Sentencing Law And Policy

Features news, issues, commentary and provides resources related to sentencing law and policy.

Author: Douglas A. Berman, a law professor at The Ohio State University, founded Sentencing Law and Policy. He also one of the primary editors of Law School Innovation and maintains and frequently updates The Golf Blog. He is the co-author of a casebook, Sentencing Law and Policy: Cases, Statutes and Guidelines and is a managing editor of both the Federal Sentencing Reporter and the Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law. He also sometimes serves as a consultant to lawyers working on important or interesting sentencing cases.

Recent Posts from Sentencing Law and Policy

"What Explains Persistent Racial Disproportionality in Minnesota’S Prison and Jail Populations?"
The question in the headline of this post is the title of this important new article by Professor Richard Frase. Here is the abstract: Racial disparity in prison and jail populations, measured by the ratio…
NC Governor trying every possible means to avoid releasing certain prisoners
As detailed in this local article, which is headlined "Perdue: Lifers got no time credits; More questions arise in controversy over life-sentence inmates seeking to be released," the Governor of North Carolina is trying every…
"The Real Price of Trying KSM: Defense lawyers will inevitably create bad law"
The title of this post is the headline of this provocative commentary by David Feige at Slate. Here is how it starts and ends: Sometime in the next few months, a small group of experienced…
Interesting report on US Sentencing Commission regional hearing in Texas
As noted in this prior post, the US Sentencing Commission today started another of its regional public hearing, this one at the University of Texas School of Law. As detailed in this official agenda (where…
Can the laboratory of the states help solve prison-crowding problems?
The question in the title of this post is inspired by this local article from Florida, which is headlined "Florida's prison problem could find a solution in Texas." Here is how the piece starts: If…
Sex offenders can now be blamed for ruining Christmas tradition
Sex offenders surely do not need any more bad press. But this new article from USA Today, which is headlined "Postal Service to block 'Dear Santa' letters to North Pole, Alaska," suggests that they might…
Texas Gov Perry considering rare capital clemency recommendation
This new AP article, which is headlined "Texas governor to decide condemned killer's fate," reports on a notable new death penalty development in Texas: The fate of a man facing execution Thursday evening for his…
Russia's highest court essentially abolishes death penalty in that nation
This new Reuters article, which is headlined "Russian court extends moratorium on death penalty," explains why Russia is now pretty close to officially being another European nation without capital punishment. Here are the details: Russia's…
"Does the punishment fit the crime for child porn?"
The question in the title of this post is the headline of this effective local article from Ohio. Here are excerpts, which also serve to spotlight how different sentences for this crime can often be…
New ABA Criminal Justice magazine issue on "Postconviction Practices"
Thanks to this post at StandDown, I discovered that the latest issue of the Criminal Justice magazine from the American Bar Association has a symposium focused on Postconviction Practices. Here are the main pieces from…