The Sentencing Project

@sentencingproject.bsky.social

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The Sentencing Project has been fighting for a fair & effective justice system since 1986.

A young man stands along a fence. Text over the image reads, "WEBINAR: Protecting our teenagers from adult courts, jails, and prisons. June 25, 2026 at 2PM ET." A red button directs people to register
An image of Maryland Youth Justice advocates at the state Capitol Building, with a dark navy gradient and lime green text that says "Maryland Passes Youth Charging Reform Act!" on top of the gradient.
Photo of Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives, Jordyn Wilson and Executive Director, Christina Quaranta of the Connecticut Justice Alliance. The picture contains text: Beyond the Backlash - Six years after George Floyd, the fight for racial justice has found its second wind in our communities. The post links to Mass Incarceration and Other Bad Ideas (massincarceration.substack.com)
The image features bold white text on a dark background that reads: "Another Prison Cell: Why Our Reentry Systems Are Failing Those Who Need Them Most." In the lower part of the image, the URL "massincarceration.substack.com" is visible.
Map of the United States with the title "Reentry Insights from Around the Country" at the top. Text reads, "People returning home after long-term sentences share their reentry experiences." The Sentencing Project logo is in the bottom left corner.
Webinar for "Re-Punished for the Past: Criminal Records and Sentencing," scheduled for March 25 at 2 PM ET. The panelists include members from Washington Sentencing Guidelines Commission, University of California, Irvine, and University of Minnesota. The Sentencing Project's logo is at the bottom left.
The image is a graphic for a webinar titled "Re-Punished for the Past: Criminal Records and Sentencing." It lists panelists and their affiliations: "Esther Matthews, Academic Member, Washington Sentencing Guidelines Commission"; "Ojmarrh Mitchell, Professor, University of California, Irvine"; "Kevin Reitz, James Annenberg La Vea Land Grant Chair in Criminal Procedure Law, University of Minnesota." The moderator is "Nazgol Ghandnoosh, Director of Research, The Sentencing Project." The event is on March 25 at 2 PM ET. The Sentencing Project's logo is at the bottom left.
A group of people is gathered in front of a historic building holding signs that read "Kids Can't Wait." A banner at the bottom urges lawmakers to pass "Maryland's Youth Charging Reform Act!" with a "Take Action" button.
A group of people is gathered, holding signs that say "Kids Can't Wait." The text on the image urges lawmakers to pass Maryland's Youth Charging Reform Act, with a button labeled "Take Action" below. Buildings are visible in the background.
An illustration of two individuals embracing. Large text reads "PASS" the SECOND LOOK act," "the EARNED TIME act," and "the MARVIN MAYFIELD act." At the bottom, "COMMUNITIES NOT CAGES" is displayed. A flower is illustrated in the lower right corner.
Virginia takes step to end Jim Crow era voting ban
Image of Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington, DC featuring a quote "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" by Martin Luther King Jr., overlaid on a subtle blue background. Logo of The Sentencing Project is visible at the bottom.
Join the Maryland Youth Justice Coalition's Youth Justice Lobby Day in Annapolis at St. Anne's Parish. on February 2. The event takes place at 4PM, but doors open at 3:30PM. You can visit bitl.y/MYJCLobbyDay26 to learn more and RSVP. Graphic features an image of people holding signs that say "care not cages" and "end auto-charging now"
An infographic by The Sentencing Project showing a silhouette of a person behind bars with the text, "1 in 6 people in prison is serving a life sentence," along with the hashtag "#EndLifeImprisonment.
Image of young man holding a basketball, wearing a backpack and text that reads "racial and ethnic disparities in youth incarceration: Black, Latino and Tribal Fact Sheets."
Image of The Sentencing Project's Kara Gotsch on NOTUS Perspectives. Features the text: "Name and describe one state or local policy that should be tried across the country." Kara Gotsch's quote: "Delaware and other states: Review of prison sentences after a person has served many years."
Image for The Sentencing Project on Giving Tuesday, featuring a crowd raising their hands in solidarity, with text urging to help end mass incarceration. A 'Donate Now' button is also visible.
Graphic by The Sentencing Project featuring a background of leaves with text that reads 'Grateful for Community'.
Graphic by The Sentencing Project featuring text that says 'Stop building prisons. Build community.' with illustrations of a prison on the left and a residential area on the right, emphasizing that 'PRISONS ≠ SAFETY.'
Join The Sentencing Project for the Marc Mauer Racial Justice Awards Ceremony on November 6, 2025 at 1 PM ET to recognize Philadelphia's Youth Art & Self-empowerment Project.
List of stats from Maine and Vermont incarcerated voters: 73% of incarcerated individuals surveyed said voting is important to them 49% of respondents said they did not know how to vote at their facility 55% could not access information about candidates running for office.
Three individuals seated participating in a discussion, with laptops and phones in front of them, under the banner #YJAM2025 United for Action and atop a banner that says United and Building a Better Future. Logos of National Youth Justice Network and Coalition for Juvenile Justice are visible.
Group of ten young people posing for a photo under text that says #YJAM2025 United for Action and text underneath that reads "United for Youth Leadership" with logos from the National Youth Justice Network and Coalition for Juvenile Justice, with the hashtag #YJAM2025 prominently displayed.
The Legal Lens Podcast with Angela Reddock-Wright, Esq. featured The Sentencing Project's Kara Gotsch to speak about sentencing reform.
Map of the U.S. highlighting states with Second Look sentencing laws, titled 'Growing Push for Sentencing Reviews Sweeps the U.S.', produced by The Sentencing Project.
Join The Sentencing Project for a webinar on "Voting from Prison: Lessons from Maine, Vermont, and DC" on October 23, 1PM ET. Announcement also features a man voting in a correctional facility.
List of stats from Maine and Vermont incarcerated voters: 73% of incarcerated individuals surveyed said voting is important to them 49% of respondents said they did not know how to vote at their facility 55% could not access information about candidates running for office.
Join The Sentencing Project for a webinar on "Voting from Prison: Lessons from Maine, Vermont, and DC" on October 23, 1PM ET. Announcement also features a man voting in a correctional facility.
Image of teens playing basketball at an outdoor court with text that reads "October is Youth Justice Action Month" and a red button that calls for people to get involved
Cover image of The Sentencing Project's Annual Report for 2024, featuring a photo of The Sentencing Project's Antonio Gutierrez at the Civic Power Convening.
The Sentencing Project's Senior Director of Advocacy will join the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference as a panelist for a session titled "Creating Wealth and Work in Local Communities" on Friday, September 26th at 10:00 am ET. She will join Dedrick Asante-Muhammad of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; Marshawn Wiley of Black Onyx Management; Nikitra Bailey of the National Fair Housing Alliance; Victoria Kirby York of the National Black Justice Collective; and Cynthia Roseberry of the ACLU.
Image of kids and teens at an outdoor basketball court/park with a call to action that urges Congress to Protect Kids!
Video of advocates walking to mark up session
On September 9, 2025 at 2:00 PM ET, The Sentencing Project will host a virtual discussion titled "From Punishment to Prevention: A Better Approach to Addressing Youth Gun Possession."
On September 9, 2025 at 2:00 PM ET, The Sentencing Project will host a virtual discussion titled "From Punishment to Prevention: A Better Approach to Addressing Youth Gun Possession."
Eliminating racial disparities in incarceration will require: 1. Addressing sources of inequality by limiting the socioeconomic disadvantage and marginalization resulting from a criminal conviction 2. Dramatically increasing investments in effective public safety programs. From The Sentencing Project's fourth installment of the One in Five series, "One in Five: How Mass Incarceration Deepens Inequality and Harms Public Safety."
Judy Greene
List of stats from Maine and Vermont incarcerated voters: 73% of incarcerated individuals surveyed said voting is important to them 49% of respondents said they did not know how to vote at their facility 55% could not access information about candidates running for office.
Liz Komar, Sentencing Reform Counsel at The Sentencing Project issued the following statement: “This decision to attack the autonomy of Washington, D.C. voters isn’t about safety. Crime is down in the District. Homicides in the District fell by 32% in 2024 and are continuing to decline. Violent crime overall has decreased and is near historic lows. DC already incarcerates its youth at three times the national rate. So why does this Administration insist on ignoring reality? “Federalizing the Metropolitan Police Department, criminalizing unhoused people, and disparaging our youth, while cutting funding for services that address the root causes of crime won’t strengthen our communities. This order is about control and criminalization. It’s denying the will of Washingtonians who again and again have voted for a different vision of community safety – one rooted in evidence and oriented toward prevention rather than punishment. It will exacerbate racial inequality and worsen mass incarceration. We urge Congress to block this authoritarian attack on the District’s sovereignty and stop this abuse of power.”
Infographic from The Sentencing Project showing statistics: Black youth are 15% of the U.S. youth population and no more likely than white or Latino youths to carry firearms — but represent 49% of juvenile court weapons cases. The graphic includes an illustration of a person holding up a scale with a gavel.
Image of people voting with text that reads "60 years since the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed, over 4 million people are still banned from exercising their right to vote due to their felony conviction."
Image of flag with the word "vote" on a white box sitting on a table with green and white text on a teal background that reads "Voting is a cornerstone of our democracy - but for people incarcerated in Maine and Vermont, the only two states where people can vote while completing a felony-level sentence - barriers to the ballot persist.
Successful Community-Based Programs for Youth - Denver: Handgun Intervention Program Preliminary data shows that among ten cohorts, 90% of youth in the first eight cohorts have successfully avoided a new criminal charge.
An infographic by The Sentencing Project showing a silhouette of a person behind bars with the text, "1 in 6 people in prison is serving a life sentence," along with the hashtag "#EndLifeImprisonment.
Image of people at a rally for parole justice with The Sentencing Project's latest report title, "Justice Delayed: The Growing Wait for Parole After a Life Sentence."
Raised fist on red background with text that says "celebrating Juneteenth"
Eliminating racial disparities in incarceration will require: 1. Addressing sources of inequality by limiting the socioeconomic disadvantage and marginalization resulting from a criminal conviction 2. Dramatically increasing investments in effective public safety programs. From The Sentencing Project's fourth installment of the One in Five series, "One in Five: How Mass Incarceration Deepens Inequality and Harms Public Safety."
The Sentencing Project joined Mass Liberation NV for the organization’s Formerly Incarcerated People’s Day in support of civic engagement of justice-impacted people and state priorities to challenge the criminal legal system.
Image of people at a rally for parole justice with The Sentencing Project's latest report title, "Justice Delayed: The Growing Wait for Parole After a Life Sentence."
Image of crowd with dark teal overlay and text that reads: The Sentencing Project is hosting a webinar, "The Eugenic Origins of Three Strikes Laws," on April 24, 2025 at 2PM ET.
Photo of Michigan Hall of Justice with teal gradient overlay and white bold text that reads: "Michigan Bans Mandatory LWOP for People Under 21" with The Sentencing Project's logo in the upper left corner.
Image of crowd with dark teal overlay and text that reads: The Sentencing Project is hosting a webinar, "The Eugenic Origins of Three Strikes Laws," on April 24, 2025 at 2PM ET.
“We applaud this decision by the Michigan Supreme Court. A wealth of brain science research makes clear that emerging adults are akin to teenagers under 18 – more impulsive, more easily influenced by peers, and also capable of remarkable growth and rehabilitation, said Liz Komar, Sentencing Reform Counsel at The Sentencing Project. “Young people are especially deserving of second chances and individualized sentencing. This decision reflects a growing national movement recognizing that emerging adults deserve special sentencing consideration, and we hope that it will serve as a model to other states.”