WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new report from The Sentencing Project, entitled Justice Delayed: The Growing Wait for Parole After a Life Sentence, reveals that the promise of parole for individuals serving life sentences has significantly eroded. Nearly half of the approximately 200,000 people serving life sentences in 2024 are technically eligible for parole, yet many face prolonged delays both before and after initial eligibility, effectively transforming life with parole into life without parole for many.
The report highlights that the number of individuals sentenced to life in prison has drastically increased over the past five decades. Of the 194,803 people serving life sentences in 2024, nearly 97,160 are parole-eligible. However, policy changes, parole board discretion, and structural barriers have left many incarcerated for decades beyond their eligibility dates.
Originally, parole was designed to serve as a bridge between an incarcerated person and their community, facilitating reintegration. Now, it often functions to delay or deny second chances, even for those deemed rehabilitated. Legislative changes in states like Colorado, Georgia, and Louisiana have extended parole eligibility from as low as seven years to as high as 40 years—or removed it entirely for certain life sentences.
The report features profiles of individuals impacted by these systemic delays. Aaron Banks in Georgia, for instance, has remained incarcerated for 23 years despite not having planned or committed the crime for which he was convicted. He is the only Black person among those involved in the case and has not been given a pathway to return home, even as others involved have already been released or transferred to transitional programs.
In Maryland, Anthony Muhammad experienced a 10-year denial at his initial parole hearing, despite being parole-eligible. He was eventually released under Maryland’s Juvenile Restoration Act. According to the report, it is common for first-time parole hearings in Maryland to result in re-hearings with a 10-year waiting period.
The report also underscores stark racial disparities. Nationally, more than two-thirds of those serving life sentences are people of color, with Black men disproportionately impacted. In New York, a study cited in the report found that the state parole board was 22.6 percent less likely to release a person of color. In California, prosecutors were more likely to oppose parole for Black individuals even after controlling for variables such as criminal history and education.
In addition to the emotional toll, the current parole system is economically inefficient and fails to enhance public safety. Research cited in the report suggests that extreme prison terms do not contribute meaningfully to community safety. Instead, they divert essential resources away from crime prevention strategies and community investments, such as mental health support, healthcare services, employment programs, and education—interventions shown to foster healthier and safer communities.
To address these deeply rooted problems, The Sentencing Project recommends allowing parole eligibility within 10 years of sentencing, establishing a presumption of release once eligibility is reached, and mandating annual parole re-hearings for those denied release. The report also advocates for expanding sentence review through second-look laws and calls for centering respect for human dignity throughout the parole process.
The organization emphasizes that timely parole hearings are essential, as delays undermine the ability of incarcerated individuals to maintain family, social, and community connections—factors known to support successful reintegration upon release.
The report also explores specific state-level developments. In Maryland, a longstanding requirement that the governor approve parole recommendations for individuals serving life sentences was repealed in 2021. This led to several releases, though barriers remain, including the use of risk assessments that often lack transparency and fairness.
Minnesota has likewise undertaken legislative reform. In 1989, the state increased the minimum sentence for first-degree murder from 17 to 30 years. More recently, in 2023, Minnesota passed a law eliminating juvenile life without parole and ensuring that all youth sentenced to life or to confinement exceeding 15 years become eligible for parole after serving at least 15 years.
The Justice Delayed report offers a compelling case for reforming parole systems nationwide. By implementing these changes, states can restore the meaning of life with parole and embrace a more just and rehabilitative approach to criminal justice—one that recognizes the potential for change and reintegration.
