Our harsh prison sentencing laws throw away too many people for far too long. One in every 7 people in the U.S. is serving a life sentence, and hundreds of thousands more are serving decades in prison. But people can change, and our laws should recognize that. 

Second look laws are one way to give people serving lengthy sentences an opportunity for a second chance. Proposals vary from state to state, but they have some common features. After someone is sentenced:

• They must serve a substantial part of their sentence (e.g., 15 years);

• Then they are allowed to ask the court to consider shortening their sentence for any reason (e.g., they have been fully rehabilitated);

• The judge can consider any factor they think is relevant when reviewing the request for a new sentence; and

• The judge can deny the request or agree to a new, shorter sentence that sends the person home earlier.

Email your state lawmakers and urge them to support Second Look sentencing reforms!