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FAMM Calls on President Trump, All 50 Governers to Leverage Clemency Powers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, FAMM sent letters to the Office of the President and every governor in the United States , calling on them to expand the use of clemency. FAMM called on recipients to use their executive powers to recognize meaningful rehabilitation, correct overly harsh sentences, and address situations where continued incarceration no longer…
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Sen. Mike Lee Says Federal Prison Hung Up on Him When He Tried To Check on Inmate
Sen. Mike Lee (R–Utah) wrote in a social media post Wednesday that an employee at a federal prison hung up on him when he called to check on the health of an incarcerated man. Lee’s experience is a particularly pointed example of an issue that families and criminal justice advocacy groups have complained about for…
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Mandatory life sentences for second-degree murder are unconstitutional, Pa. Supreme Court rules
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that mandatory life sentences for second-degree murder are unconstitutional — a significant decision that is likely to reshape a portion of state law that many criminal justice advocates and some public officials have long targeted for reform . In an opinion released Thursday morning, Chief Justice Debra Todd…
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Pennsylvania Supreme Court Overturns Life Without Parole for Second Degree Murder
In a landmark ruling on Thursday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court found that sentencing people convicted of second degree murder to life without parole is unconstitutional. The court ruled that the sentence conflicts with the Pennsylvania Constitution’s ban on cruel punishment. The court’s ruling came in the case of Derek Lee from Allegheny County. Lee was…
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Katrina Baugh: Even a gridlocked Congress passed prison oversight. Why can’t Illinois do the same?
OPINION – COMMENTAR Y By KATRINA BAUGHKATRINA BAUGH | Special to the Tribune Historically, prison systems in the U.S. are defined by their lack of transparency. This is often defended in the name of security. However, 1 in 2 U.S. adults have experienced incarceration in their family and, as a result, have dealt firsthand…
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New Louisiana bill would expand temporary medical release for dying inmates
A new Louisiana bill would allow terminally ill inmates to temporarily be released from custody in their final days. House Bill 399 , proposed by Rep. Jerome Zeringue, would amend a pre-existing law to allow inmates more time out of prison before their death. While the original bill only allows release 60 days before the…
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Louisiana could let dying inmates out sooner under bill backed by prisons chief, bishops
In Louisiana, sick inmates with less than 60 days to live are eligible for a special release program, but they sometimes die before their requests make it through the administrative process. A proposal in the state Legislature aims to alleviate that problem and give more inmates the chance to spend their final days outside prison…
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He Survived War … But Almost Died in Prison: The Need for Medical Release in Hawai’i
Joshua Hairston has spent 17 years behind prison walls, almost half his entire life. He was 18 when he was sentenced to 40 years, and it’s almost impossible to imagine how someone that young — facing four decades inside — could find hope for any kind of meaningful future. But that’s exactly what he has…
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Lockdown Crisis in Prisons: Cruel & Unusual Punishment for Families
The goal of my story is to let you know how awful prison lockdowns are and how they affect the people in prison and their families. My granddaughter Brooke is serving a 40-year sentence in a federal prison and in April will begin her 10th year. She has been sending me emails and letters about…
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I Sent 45 Cards, One for Every Year He Was Alive
On January 15, 2026, Jerry James was granted a pardon on a 26-year sentence by former Virginia Gov. Youngkin. Jerry’s wife, Paulettra James, has been a staunch FAMM member for years. At one point over the years, Paulettra had the chance to hand-deliver Jerry’s clemency petition to the governor, saying, “I know you and your…
Celebrating Our 35 Year Anniversary!
