09 Mar Wooden v United States: A Positive Outcome On Mandatory Minimums
In Wooten v United States, the Supreme Court issued a rare but correct decision against the overuse of mandatory-minimum sentences.
Mandatory Minimums
03 Mar Prison sentences aren’t productive. So why do we like them so much?
Would the people serving prison sentences in the United States be more productive doing something else? The answer, almost always, is yes.
23 Jul Explainer: Three Strikes Laws and Their Effects
The efficacy of three strikes laws and effects on crime, incarceration rates and recidivism. Impact of three-strike laws on justice-system.
07 May Maryland Latest State to Ban Life Without Parole for Children
In March, Maryland became the 25th state, along with D.C., to ban sentences of life without parole for juveniles. The state’s Democratic-run legislature overrode Republican Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of the legislation. With the vote, hundreds of people will have an opportunity for earlier release.
14 Apr Racial Disparity in Sentencing for Drug Related Crimes on the Decline
Mandatory minimums have also perpetuated mass incarceration, and many states are working to reduce or eliminate the use of mandatory minimums in their courts. In short, criminal justice reform has solved one problem while exacerbating another.
08 Apr Virginia Lawmakers Fail to Reach Agreement on Mandatory Minimums
Virginia lawmakers hoped to eliminate mandatory minimums as part of sweeping justice reform, but they couldn’t find common ground.
05 Feb Icing Out Justice: A criticism on the ice and mixture methamphetamine federal sentencing guidelines
The current sentencing guidelines for ice and mixture methamphetamine are the product of a rash decision and an outdated assumption.
02 Feb It’s Time for the Next Step Act
Posted at 14:00h
in Emphasizing Rehabilitation, Ending Mass Incarceration, Mandatory Minimums, Prisons, Supervised Release
The First Step Act was literally that: a first step. Now that the political winds have changed, its time for the Next Step Act to become law.
26 Jan Could HR 7194 End Some Mandatory Minimums?
In 1991, the United States Sentencing Commission submitted a report to Congress calling for the abolition of mandatory minimums. We’re on the eve of the 30-year anniversary of that report. Yet we’ve made very little progress when it comes to the unfair sentencing practice.
29 Dec First Step Act of 2018: Two Years Later
Posted at 19:39h
in Emphasizing Rehabilitation, Ending Mass Incarceration, Mandatory Minimums, Prisons, Supervised Release
The First Step Act was a bipartisan project several years in the making. The goal of the bipartisan effort was simple but important. It aimed to reduce the number of people in federal prisons while maintaining public safety.