July 2009

No Exit: The Expanding Use of Life Sentences in America

Finds a record 140,610 individuals are now serving life sentences in state and federal prisons, 6,807 of whom were juveniles at the time of the crime.  In addition, 29% of persons serving a life sentence (41,095) have no possibility of parole, and 1,755 were juveniles at the time of the crime.

Authors: Ryan S. King and Ashley Nellis, Ph.D.
Issue Area(s): Sentencing Policy, Incarceration, Racial Disparity