New Report on Lifers

The Sentencing Project has released a new report, The Meaning of “Life”: Long Prison Sentences in Context, which finds that 127,000 persons — one of every eleven persons in prison — is now serving a life sentenceOf these 127,000, over a quarter — 33,000 — have no option for parole and will spend the rest of their lives in prison. The total number of lifers represents a growth rate of 83% since 1992, along with a rising number of sentences to life without parole and increased time served in prison. The report finds that the growth of the lifer population is due to changes in sentencing policy and not crime rates, and that the lifer population includes substantial numbers of mentally ill persons, juveniles, abused women, and sentences resulting from inadequate defense.

Here is the link to this recent report by the Sentencing Project.