A helpful reader altered me to an interesting ruling this week from the US Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals in In re Kawai, Misc. Dkt. No. 2022-02 (AFCCA May 25, 2022) (available here). Here is how the
Sentencing Law and Policy
Blog Authors
Latest from Sentencing Law and Policy
Former reality star Josh Duggar sentencing to just over 12.5 years in federal prison for child pornography offense
In this post last week, I spotlighted the sentencing submission of the parties in a high-profile federal sentencing and asked “what federal sentence for former reality star Josh Duggar after child pornography convictions?”. I noted that the prosecution was…
Some sharp headlines in response to sharp SCOTUS habeas limits
The US Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this week in Shinn v. Martinez Ramirez, No. 20-1009 (S. Ct. May 23, 2022) (available here), provides still further evidence that a significant majority of Justices are quite eager to limit and cut…
New Executive Order from Prez Biden, though mostly on policing, includes some sentencing and corrections matters
This new “FACT SHEET” from the White House, titled “President Biden to Sign Historic Executive Order to Advance Effective, Accountable Policing and Strengthen Public Safety,” provides an overview of what the latest presidential EO will cover in the criminal justice…
So many depressing stories in a country awash with so many guns
Another week brings news of another horrific mass shooting in the USA, this one ever so depressing because its victims were so many young children murdered at an elementary school. And, sadly, mass shootings are only one component of modern…
"A Catholic Perspective on Prison Conditions and Human Dignity"
The title of this post is the title of this new article authored by Meghan J. Ryan now available via SSRN. Here is its abstract:
Criminal offenders in the United States are often reviled. Instead of viewing them as individuals…
With Senate leader now pushing for EQUAL Act, can crack sentencing reform finally get to finish line?
The question in the title of this post is prompted by this New York Daily News article headlined “Schumer calls for end to crack cocaine sentencing disparity: ‘Cocaine is cocaine’.” Here are excerpts:
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Monday…
Notable (pandemic-impacted) justice data in "Federal Justice Statistics, 2020"
The Bureau of Justice Statistics has this new publication full of notable federal statistics under the title “”Federal Justice Statistics, 2020.” Here is how the 30-page document is briefly introduced:
Federal arrests declined 42% from fiscal year (FY) 2019 to…
Supreme Court decides, via usual 6-3 vote, to read AEDPA restrictively to limit federal habeas efforts
The Supreme Court this morning released two opinion, one of which dealt with federal habeas process in a capital case. The ruling was the product of a 6-3 vote in Shinn v. Martinez Ramirez, No. 20-1009 (S. Ct. May 23,…