A recent criminal justice reform bill that recently passed Congress has inspired hope in many people in the U.S. who are in prison. The bill ends automatic life sentences under the three-strikes penalty system, which led to significant growth in the prison population. Some are proposing that life sentences should be abolished altogether, particularly for juvenile defendants. Their arguments against life sentences include high costs, racial disparities in sentencing, and doubt about their effectiveness in deterring crime. Listen to hear more about life sentences in the U.S. and debate: Should life sentences be abolished?
Story Length: 5:50
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March 27, 2019
1:44
Governor Gavin Newsom of California has issued a suspension of capital punishment in his state. While it has been years since a death row inmate was executed in California, voters have rejected proposoals to abolish the death penalty on recent ballot measures. Critics of the governor say that his action betrays the will of California residents. Newsom says that this decision to end the death penalty is the right one. Listen to hear the governor’s rationale and why this decision has many people talking.
Read MoreOctober 28, 2016
3:46
The Federal Bureau of Prisons can petition the court for the early release of a prisoner for extraordinary and compelling reasons, called compassionate release. It is typically granted in cases where the inmate is dying or has a debilitating medical condition. This story highlights the case of a former Massachusetts House Speaker who was sentenced for corruption in 2012. He is dying of cancer and the Federal Bureau of Prisons has filed a motion to release him early. Listen to hear more about this extraordinary type of release and debate whether sick prisoners should be released for compassionate reasons.
Update: A federal judge ruled to grant the Massachusetts House Speaker early release because of his health.
Read MoreJune 3, 2016
3:12
Sending someone to jail because they can’t pay a debt is against the law. But often courts in the United States imprison people who cannot pay court fines. For example, homeless people can be ticketed for sleeping in a park and then put into prison for not paying the fine. The city of Colorado Springs is stopping this practice. The city is also paying people who have previously been held in jail under these circumstances. Listen to hear more about this new policy and debate the pros and cons with your students.
Read MoreNovember 9, 2015
3:39
Ideas are changing across the nation about who should be behind bars. Federal sentencing guidelines have recently changed. As a result, tens of thousands of people serving prison terms for drug trafficking will be released before their sentences end. These sentences are being cut short by an average of 2 years. There are thousands of undocumented immigrants in prisons, and deportation proceedings will begin in these cases. For others, probation officers are being hired to manage the increased work. Listen to hear more about how the United States government changed sentences for drug criminals, how this is affecting current inmates and what it could mean for the general public.
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