A federal court has held that California Propositions 9 and 89 unlawfully increase punishment for life prisoners who committed their crimes before the effective dates of those propositions.

The Sacramento Bee has named Prison Law Office Director Donald Specter a “Californian to Watch in 2014” based on his successful efforts to bring an evidence-based approach to prison overcrowding problems. Read the article.

The Vera Justice Institute has published a Report on the European-American Prison Project, which was funded by the Prison Law Office. The Project’s goal was to expose American correctional officials to radically different systems and practices in Germany and the Netherlands, in order to advance an international dialogue around effective corrections and to stimulate reform efforts in the United States.

PRESS RELEASE – Office of Senator Holly J. Mitchell

Sacramento, CA – Today, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed Senate Bill 1157, which would have protected in-person visitation in California’s county jails, saying in his veto message that although he was concerned about eliminating in-person visitation, the bill didn’t offer enough flexibility.

California voters have passed Proposition 47, which takes effect immediately. Under Proposition 47, thousands of people can petition to have their California theft or drug possession felony convictions reduced to misdemeanors.