-time student at Brown University studying comparative literature and economics while maintaining full-time employment. Idarraga saw his right to vote as a significant and crucial aspect to rebuilding his life and to contributing to his community.
news
August 04, 2016
Obama Clemency Moves Needle on Prison Reform, but More Needed
President Obama's clemency grants are an important step in addressing mass incarceration. Now it's time for Congress to act.
news
July 22, 2016
Virginia Court Overturns Order That Restored Voting Rights To Felons
In a 4-3 ruling, the Virginia Supreme Court decided that Gov. Terry McAuliffe doesn't have the authority for a blanket restoration of voting rights to state residents with felony convictions.
Theresa McIntyre Smith
In 1999, Theresa Smith was arrested at an airport after she met a drug courier in Roy Mercer’s network and according to the government, identified a suitcase containing eleven kilograms of cocaine for the courier. Smith said she had been told by Mercer that the suitcase contained his nieces’ clothes. For this first-time non-violent offense, Smith was sentenced to a ten-year mandatory prison term.
news
July 18, 2016
Race & Justice News: Racial Disparities in Police Use of Force Exceed Disparities in Arrests
Study finds that racial disparities in police use of force cannot be fully explained by racial disparities in arrest rates, thousands of Justice Department employees to receive implicit bias training, and more in our latest Race and Justice News.
news
July 13, 2016
Cop-Protection Bill Could Send Thousands to Federal Prison
A bill introduced in response to the fatal shooting of five policemen in Dallas would impose strict mandatory minimum sentences for attacks on law enforcement.
Lawrence and Lamont Garrison
Sentences for federal drug crimes are based on the quantity of the drugs involved, not the individual’s role in the crime. The emphasis on quantity rather than the role of the offender, along with the conspiracy laws, too often result in disproportionate sentencing, even for first-time offenses such as the Garrisons’.
news
July 10, 2016
Fix the Racial Disparities in Oregon’s Prisons
In Oregon in 2014, 1 in 21 of all African American adult males was in prison. The Sentencing Project's Senior Research Analyst Ashley Nellis and Bobbin Singh, Executive Director of the Oregon Justice Resource Center, urge Oregon policymakers to take action to address the racial disparities in the state criminal justice system.
news
July 04, 2016
One Robber’s 3 Life Sentences: ’90s Legacy Fills Prisons Today
People convicted of non-violent drug offenses make up only about 17 percent of state prison populations across the country, while people incarcerated for violent offenses make up more than 50 percent.
Kemba Smith
At 24 years old, Kemba Smith was sentenced to 24.5 years in prison for conspiracy to participate in her boyfriend's drug activities, a non-violent, first-time offense. For years, her parents galvanized a tireless movement seeking clemency for their daughter.
publications
July 01, 2016
Juvenile Life Without Parole: An Overview
The United States stands alone as the only nation that sentences people to life without parole for crimes committed before turning 18. This briefing paper reviews the Supreme Court precedents that limited the use of JLWOP and the challenges that remain.
news
June 26, 2016
New Jersey Is a Leader on Criminal Justice Reform. So Why This Racial Disparity?
New Jersey has led the nation in reducing its state prison population, achieving a 31% reduction since 1999, with no adverse effect on public safety. However, racial disparities in New Jersey prisons are the highest in the nation.
Christopher Poulos
When Chris Poulos was arrested, he experienced firsthand the difference that money can make in the criminal justice system. He recounts the experience in his own words.
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