The Brennan Center has released a three-year research project that compared federal and state criminal laws with convictions and sentences of the nation’s prisoners, and determined that 39 percent of them are behind bars for “no compelling public safety reason.” Read more about the study’s findings  at the ABA Journal here, or take a look at the Brennan Center publication here.

“The study and analysis, billed as the first of its kind, recommends changes in sentencing laws for an approach providing so-called default sentences that are proportional to a specific crime and give judges some leeway, such as consideration of criminal history, mental health or addiction problems or the details of the crime. Such sentences would weigh seriousness of the crime, victim impact, intent and recidivism.”

Click here to download the report.