The Sentencing Project works to roll back the extreme punishment paradigm in the United States that fuels mass incarceration and its racial disparities. Our advocates work at the state and federal levels to end life imprisonment and implement a cap of 20 years of imprisonment for most serious crimes, and for a universal “second look” review process as well as trauma-informed responses to criminalized survivors.
State Advocacy
State Campaigns
The Sentencing Project leads advocacy efforts in eight jurisdictions, including Oklahoma, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Florida, and New England states to advance sentencing reforms that promote community safety and reduce ineffective overreliance on incarceration. State campaign activities include coalition leadership, public event coordination, inside/out strategy support, strategic communications, and tailored research and data analysis.
Advocacy
Defending and Advancing Sentencing Justice in DC
The Sentencing Project advocates for universal eligibility of second look in the District and the abolition of mandatory minimum sentences. In 2023, The Sentencing Project and broad coalition of partners successfully defeated a mayoral proposal to roll back second look. We also play a key role in protecting the District from Congressional overreach. Congress has the power to block the District’s sentencing reform laws from going into effect, impose budget riders, and legislate directly on DC issues. In 2023, we worked with local partners to defeat a anti-second look budget rider and we continue to fight Congressional attempts to deprive DC of the right to determine their own sentencing laws, such as with the DC Crimes Act.
Read letter in support of DC's Revised Criminal Code Act
State Advocacy
Louisiana: Revising Second Degree Murder Statute
In 2023, The Sentencing Project and its incredible state partners were able to pass a resolution, SCR 45, which created a committee to reform Louisiana's second degree murder statute, which imposes mandatory life without parole sentences on a broad range of conduct. We hope this study will recommend a rewrite of Louisiana's Second degree murder statute. This is a crucial step given that second degree murder sentences account for over 50% of the state's life-without-parole (LWOP) sentenced population.
Learn more in our fact sheet
State Advocacy
Second Look in Massachusetts
The Sentencing Project coordinated and provided testimony for HB 3955, an Act for Second Look. This hearing was especially important because it marked the first time that incarcerated individuals were able to share their testimonies directly with the state legislature. Participants hailed from five different facilities, with two dozen residents actively participating in this historic moment.
State Advocacy
Second Look in Michigan
For the past two years, The Sentencing Project has anchored a coalition of over 75 organizations working to build support for second look in Michigan, allowing most people who have served at least 10 years of their sentence to apply for resentencing. The Sentencing Project has made multiple visits to Chippewa, Huron Valley, Cotton, and Macomb facilities to actively engage with our partners who are currently incarcerated.
State Advocacy
New York: Second Look, Mandatory Minimums, Elder Parole, and Good Time
The Sentencing Project supports state partners Release Aging People in Prison, Survivors Justice Project, and Communities Not Cages to amplify awareness of a number of policies challenging extreme sentences, including second look, the repeal of mandatory minimums, elder parole, and good time credits. Our End Life Imprisonment Campaign Associate, who is himself a second look recipient, trained and led a group of directly impacted advocates on a day of visits to policymakers to educate them about the importance of these policies. In addition, we have visited Attica and Wyoming Correctional facilities to develop a robust inside/out strategy, integrating insights from currently incarcerated individuals as leaders in the campaign.
Learn more about our Campaign Associate Warren Allen
State Advocacy
Oklahoma Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act
The Sentencing Project and the Survivors Justice Coalition's campaign have collaborated to introduce the Oklahoma Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act, SB 1470. The bill establishes a new sentencing range for all offense types, has full retroactivity, and caps penalties at 30 years where domestic violence was a significant contributing factor. Read an essay by our incarcerated partner April Wilens, in The Oklahoman, and note how Clytie Bunyan, The Oklahoman's opinions editor, echoed support for this reform.
State Advocacy
Drop LWOP in Rhode Island
Over the past two years, The Sentencing Project has built a powerful grassroots coalition composed of directly impacted individuals and their loved ones working to build a movement for sentencing reform in Rhode Island. Eighty-four Rhode Island-based groups have signed on in support of our efforts to end Life Without Parole (LWOP) sentences in the state.
State Advocacy
Second Look in Vermont
The Sentencing Project's campaign for Second Look in Vermont, SB 155, will establish a second look provision at 10 years, abolish the use of life without the possibility of parole, and, for emerging adults, end the use of stacked sentencing.
Learn more
Federal Advocacy
Building on the Success of the First Step Act
In 2018, Congress passed and then-President Donald Trump signed into law the bipartisan First Step Act, a sweeping criminal justice reform bill designed to promote rehabilitation, lower recidivism, and reduce excessive sentences in the federal prison system. The Sentencing Project advocates for the full implementation of the First Step Act and is working to build on its success with legislation that would further reform federal sentencing.
Tell Congress to support sentencing reformFederal Advocacy
Expanding Opportunities for Second Chances
The Sentencing Project works to expand second chances at the federal level through legislation, such as the Second Look Act, and changes to the federal sentencing guidelines. The United States Sentencing Commission annually revises the federal sentencing guidelines to reflect research and stakeholder input. We regularly submit comments on proposed changes to the guidelines and recent successes include the Commission’s significant expansion of eligibility for compassionate release.
Click to read our latest comments to the U.S. Sentencing CommissionFederal Advocacy
Reform Agenda
The Sentencing Project offers technical assistance to federal policy makers to ensure that sentencing bills reflect research and best practices, and defend against regressive sentencing legislation and policies.
Federal Advocacy
Comment on the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s Proposed Policy Priorities
The Sentencing Project submitted a comment to the U.S. Sentencing Commission on its proposed priorities for 2023 and 2024. The comment addresses the Commission’s duty to provide guidance to the Bureau of Prisons, potential changes to the sentencing guidelines for emerging adults and people who commit repeat offenses, diversion and alternatives to incarceration, and life sentences.
Federal Advocacy
Comment to the U.S. Sentencing Commission Regarding Compassionate Release
The Sentencing Project submitted comments to the U.S. Sentencing Commission on proposed changes to the federal sentencing guidelines concerning compassionate release.
Read letter
Federal Advocacy
Comment to the Bureau of Prisons Regarding Proposed Changes to the Inmate Financial Responsibility Program
The Sentencing Project, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the CAN-DO Foundation submitted comments to the Bureau of Prisons regarding concerning proposed changes to the Inmate Financial Responsibility Program.
Read letter
Federal Advocacy
Letter Urging Lawmakers to Rescind Funding for a Proposed Federal Prison in Rural Kentucky
The Sentencing Project, CURE, and a broad coalition of national, state, and local organizations penned a letter urging members of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee to rescind funding for a proposed prison in Letcher County, Kentucky.
Read letter
Federal Advocacy
Formerly Incarcerated People and Advocacy Organizations Urge Reform of US Bureau of Prisons
Activists urge the new Bureau of Prisons director to remember the humanity of the people in federal custody and to listen to their voices.
Read letter
Federal Advocacy
Comment on the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s Proposed Policy Priorities
The Sentencing Project submitted a comment to the U.S. Sentencing Commission on its proposed priorities for 2023 and 2024. The comment addresses the Commission’s duty to provide guidance to the Bureau of Prisons, potential changes to the sentencing guidelines for emerging adults and people who commit repeat offenses, diversion and alternatives to incarceration, and life sentences.
Federal Advocacy
Comment to the U.S. Sentencing Commission Regarding Compassionate Release
The Sentencing Project submitted comments to the U.S. Sentencing Commission on proposed changes to the federal sentencing guidelines concerning compassionate release.
Read letter
Federal Advocacy
Comment to the Bureau of Prisons Regarding Proposed Changes to the Inmate Financial Responsibility Program
The Sentencing Project, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the CAN-DO Foundation submitted comments to the Bureau of Prisons regarding concerning proposed changes to the Inmate Financial Responsibility Program.
Read letter
Federal Advocacy
Letter Urging Lawmakers to Rescind Funding for a Proposed Federal Prison in Rural Kentucky
The Sentencing Project, CURE, and a broad coalition of national, state, and local organizations penned a letter urging members of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee to rescind funding for a proposed prison in Letcher County, Kentucky.
Read letter
Federal Advocacy
Formerly Incarcerated People and Advocacy Organizations Urge Reform of US Bureau of Prisons
Activists urge the new Bureau of Prisons director to remember the humanity of the people in federal custody and to listen to their voices.
Read letter
Advocacy
Legal Advocacy
The Sentencing Project’s research helps drive sentencing reform in the courts. Our research is regularly cited in litigation striving to end extreme sentencing and we partner with leading impact litigation organizations to file strategic amicus briefs.
Read our amicus briefs
