Tampa criminal attorneysAccording to recent research studies that compile lists of information, there are approximately 140,610 inmates – which is a record – in federal and state prisons who are serving life sentences with nearly one third of these prisoners having no possibility for parole – this year.  These are the most accurate and recent numbers available, claims a criminal justice research group that supports alternatives to incarceration

Since 1992 the number of inmates sentenced to life without parole has more than tripled to 41,095.  This report is from The Sentencing Project whose reports are regularly cited for government reviews and academia.  They explain the criminal justice policies and in this particular report, cite the rising costs of incarceration and urge lawmakers to abolish life without parole.

Tampa criminal attorneys are always very interested in what The Sentencing Project has to say because they are defending people who want to stay out of prison. This latest recommendation from The Sentencing Project that life without parole be abolished was met with strong opposition from law enforcement who said life sentences, including life sentences without the possibility of parole, helped drive down violent criminal acts.

The past president of the National District Attorneys Association, Joseph Cassilly, commented that long term prison sentences are a “huge drain on resources.” He went on to say life sentences are appropriate for violent offenders in some repeat drug dealers.  “Sometimes there is no way of getting through to these criminals.”

Unfortunately, in The Sentencing Project’s review, which is entitled “No Exit”, researchers found “overwhelming” ethnic and racial disparities for those serving life terms: currently, 66 percent are non-white and 77 percent of juveniles sentenced to life in prison are also non-white.

Co-author of The Sentencing Project’s report, Ashley Nellis said, “Life sentences imposed on juveniles represents a fundamental and unwise shift from the long-standing tradition that juveniles are less culpable than adults . . . and are capable of change.”

Another of the other report’s findings includes the cost of housing an aging prison population is also on the rise.  A state could expect to pay $1 million for each prisoner who spends at least 40 years incarcerated.  A Tampa criminal defense attorney would like to keep more prisoners out of the overcrowded jails in addition to lessening the peoples’ tax burden.