The Brennan Center applauds the introduction of the Smarter Sentencing Act, a bipartisan bill that would reform overly severe drug sentencing policies and give federal judges greater flexibility in sentencing.

States are increasingly imposing onerous “user fees” on those convicted of crimes, making it almost impossible for the indigent to repay their debt and successfully re-enter society, according to separate reports released today by the Brennan Center for Justice and American Civil Liberties Union.

The Brennan Center for Justice re-releases newly-relevant prosecutorial Guidelines to reduce racial disparities in the criminal justice system. If adopted, the Guidelines would promote equal justice and improve public safety and confidence in law enforcement.

62 former New York prosecutors joined an amicus brief in support of a suit, now pending before New York's highest court, which alleges that New York State's legal services for the poor are constitutionally inadequate.