Laverne outside CCWF women's prison Laverne Shoemaker overcame what some prison reform activists call “a living death sentence.” Shoemaker was serving life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) until her sentence was commuted by then-Gov. … [Read more...]
Once facing a lifetime behind bars, some now offered a chance at freedom
Juveniles sentenced to die in California prisons now have the chance to go home—if they can prove they have rehabilitated. To help them achieve that goal, two attorneys are providing workshops to help juvenile offenders prepare for the Board of … [Read more...]
Prisoners contributed their input on criminal justice reform
Participants sitting in a small circle share their personal experiences in the San Quentin Protestant Chapel Criminal justice reform took center stage at a San Quentin State Prison forum that brought together inmates, social justice advocates, … [Read more...]
CCWP advocates mount a fight to end LWOP
Advocates are mounting a fight to end the other death penalty—life without the possibility of parole. These “hidden death sentences” mean prisoners must live the rest of their lives in “prisons with extraordinarily high suicide rates, with … [Read more...]
Raising awareness California’s ‘Life Without’
More than 100 advocates, family members and friends chanted, “Drop LWOP, drop LWOP, commute all 5,000!” at an Oakland town hall on March 24, denouncing California’s use of life without parole sentences, also known as LWOP. The California Coalition … [Read more...]
Javier Stuaring brings victims and offenders together
Javier Stuaring organizes healing dialogues between families of people who have a loved one murdered with families of loved ones serving life sentences for murder. He wants to see the criminal justice system changed to incorporate the healing needs … [Read more...]
Dear Kid CAT
Dear Kid CAT, I am writing this letter to show my appreciation to you for allowing those of us sentenced to Life Without Parole (LWOP) as youths a voice to the world. Despite being excluded from recent law changes pertaining to youth offenders, we … [Read more...]
Finishing a good deed
A group of California prison inmates serving life sentences has raised more than $1,300 for victims of last year’s Hurricane Harvey. These inmates stand convicted of first-degree murder with special circumstances and are serving life sentences … [Read more...]
LWOP – life without the possibility of parole
More youth offenders are getting parole these days, thanks to changes in the criminal justice system. But left out of the movement are young people serving life without parole terms. “At 18 years old, I committed a crime and was sentenced to life … [Read more...]
182 women serving life without parole
Being sentenced to die in prison is a hard pill to swallow, especially if you are a woman. California women’s prisons house roughly 182 women sentenced to life without parole (LWOP). The women describe themselves as “the lost population.” “My … [Read more...]