Bill > S1045

This bill aims to reduce mass incarceration by making several key changes to Massachusetts' criminal justice laws: 1. It expands parole eligibility for individuals serving multiple life sentences, allowing them to be eligible for parole after 25 years of their second or most recent sentence. 2. It removes certain exceptions that previously made some prisoners ineligible for parole, such as those serving life sentences for first-degree murder. 3. It changes the sentencing framework for first-degree murder, reducing the minimum sentence from 15-25 years to 15 years, and providing specific sentencing guidelines for juveniles and felony murder cases. 4. It establishes a Restorative Justice program within prisons, allowing for voluntary interaction between offenders, victims, and community members to address the harms and needs resulting from the offense. 5. It generally requires that no person be imprisoned for more than 25 years without a parole hearing. Overall, the bill seeks to reform Massachusetts' criminal justice system to reduce lengthy prison sentences and provide more opportunities for rehabilitation and reconciliation.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S1045