Innocence Project’s Post

The Michigan Supreme Court is considering whether to extend its ban on automatic life sentences without parole to include individuals aged 19 and 20 who commit major crimes, such as murder. This follows a 2022 decision that found mandatory no-parole sentences for 18-year-olds unconstitutional under the state’s prohibition of "cruel or unusual" punishment. Key arguments supporting this potential expansion highlight ongoing brain development in young adults, which can affect decision-making and impulse control, suggesting they should not face the harshest penalties reserved for fully mature adults. Advocates believe this change could enhance rehabilitative opportunities and reduce recidivism, contributing to safer communities. Things to consider: -Does an older teenager have the maturity and capacity of an adult to be equally responsible for their actions? -Should a 19 or 20 year-old be sentenced to life in prison without parole? -Does a life sentence without parole disincentivize violent crime? -What is the impact of banning life sentences without parole on violent crime and will it adequately protect society or will it add to the number of victims? https://lnkd.in/gh7Y5Vcf

Trump promises to expand the death penalty, focusing on violent crimes and drug trafficking, in contrast to Biden's pause on federal executions. He aims to protect families and reinstate "law and order" in the U.S.⚖️ #DeathPenalty #Trump #LawAndOrder #Justice #USPolitics #Biden #CrimePolicy 👉🏻 Read the full news here: https://lnkd.in/euKGcUaD 

🇺🇸 Before #Trump takes office, #Biden commuted most federal death sentences.   Of the 40 federal death row inmates, 37 have had their sentences commuted to life in prison. When Donald Trump officially takes office on 20 January, his administration is expected to resume executions. Trump supports the death penalty. ⚠️ During his first term (2016-2020), 13 people were executed―the first in almost two decades. Federal executions account for only a tiny fraction of all executions in the United States. About 1,600 executions have been carried out since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Capital punishment states are in the minority, with the majority of executions carried out in Texas, Oklahoma and Florida. 💥 There are currently 2,100 prisoners on death row, half of them for convictions dating back at least a quarter of a century. This situation raises questions about the American justice system. The #US is one of the world's top 5 executioners. According to Amnesty International, 24 people were put to death in 2023. It is one of only 54 countries out of the 198 members of the United Nations to apply the death penalty and the only two, along with #Japan, that belong to the OECD. 💡 Biden has not always been an abolitionist. He was the author of a 1994 law that expanded the use of the death penalty. Many of those pardoned were convicted under that law. While in office, he did not pass legislation to abolish the federal death penalty. As president, he reserved the right to commute sentences. #stopdeathpenalty #humanrights 📌 NAACP 📌 Equal Justice Initiative

https://lnkd.in/eGd8gBSS This is certainly a start! Biden must also consider using clemency powers for people serving excessive sentences that can no longer be imposed under the First Step Act (anyone convicted prior to 1987), those under the crack/powder cocaine disparities and elderly serving under "old law" sentences. This should also serve as an example for Governor's to use their clemency powers to reduce mass incarceration, improve public safety and save taxpayers money! #KyFreeKarenBrown

In its year-end round-up, Pew points to its deep dive into what kinds and numbers of cases state courts handle. Most are the kind that can make or break a household or a family.

We will continue to raise awareness about the rise in domestic violence homicides in the United States since 2014. Criminal justice reform has caused spikes in crime including violence against women. Women are dying at the highest rate in the more than a decade, across America, and no one is talking about it or paying attention. Not a single national or state domestic violence organization has profiled the large and consistent rise in the murders of women since the beginning of bail and jail reform in this country. Alliance for HOPE International and our allied Family Justice Centers will continue to focus on the shocking numbers. Women die at very low rates in Family Justice Centers across America but high risk victims who do not get to Family Justice Centers are dying at rates nearly as high as prior to the Violence Against Women Act was passed in 1994. We need to focus on accountability for stranglers, the men most likely to kill women. And we need to provide comprehensive, wraparound services for high risk victims of domestic violence. Dangerousness must be a consideration by judges in bail and bond decisions -- particularly the dangerous of abusive men toward their victims. https://lnkd.in/gASP-RnE

Biden did it again! Commuting the sentences of 37 of 40 federal death row inmates: The commutation of a death sentence can be deeply traumatic for the families of murder victims, reopening old wounds and undermining the sense of justice they may have sought. While some argue that capital punishment itself is inherently unjust, it's also contended that the threat of execution can serve as a powerful deterrent to the most heinous crimes. The complex and often conflicting arguments surrounding capital punishment has a profound impact of a death sentence commutation on victim families. The potential for renewed trauma and a sense of violated justice. It also acknowledges the counterargument that the fear of execution may deter some individuals from committing the most serious crimes. The renewed trauma suffered by the families can never be justified. The pain and suffering experienced by families of murder victims are immeasurable, and any action that exacerbates this trauma should be carefully considered. Commutation of a death sentence typically results in a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The question is why commute the sentences when only the victims families will suffer from this trauma again? The decision to commute a death sentence is a complex one with significant ethical and societal implications. It is crucial to acknowledge the profound impact on victim families.

A denial doesn’t mean you should abandon your application. It also doesn’t mean you're ineligible for a Social Security Disability claim. Contact us today, and we’ll promptly guide you through the appeals process. 👉 Call 1-833-LENTO-LAW #socialsecuritydisability #legaladvocacy #legalhelp #lawfirm #legalclaim

We will continue to raise awareness about the rise in domestic violence homicides in the United States since 2014. Criminal justice reform has caused spikes in crime including violence against women. "Women are dying at the highest rate in the more than a decade, across America, and no one is talking about it or paying attention. Not a single national or state domestic violence organization has profiled the large and consistent rise in the murders of women since the beginning of bail and jail reform in this country." -- Casey Gwinn. Alliance for HOPE International and our allied Family Justice Centers will continue to focus on the shocking numbers. Women die at very low rates in Family Justice Centers across America but high risk victims who do not get to Family Justice Centers are dying at rates nearly as high as prior to the Violence Against Women Act was passed in 1994. We need to focus on accountability for stranglers, the men most likely to kill women. And we need to provide comprehensive, wraparound services for high risk victims of domestic violence. Dangerousness must be a consideration by judges in bail and bond decisions -- particularly the dangerous of abusive men toward their victims. https://lnkd.in/gbU2Ez58

Native Americans are prisoners living inside the borders of the United States, forced to pay ransom daily for our freedom. If not for this constant recurring payment we would otherwise be incarcerated, or worse, for our non-conformity to reject our cultures and accept assimilation. But for some of us this payment is more than just oppressive. E.g. I am forced to pay child support for my two Native American children whom I have not been allowed to see for more one year even though the court ordered their White, blonde , American mother to provide Parenting time. Attempting to address this matter (3 times) in the Court that ordered the Parenting Time has proven futile even though it clearly is contrary to Indiana and Federal Laws. The order for child support is upheld while the order for Parenting Time is not. The Courts are the biggest contributors to Racism in The U S., mostly through non enforcement in favor of Americans, and there is no end in sight. Our children suffer needlessly through these separations and assimilationist acts of the Courts and Civilians alike. Please be Honest and keep your promises, America. Give our Native American children back and let our families LIVE and remain INTACT.