Study Shows…What the Interest Group Wants it to

In an article published by The Washington Post on March 2, written by Tom Jackman, there are many references to a ‘new study’ by the Sentencing Project. The argument being made by Jackman via the study is that no individual in the United States should receive a prison sentence for more than 20 years, no matter the level of crime. Are we to believe that if an individual murders a child, or brutally murders a family member, we should ensure they have another chance at being a member of society? 

Additionally, there are statistics which are quoted in the study that are not supported by how the information was obtained. For example this quote was found in the article by Jackman, “It cites the racially disproportionate issuance of life sentences, the cost of incarcerating older prisoners, the lack of a deterrent effect and studies that show a very small likelihood that a prisoner will reoffend after serving a significant term.” 

I located the study Jackman was referencing on the Sentencing Project website. It seems they got their data from public records of inmates per state and demographics in each respective state; then conducted an analysis of the relationship between race and LWOP or LWP. I would like to see in the study a break down of felony and/or violent crimes committed by the offenders based on the two aforementioned variables, as it is a missing piece that would create a more complete view of the prison population and why there are many individuals in our prisons for more than 20 years, rather than an assumption based on numbers of inmates without a backstory to what put them there.