[link removed] [[link removed]]
John,
Today, The Sentencing Project released a new fact sheet, “How Mandatory Minimums Perpetuate Mass Incarceration and What to Do About It.” [[link removed]] The report highlights widespread evidence that mandatory minimum sentences produce substantial harm with no overall benefit to crime control, as well as notable reforms in recent years to scale back these unjust sentences.
Mandatory minimums are legal provisions in each state and the federal government that require a specific minimum prison term for certain crimes, regardless of individual circumstances. Determined by lawmakers rather than judges, these sentences represent a uniquely American approach to sentencing that has accelerated prison growth.
Mandatory minimum sentences are problematic because they:
*
Constrain
judicial
discretion;
*
Deepen
racial
disparities
in
the
criminal
legal
system;
and
*
Worsen
prison
conditions,
causing
harm
to
both
incarcerated
people
and
correctional
staff.
Despite the temptation to stiffen penalties to address crime, lawmakers can turn instead to effective approaches to protect public safety that include prevention and early interventions. The Sentencing Project supports the elimination of mandatory minimum sentences entirely and urges lawmakers to make the changes retroactive for persons already serving these sentences.
READ REPORT [[link removed]]
[[link removed]] Ashley Nellis
Co-Director of Research
Email: [email protected] [[email protected]]
Donate [[link removed]]
[link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] [link removed] [[link removed]] The Sentencing Project
1705 DeSales St. NW
8th Fl
Washington, DC 20036
United States
www.sentencingproject.org [[link removed]] If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe: [link removed] .