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Law Professor Blogs, LLC is the nation's only network of legal blogs edited primarily by law professors. Law Professor Blogs, LLC’s legal blogs are edited by over 100 law professors, deans, and lawyers. Editors include leading scholars and educators who are committed to providing the web source of legal news, information, commentary, and analysis for law professors, practitioners, government and nonprofit lawyers, and students in their respective fields. Most of the network’s blogs are owned by Law Professor Blogs, LLC. Several blogs are affiliates of the network.

Hoping many more folks will focus on "how" as marijuana reform continues to gain momentum

By Douglas Berman

April 13, 2021

German Lopez has this new Vox piece, headlined “Marijuana legalization has won,” that I find both effective and frustrating. The piece is effective because it reviews well the modern political realities of marijuana reform, while not even mentioning the modern policy and practical realities of reform. Here is how the piece starts: The US is nearing a tipping point of sorts on marijuana legalization: Almost half the country — about 43 percent of the…

Sentencing Law and Policy

DEPC-hosted symposium, "Prioritizing Science Over Fear: An Interdisciplinary Response to Fentanyl Analogues," now available online

By Douglas Berman

April 12, 2021

As detailed in this press release, a coalition of over drug policy, civil rights, criminal justice and public health organizations are urging Congress and the Biden Administration to allow temporary class-wide emergency scheduling of fentanyl-related substances to expire in May 2021. This letter to members of Congress on this topic highlights why this issue is, in many ways, a sentencing story because “class-wide scheduling of fentanyl analogues … expands the application of existing severe…

Sentencing Law and Policy

Headlines providing more reminders of how COVID meets mass incarceration

By Douglas Berman

April 12, 2021

A number of notable reads about the state of COVID in incarceration nation in recent days. Here are some headlines and links: From the AP, “As states expand vaccines, prisoners still lack access“ From Business Insider, “Thousands of inmates given the chance to serve their sentence at home because of COVID-19 might go back to prison cells“ From Reuters, “Thousands of low-level U.S. inmates released in pandemic could be headed …

Sentencing Law and Policy

North Carolina Gov creates "Juvenile Sentence Review Board" to make clemency recommendations

By Douglas Berman

April 9, 2021

This local story out of North Carolina reports on the creation of an interesting new sentencing review structure created by the state’s chief executive. The full headline of the piece provides the essentials: “Gov. Cooper announces formation of North Carolina juvenile sentence review board: The Review Board will make recommendations to the Governor concerning clemency and commutation of such sentences when appropriate.” Here are more details from the article: Governor Roy Cooper announced Thursday the…

Sentencing Law and Policy

Spotlighting progressive prosecutor challenges and politics circa spring 2021

By Douglas Berman

April 8, 2021

Politico has this extended and timely new article headlined “Left-wing prosecutors hit fierce resistance: An uptick in murders across the country is testing their resolve — and their electability.” Here are excerpts: Larry Krasner’s election in 2017 was a triumph for progressives nationwide: The man who had sued cops 75 times, represented Black Lives Matter, promised to end cash bail — and was widely seen as the most liberal district attorney candidate in the country…

Sentencing Law and Policy

"What is Life?" podcast gives voice to people serving LWOP in Pennsylvania

By Douglas Berman

April 8, 2021

I had seen last month this enticing podcast preview: What is Life? Through phone calls with men and women serving life without parole in Pennsylvania, What is Life takes you inside the prison walls to answer the question — what is life to someone sentenced to die behind bars. Now I see the first three episodes of this podcast are available at this link. Here is how they are previewed: What is Life? …

Sentencing Law and Policy

"A Reintegration Agenda for the 117th Congress: Criminal Record Relief, Federal Benefits, & Employment"

By Douglas Berman

April 6, 2021

The title of this post is the title of this notable new short report from the Collateral Consequences Resource Center. This blog posting at CCRC, titled “Second Chance Month: A Federal Reintegration Agenda” provides some background on the report. Here is the report’s introduction: The new Congress has an opportunity to make significant bipartisan progress on criminal justice reform, including reducing barriers to successful reintegration for people with a criminal record. This agenda recommends specific…

Sentencing Law and Policy

US Sentencing Commission releases "Overview of Federal Criminal Cases, Fiscal Year 2020"

By Douglas Berman

April 6, 2021

The US Sentencing Commission, despite the persistent lack of a quorum, can still churn out federal sentencing data and can still produce helpful reports about that data. One such report is its annual review of federal criminal cases, which was released today under tht title “Overview of Federal Criminal Cases, Fiscal Year 2020.” The full 27 page report is available here, and the USSC describes and summarizes the report this way on this webpage…

Sentencing Law and Policy

How about some clemency grants from Prez Biden to go with Second Chance Month, 2021 proclamation?

By Douglas Berman

April 4, 2021

Last week, the White House released “A Proclamation on Second Chance Month, 2021.” Here is the full substantive text: America’s criminal justice system must offer meaningful opportunities for redemption and rehabilitation. After incarcerated individuals serve their time, they should have the opportunity to fully reintegrate into society. It benefits not just those individuals but all of society, and it is the best strategy to reduce recidivism. During Second Chance Month, we lift…

Sentencing Law and Policy

Seemingly encouraging, but quite complicated, analysis of racial disparities in federal drug sentencing

By Douglas Berman

April 4, 2021

The past week’s Washington Post included this notable op-ed by Charles Lane under the headline “Here’s some hope for supporters of criminal justice reform.” A focal point of the op-ed was this newly published paper by sociologist Michael Light titled “The Declining Significance of Race in Criminal Sentencing: Evidence from US Federal Courts.” Here is how the op-ed discusses some key findings with a positive spin: How many more months in prison do federal courts…

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