Resentencing Laws To Cut Terms Gain Momentum Across US
By
Sarah Martinson | May 16, 2021, 8:02 PM EDT
More lawmakers and prosecutors are considering resentencing laws to decrease mass incarceration and address the over imprisonment of people of color, recognizing that extremely long sentences don't deter crime and disproportionately target minorities, according to a recent report.
The Sentencing Project, a nonprofit research organization that aims to improve the U.S. criminal justice system and reduce the prison population, reported that 25 states, including California, New York and Illinois, are considering so-called second look laws that give convicts the chance to have their sentences reduced after they have served a certain number of years.