publications
news
May 17, 2017
Race & Justice News: Can Ban the Box Policies Result in Racial Discrimination?
Ban the Box reforms may disadvantage job applicants of color who do not have criminal histories, Brooklyn prosecutors protect immigrants from deportation over petty crimes, and more in Race and Justice News.
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
May 15, 2017
Jeff Sessions decision to re-up in the drug war won't work
Kara Gotsch and Marc Mauer explain why the Attorney General's newly issued sentencing directive to federal prosecutors is a devastating revival of the War on Drugs.
news
May 12, 2017
Federal Prison Population will Expand under new DOJ Directive
The Sentencing Project condemns DOJ’s return to harsh enforcement of low-level drug crimes
Willie Mays Aikens
In 2008, Willie Mays Aikens made headlines when a federal judge reduced his lengthy prison term to 14 years as a result of the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s adjustment to the crack cocaine sentencing guidelines. Aikens was released in June 2008.
news
May 09, 2017
Life Without Redemption
When 1 in 7 Americans in prison is serving a life term, it's time to rethink our failed crime policies.
news
May 08, 2017
Number of people serving life in US prisons is surging, new report says
A person in prison who starts his or her sentence in their 30s will, on average, cost the state $1 million per year.
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.
publications
May 05, 2017
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.
publications
May 03, 2017
Still Life: America’s Increasing Use of Life and Long-Term Sentences
Amid historically low crime rates, a record 206,268 people are serving life or virtual life sentences—one of every seven people in prison.
news
May 01, 2017
State Advocacy Update: Efforts to Address Federal Drug Felony Ban on Public Benefits
In 2017, proposals to opt out or modify the lifetime felony drug ban on public benefits were introduced in at least three states.
news
April 20, 2017
The Sentencing Project Releases Its 2016 Annual Report
Learn more about how our research and analysis in 2016 played a major role in shaping the policy debate around criminal justice reform.
Load More