Federal Advocacy to End Extreme Sentences

Join us in fighting mass incarceration. Learn about our priorities in the 119th Congress and advocate for them with your legislators. Our toolkit will guide you through how to meet with your representatives, advocate at town halls, write op-eds, and more.

In 2018, Congress passed and then-President Donald Trump signed into law the bipartisan First Step Act, a sweeping criminal justice reform bill designed to promote rehabilitation, lower recidivism, and reduce excessive sentences in the federal prison system. The Sentencing Project advocates for the full implementation of the First Step Act and is working to build on its success with legislation that would further reform federal sentencing.

The Sentencing Project works to expand second chances at the federal level through legislation, such as the Second Look Act, and changes to the federal sentencing guidelines. The United States Sentencing Commission annually revises the federal sentencing guidelines to reflect research and stakeholder input. We regularly submit comments on proposed changes to the guidelines and recent successes include the Commission’s significant expansion of eligibility for compassionate release.

The Sentencing Project defends against the creation of new mandatory minimum sentences and advocates for their repeal. Mandatory minimums played a key role in the explosion of the federal prison population in the 1980’s and 1990’s and lawmakers regularly seek to expand them despite evidence that they do not improve public safety. The Sentencing Project urges lawmakers to embrace evidence-based public safety policies instead.