Examining equitable decarceration of individuals sentenced to JLWOP in the United States

• In Event: Understanding the effects of (re)sentencing legislation

Abstract

Objective: Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions invalidated mandatory life without the possibility of parole for minors and necessitated resentencing. While disparities in initial JLWOP sentencing have been documented regarding race and locality, little is known about equity in resentencing and release of these individuals (now adults) following second-look mandates. Data/methods: This study uses archival data to track outcomes of a national population of individuals sentenced to JLWOP prior to Miller (N=2,904). Data visualization methods are used to describe resentencing and release patterns across the U.S. Multinomial logistic regression models are used to identify whether disparities in release outcomes are present across demographic factors or state context, net of case factors.
Results: While a disproportionate number of Black youth were sentenced to JLWOP to begin with, findings suggest Blacks are more likely to have been released relative to having been resentenced but not yet released. Further, findings describe important variation in release statuses and highlight significant factors associated with likelihood of release.
Conclusions/Implications: With recent policy initiatives to expand second chance opportunities to individuals sentenced to life and long sentences as youth and young adults, this research holds important implications for understanding nuances of examinations into equity of second chance outcomes.

Authors

• Jeffrey T. Ward, Temple University

• Laura Abrams, University of California, Los Angeles

• Dylan B. Jackson, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

• J.Z. Bennett, University of Cincinnati

• Leah Ouellet, Northwestern University

• Daphne Brydon, University of California, Los Angeles

• Rebecca Turner, The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth