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THE MEANING OF "LIFE": LONG PRISON SENTENCES IN CONTEXT LIFERS IN PRISON

By Real Cost of Prisons Project (The Sentencing Project)

THE MEANING OF "LIFE": LONG PRISON SENTENCES IN CONTEXT LIFERS IN PRISON This is from the Sentencing Project from 2002/2003 The number of persons serving life sentences has grown along with the increase in the overall prison population of recent decades. Our national survey obtained data on lifers in prison from state and federal corrections systems as of 2002/2003. Data were obtained either from the website or direct contact with the departments of corrections. There are now a record 127,677 persons serving a life sentence in state or federal prison. Overall, one of every eleven (9.4%) inmates is now serving a life term.In recent years policy changes have also increased the number of persons serving a sentence of life without parole. Our survey finds that one of every four lifers ? 33,633 persons ? is now serving a sentence of life without parole...continue to full post

Full post as published by The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog on August 22, 2008 (boomark / email).