U.K. to pardon women convicted of homosexuality
The British Home Office is expanding a program that pardons people convicted of any offense related to homosexuality. Previously, the program was only available to men, but it is now open to women.
Prison justice
Minnesota becomes 23rd U.S. state to legalize recreational marijuana
Under the measure, people with marijuana convictions will have a chance to clear their records by automatically expunging low-level convictions and establishing a review board to determine eligibility for higher-level offenses.
Yale, University of New Haven partnership celebrates first degrees awarded to inmates
In 2021, Yale partnered with UNH to give student-inmates a path to two and four year college degrees. The program is now part of a consortium that includes 15 schools and prison systems across the country.
Convictions cleared for nearly 850K Michiganders as ‘Clean Slate’ program takes effect
The bipartisan “Clean Slate” legislation, as advocates call it, wipes clean a range of convictions from people’s records after a defined waiting period.
New Mexico governor signs bill ending juvenile life sentences without parole
Under SB64, offenders who committed crimes when they were younger than 18 and received life sentences will be eligible for parole hearings 15 to 25 years into their sentences.
California to transform San Quentin State Prison into ‘Norwegian style’ rehabilitation center
Governor Gavin Newsom told the Los Angeles Times that his goal was “ending San Quentin as we know it” and working to “completely reimagine what prison means.”
Over 7,500 cannabis convictions expunged in Missouri
The expungement is the latest byproduct of the constitutional amendment approved by Missouri voters, which legalized pot for adults and cleared the way for Missourians to have their records cleared.
U.S. to eliminate exorbitant cost of prison phone calls
A new U.S. law that will allow the FCC to regulate prison phone calls needs only President Biden’s signature to put an end to a largely unknown, yet famously predatory, prison practice.
Oregon governor pardons over 45,000 marijuana convictions
Oregon Governor Kate Brown has announced today that she has issued pardons to everyone caught possessing up to an ounce of marijuana prior to its legalization in 2016.
Germany to become second E.U. nation to legalize recreational cannabis
The plan has yet to be formally approved in parliament, but is expected to become law as soon as 2024 after the nation’s coalition government recently agreed to it.