2020 is the most recent year for which up-to-date information is available.
By Nicole D. Porter The Sentencing Project
In recent years most states have enacted reforms designed to reduce the scale of incarceration and the impact of the collateral consequences of a felony conviction. This briefing paper describes key reforms that were prioritized in 2020.
The United States is the world leader in incarceration and keeps nearly 7 million persons under correctional control. More than 2 million are in prison or jail, and 4.6 million are under community surveillance on probation or parole. At least 19 million persons are living with a felony conviction while an estimated 100 million have a criminal record. The persistence of extremely punitive sentencing laws and policies, not increases in crime rates, sustain the nation’s high rate of incarceration. Ending mass incarceration requires a transformative change to sentencing policies and practices aligned with the scaling back of collateral consequences of conviction, and challenging racial disparities in the criminal justice system. In recent years most states have enacted reforms designed to reduce the scale of incarceration and the impact of the collateral consequences. This briefing paper highlights key reforms undertaken in 2020 prioritized by The Sentencing Project.
Expanding Prison Releases Amid The Pandemic
People housed in congregate settings, like state prisons and jails, experience higher rates of COVID-19 infections and morbidities than the general population. The cumulative infections among incarcerated residents are nearly five times higher than the general population. During the 2020 pandemic, several states took steps to reduce prison population levels. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that correctional facilities be reduced to the optimal population level of state prisons to follow public health guidelines, considering overcrowding, the physical design and prison conditions, and delivery of health services to the incarcerated population.
