LINK Time For A Second Look: Why We Must Review Extreme Prison Sentences
For too long, excessive and extreme sentences have remained a staple of the United States’ approach to criminal justice. Far too many people are serving decades-long sentences – remaining incarcerated well into old-age and well past the point of diminishing returns on public safety.
In order to undo the tremendous harm of mass incarceration, we cannot simply rely on prospective reforms to address the impact of harsh sentencing laws and the ramp up over past decades of mass incarceration. Second look laws that allow individuals to seek relief from extreme sentencing on a case-by-case basis and return to their communities after serving a period of incarceration will allow states to safely reduce their prison populations and reinvest in more effective public safety measures.
Moderator:
Miriam Krinsky, Executive Director, Fair and Just Prosecution
Miriam Krinsky, Executive Director, Fair and Just Prosecution
Panelists:
- Delegate Jazz Lewis, Member of Maryland House of Delegates, District 24
- Mike Schmidt, District Attorney of Multnomah County, Oregon
- Tyrone Walker, Associate/Project Director, Justice Policy Institute
- Kevin Ring, President, FAMM
Sponsored By: FAMM and Fair and Just Prosecution
**Recorded: Wednesday, May 12, 2021