One of the tools that states are implementing to reduce mass incarceration is “second-look sentencing.” Second-look sentencing policies allow judges to review and reconsider lengthy sentences after the defendant has served a significant period of incarceration. The Model Penal Code recommends that states provide for automatic judicial review of sentences after fifteen years for adult crimes and after ten years for crimes committed as minors. The specific proposals vary by jurisdiction, including which defendants qualify for review, how long a defendant needs to serve prior to review or release, and who makes the decision on whether to reduce the sentence. This webinar will explore different attempts to implement second-look sentencing policies and evaluate which systems have achieved the identified goals.
Speakers:
Jon Anderson – Director of Special Litigation, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia
David Angel – Assistant District Attorney, County of Santa Clara
Dana Drusinsky – Deputy District Attorney, County of Alameda
Nazgol Ghandnoosh – Co-Director of Research, The Sentencing ProjectModerator: J.D. King (Moderator) – James P. Morefield Professor of Law and Director, Criminal Justice Clinic, Washington and Lee University School of Law
