ben gilmore
Arkansas Senate votes for ‘truth in sentencing’ bill, bucking national and international trends
The proposed overhaul to Arkansas’ criminal sentencing and parole system moves in the opposite direction of several surrounding states and most of the U.S. and world. Facing a growing body of research that more incarceration does not lower violent crime rates, policymakers elsewhere have focused on criminal justice measures that reduce the number of offenders in […]
What is the Protect Arkansas Act?
State lawmakers this week introduced a massive overhaul of Arkansas’ parole system. The 132-page “Protect Arkansas Act” includes “truth-in-sentencing” changes that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders campaigned on, removing the possibility of parole for those convicted of the most serious crimes. But it also extends the time that nearly all convicted felons must spend in prison […]
Governor-backed bill to change Arkansas’ parole and criminal justice system introduced
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday revealed legislation that proposes restructuring Arkansas’ parole system and eliminating parole eligibility for those convicted of the most violent offenses. The new Republican governor also announced that the state would seek to build a new 3000-bed prison. “Truth in sentencing” has been one of Sanders’ main priorities on the […]