publications
May 27, 2022
Oversight Hearing on Clemency and the Office of the Pardon Attorney
Senior Fellow William "Bill" Underwood testified before the House Judiciary Committee about the need for Congress to provide more opportunities for second chances for people serving extreme sentences.
publications
May 12, 2022
Incarcerated Women and Girls
Research on female incarceration is critical to understanding the full consequences of mass incarceration and to unraveling the policies and practices that lead to their criminalization. The number of incarcerated women was nearly five times higher in 2020 than in 1980.
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
April 26, 2022
Media Guide: 10 Crime Coverage Dos and Don'ts
The Sentencing Project’s new media guide can help media outlets develop coverage that will better inform the public and policymakers on how to pursue the most effective and humane public safety policies.
news
April 11, 2022
#SecondChanceMonth: Unlock the Vote
Honoring April as Second Chance Month gives us an opportunity to check in on developments in voting rights and expanding the franchise to incarcerated voters. The Sentencing Project is working regularly with state and local campaigns to expand voting rights to justice impacted voters.
July 26, 2017
Dr. Stanley Andrisse
From prison cells to PhD, Dr. Stanley Andrisse shares his transformation to inspire those impacted by the criminal justice system.
publications
April 05, 2022
Letter Opposing the PROTECT Act of 2022
The PROTECT Act of 2022 would have far-reaching implications for eroding fairness and justice, including the potential to usher in a new era of mandatory minimums.
publications
March 30, 2022
California Task Force to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans - Criminal Justice Panel
Nicole D. Porter, Senior Director of Advocacy, testified before the California's Reparations Task Force on the Criminal Justice Panel.
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.
news
March 16, 2022
Opinion: Nearly 60 years after Voting Rights Act, some voter protections still undermined
Thousands of people in federal custody or who have been released still face roadblocks that prevent them from gaining full access to the ballot box. The Sentencing Project's Keeda Haynes penned an op-ed in USA Today that highlights the importance of universal suffrage.
publications
March 15, 2022
Too Many Locked Doors
The scope of youth confinement is vastly understated. A one-day count cannot accurately reflect the wide and deep footprint of youth incarceration.
James Inge
James D. Inge is one of 300 individuals age 60 or older arrested between 1965 and 1980 that was sentenced to life imprisonment in Pennsylvania. Learn more about his campaign to give rehabilitated seniors serving life a second chance.
publications
March 07, 2022
Sign-on Letter: Ensure Fair Process for "Old Law" People in Federal Process
Justice organizations urge Attorney General Merrick Garland to exercise oversight of the U.S. Parole Commission and ensure that the Commission provides a fair process for the several hundred "old law" people within its jurisdiction.
publications
February 28, 2022
Vermont Must End Life Without Parole
Vermont must pursue new reforms to undo the harmful and ineffective warehousing of people that life sentences result in and to offer opportunities for rehabilitation and redemption.
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.
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