The Sentencing Project’s article cites evidence that increasing prison sentences based on criminal history does not improve public safety and disproportionately harms people of color, and proposes that criminal records should account for no more than 10% of sentence lengths for 10-year or longer sentences.
Restorative justice programs and other alternatives to incarceration can help prevent harm and promote healing, while keeping communities safe and reducing mass incarceration.
The Sentencing Project warns that the overreach of federal criminal law into local offenses disproportionately harms Black and Latino communities, and Congress has introduced legislation to limit federal prosecution of conduct already handled at the state and local levels.
The House of Representatives narrowly passed the “Stop Illegal Entry Act of 2025”, which would impose steep mandatory minimum sentences and potential life sentences on asylum seekers, teenagers, and immigrant families attempting to reunite, with critics arguing that it represents an extreme expansion of federal sentencing and would undermine public safety.
By Julie McCaffrey WASHINGTON, DC – The Sentencing Project released a new fact sheet last week— “How…
By David M. Greenwald Executive Editor San Francisco, CA – If you thought ending mandatory minimums and…
By David M. Greenwald Executive Editor Washington, DC – In a week where bipartisanship in Washington appeared…
By Stephanie Boulos and Stacie Guevara WASHINGTON DC – Families Against Mandatory Minimums, the American Civil Liberties…
SACRAMENTO, CA – Mandatory prison and jail sentences for nonviolent drug offenses would end under legislation that…
By Lauren Smith RICHMOND, VA – Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced a new sentencing reform…
Under current law, certain drug offenses in California carry with them mandatory jail and prison sentences. On…
California Moves Back to Mandatory Minimums in Response to Brock Turner This week the California State Legislature…
Federal Appeals Court Hears Arguments on the Constitutionality of California’s Death Penalty Last year, U.S. District Judge…
Last week, we reported on research from University of Michigan economics professor Michael Mueller-Smith who, upon examining…