Mass incarceration in the United States has been driven largely by increasingly long sentences, particularly for individuals convicted of violent offenses. A major obstacle to reversing this trend is the widespread belief that these sentences cannot be revisited. While there has been a growing recognition across political and ideological lines that far too many people are imprisoned, efforts to reduce incarceration have often focused exclusively on those convicted of non-violent offenses. However, no effort to dismantle mass incarceration can succeed without addressing the nearly 50% of the prison population serving long sentences for serious crimes.<\/p>\n
After forty years, some individuals once condemned to perpetual punishment are now being given a chance at release. A diverse group of legal professionals, policymakers, and activists is reviving, developing, and employing legal mechanisms to re-examine the sentences of those convicted of violent offenses. As a result, people who have served twenty, thirty, or even forty years in prison are beginning to regain their freedom. This emerging movement\u2014what we identify as the \u201csecond look movement\u201d\u2014is still in its early stages, but it represents a fundamental shift in the fight against mass incarceration. While it has yet to dramatically reduce the prison population, the second look movement strengthens the broader movement to end mass incarceration by challenging the punitive ideology that has long justified extreme sentencing.<\/p>\n