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Beyond Harsh: 86 Mississippi Prisoners Serving Life Without Parole for Nonviolent Offenses
by Matt Clarke
In a resurgence of “tough-on-crime” sentencing reforms that swept the nation in the 1990s, many states enacted “three-strikes” laws mandating life sentences for those convicted of three felony offenses. Mississippi was among them (and harsher than most) with a mandatory sentence of life without parole (LWOP) for …
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More from this issue:
- What’s Justice Got to Do with It?, by Doran Larson
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Can the Pandemic Undermine Mass Incarceration?, by Jayson Hawkins
- Animal Shelters Provide Cooler Temperatures Than Florida Prisons in Summer, by David Reutter
- North Carolina Criticized for Prisoner Transfers During Pandemic, by Edward Lyon
- Report: Arkansas Let Asymptomatic Prison Employees Infected with Coronavirus Continue to Work, by David Reutter
- $550,000 Settlement in Georgia Prisoner’s Starvation Death, by David Reutter
- COVID-19 in Hawaii’s Lockups: Still a Success Story but Cracks Starting to Show, by Edward Lyon
- Disabled Detainee at Cook County Jail Wins Class Certification in Lawsuit, by David Reutter
- The Latest News on How to Protect Yourself From Infection, by Michael D. Cohen, MD
- Prisons Banning Black Culture and History Books, by Edward Lyon
- ICE Deportations Fueling Spread of COVID-19 to Latin American Countries, by Dale Chappell
- Jails and Prisons Have Reduced Their Populations in the Face of the Pandemic, but Not Enough To Save Lives, by Emily Widra, Peter Wagner
- The Prison Was Built to Hold 1,500 Inmates. It Had Over 2,000 Coronavirus Cases, by Dara Lind
- How Long Can You Hide a Dead Body in a Prison Cell?, by Keri Blakinger
- Interview: Jodie Sinclair on Her New Book, “Love Behind Bars”, by Ken Silverstein
- Interview: Corene Kendrick on How the Prison Litigation Reform Act Strips Prisoners of Legal Rights, by Ken Silverstein
- Pay Up or Lockup: Housing Shortage Kept Cash-Poor Parolees Behind Bars, by Ike Swetlitz
- Ohio Jails Under Investigation, by Jayson Hawkins
- Colorado Explores Ending Private Prisons, by Jayson Hawkins
- San Francisco Eliminates Fees on Jail Phone Calls, by Mark Wilson
- Maine DOC, Medical Provider, Pay $250,000 Settlement Due to Excessive Force on 11-Year-Old, by Mark Wilson
- Consultants Advising Rich on Prison Life, by Kevin Bliss
- Wisconsin: Court Dismisses Prisoners’ Suit Over Asbestos, Mold on Procedural Grounds, by Chad Marks
- Does Increased Guard Violence Mean Texas Prisoners Are at Greater Risk?, by Matthew Clarke
- Transgender Woman Who Says She Was Raped, Beaten, Sues Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center
- BOP Official Reportedly Had Sexual Relationship With Former Police Union Head, by Bill Barton
- Can Kentucky Keep Charging Prisoners for Their Jail Stay if They Are Found Not Guilty?, by Dale Chappell
- Doctor at Florida Detention Center Spread COVID-19 to Prisoners, by David Reutter
- Prison Art is Rehabilitation, by Kevin Bliss
- D.C. Appeals Court Mixed on Request for Records and Video, by David Reutter
- Rhode Island Takes Uncommon Steps to Address a Common Problem: Drug Addiction in Prison, by Dale Chappell
- From Super Villain to Super Man, Tennessee Prisoner Still Executed, by Edward Lyon
- Record Number of Laws Passed Reducing Barriers for People With Criminal Records, by Douglas Ankney
- Tioga County, New York Police Informant Paid $50,000 to Settle False Arrest Claims, by Mark Wilson
- New York Prisoner Prevails in Lawsuit, Freed from 23 Years in Solitary Confinement, by Douglas Ankney
- Second Circuit Vacates Summary Judgment on Connecticut Prisoner’s Failure to Protect Claim, by Mark Wilson
- Lifers Now Exceed Entire Prison Population of 1970, by Dale Chappell
- Many of Aging Kansas State Prison Population Could Be Released, by Edward Lyon
- $2.8 Million Settlement in New York Pretrial Detainee’s Suicide, by David Reutter
- Study Shows Solitary Confinement Poses Mortality Risk After Release, by Jayson Hawkins
- Dallas County, Texas Jails Finally Enter the 21st Century on Phone Rates, by Edward Lyon
- Federal Judge: BOP Exercising “Reasonable Efforts” Against Coronavirus at NC Prison, by David Reutter
- Beyond Harsh: 86 Mississippi Prisoners Serving Life Without Parole for Nonviolent Offenses, by Matthew Clarke
- United Nations Official Says Connecticut’s Use of Solitary May Amount to Torture, by David Reutter
- Court Approves $1,250,000 Settlement in Suit Against Tennessee County for Fair Labor Violations, by Douglas Ankney
- New Jersey: Commission Recommends State Take 100 Steps to Improve Re-Entry for Ex-Prisoners, by Chad Marks
- Williams & Connolly, HRDC Win Censorship Case Against Virginia Regional Jail, $210,000 in Attorney Fees, by Derek Gilna
- Kansas Leads Country in Female Incarceration Rates, by Kevin Bliss
- Court Orders South Carolina Prisons to Move Forward with Hepatitis C Treatment, by Kevin Bliss
- New Law in Maryland Reveals Pathetic Prison Wages, by Jayson Hawkins
- DC Council Approves Voting in Prison Ahead of November Election, by Nicole D. Porter
- BOP Guard Pleads Guilty to Sexually Molesting Prisoners at MCC Manhattan, by Dale Chappell
- Supreme Court Affirms Lower-Court Dismissal of Colorado Prisoner In Forma Pauperis Actions, by Derek Gilna
- Seventh Circuit: Indiana District Court Erred in Denying Counsel to Prisoner, by David Reutter
- News in Brief
More from Matthew Clarke:
- Texas Social Workers Challenge Blanket Denial of State Occupational License Based on Youthful Assault Convictions, Aug. 1, 2025
- After Judge’s Letter, at Least 22 Former FCI Dublin Prisoners Granted Compassionate Release, Aug. 1, 2025
- Nebraska Supreme Court Clarifies Award of Time Served Credit for Non-Citizen Awaiting Extradition, Aug. 1, 2025
- Former Oregon Prison Guard Sergeant Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Imprisoned Women, Aug. 1, 2025
- Nebraska Supreme Court Clarifies Procedure for Crediting Jail Time to Multiple Contemporaneously-Imposed Sentences, Aug. 1, 2025
- Over One-Third of Older Texas Prisoners Suffering Cognitive Impairment, July 15, 2025
- Kansas Supreme Court Revives Prisoner’s Challenge to Loss of Parental Rights, June 1, 2025
- Fifth Circuit Reinstates Baha’i Texas Prisoner’s Dietary Claim, June 1, 2025
- $5.6 Million Settlement for California Prisoner’s Wife Strip-searched During Visit, June 1, 2025
- Academic Study of Prison Guards’ Use of Excessive Force Details Sad State of Civil Rights for Abused Prisoners, June 1, 2025
More from these topics:
- U.S. Sentencing Commission Adopts 2025 Amendments to Resolve Circuit Conflicts, Aug. 1, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Criminal History, Arrest/Arraignment, Sentence Enhancements/Departures.
- Summary of the 2025 Drug Offenses Amendment by the U.S. Sentencing Commission, Aug. 1, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Methamphetamine, Drug Mule, Machine Guns, Safety Valve.
- Third Circuit Rejects U.S. Sentencing Commission Amended Compassionate Release Policy, July 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Compassionate Release.
- Fourth Circuit: A Finding of Offering Money to Minor for Videos Depicting Specific Conduct Without Establishing Order of Events Insufficient to Establish Offer ‘Caused’ Minor to Produce Explicit Material Within Meaning of Guidelines § 2G2.2(c)(1) Cros, July 1, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Applicable Guidelines Issues.
- First Circuit Announces What Constitutes ‘Otherwise Using’ a Dangerous Weapon for Purposes of the Four-Level Enhancement Under Guidelines § 2B3.1(a), May 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Probation, Sentence Enhancements/Departures.
- ACLU Sues BOP Over Failure to Implement First Step Act Release Credits, May 1, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, First Step Act, Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
- Arkansas Supreme Court Rules § 16-93-609(b)(2)(B), Relating to Parole Eligibility for Residential Burglary Conviction, Applies Retroactively to Defendant, April 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Resentencing, Bank Fraud/Robbery/Theft, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release, Eligibility for Parole.
- Virginia Parole Board Skirts New Transparency Rules, Governor Walks Back Expanded Sentence Credits—Again, March 1, 2025. Local Rules, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release, Credits.
- Former South Carolina Jailer Spared Prison After Testimony Fails to Convict Former Sheriff, Feb. 15, 2025. Guard Brutality/Beatings, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Sentences - Adjustments and Departures, Offense of Conviction.
- The Murky Waters of Parole, Feb. 1, 2025. Parole/Probation Searches, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Parole Liability, Probation, Parole & Supervised Release.

