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Follow Marc Mauer’s work at: The Sentencing Project End Life Imprisonment The Meaning of Life: The Case for Abolishing Life Sentences (Amazon) Links Sentator Gerald Malloy (South Carolina State House) Charles “Joe” Heinz (Wikipedia) Vera Institute of Justice (Wikipedia) Racial Impact Statements: Changing Policies to Address Disparities (The Sentencing Project) In reaction to a study that found Iowa topped the nation in racial disparity in its prison population, Iowa Governor Chet Culver in April 2008 made history by signing into law the nation’s first piece of legislation to require policy makers to prepare racial impact statements for proposed legislation that affects sentencing, probation, or parole policies. In signing the bill, Gov. Culver noted that “I am committed to making sure government at all levels reflects our shared values of fairness and justice.” In the following months Connecticut and Wisconsin took similar action. James Bell (Burns Institute) Reducing Racial Disparity in the Criminal Justice System: A Manual for Practitioners and Policymakers (National Criminal Justice Reference Service) Life Without Redemption (US News) “One in every seven prisoners is serving some type of life sentence.” – Marc Mauer Louisiana Amendment 2, Unanimous Jury Verdict for Felony Trials Amendment (2018) (BallotPedia) Result Votes Percentage ✅ Yes 938,182 64.35% ❌ No 519,731 35.65% Louisiana Court Declares State’s Non-unanimous Jury Verdict Scheme Unconstitutional, Motivated by Racial Discrimination (Shadow Proof) The Angolite is the inmate-edited and published magazine of the Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola) in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. (Wikipedia) Cory Booker aims to give aging prisoners ‘a second look’ (NBC News) Hillary Clinton Calls for an End to ‘Mass Incarceration’ (Time) Marc’s Recommendations for organizations to support: ACLU - Smart Justice Just Leadership USA Drop LWOP