At CCJ’s Task Force on Long Sentences’ sixth meeting (July 13, 2022), criminologist Roger Przybylski (RKC Group) reviewed findings from CCJ’s Long Sentences by the Numbers analysis and the research about long sentences and their impact on public safety. While this meeting summarized existing literature, the Task Force also is conducting original research on the…

At CCJ’s Task Force on Long Sentences’ fifth meeting (June 8, 2022), members reviewed research findings on how court practices and different sentencing rationales drive long prison terms. Dr. Brian Johnson (University of Maryland) provided members with an overview of research on how court practices influence long sentences. Key Findings from the Presentation:

At CCJ’s Task Force on Long Sentences’ fourth meeting (May 11, 2022), members examined how legislatures have shaped the nation’s use of long sentences. Task Force Director John Maki provided an overview of the significant diversity that characterizes our nation’s sentencing systems, the primary statutory mechanism that legislatures have used to increase prison sentences and…

At CCJ’s Task Force on Long Sentences’ third meeting (April 20, 2022), members focused on what research, the experience of directly impacted people, and the expertise of professionals teach us about how long sentences address the needs associated with serious and violent victimization. The meeting featured two presentations. John Maki, Long Sentences Task Force Director,…

At the beginning of 2022, the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) established the Task Force on Long Sentences to assess the impact of prison sentences of 10 or more years and make recommendations that advance safety and justice. The Task Force’s first meeting (February 24, 2022) brought members together to draft guiding principles to help…