Prosecutor Initiated Resentencing: A Law For Expanding Justice

In recent years, a bipartisan consensus has emerged around the need to improve and strengthen the criminal justice system - to protect communities, ensure fairness, and smartly allocate resources. Communities across the country are taking part in the criminal justice reform movement, and prosecutors are key stakeholders who can impact change, too.

Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing (PIR) establishes a new opportunity for prosecutors to reevaluate lengthy sentences and petition the court for resentencing. The solution centers input from victims of the initial crime, collaborates with defense and the community, and keeps public safety at the forefront of those decisions. PIR gives prosecutors the authority and discretion to consider whether the sentence today still serves the interest of justice. Since 2019, PIR has been enacted in California, Louisiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington State.

1. Introduce the origins of PIR and explore how PIR is being used in states across the country. Emphasize public safety, incorporating victims into the process, stakeholder collaboration, and building community trust to strengthen the justice system

2. Provide nuts-and-bolts information on how the PIR process works

3. Discuss how PIR strengthens reentry planning and incentivizes positive in-prison behavior, creating more successful reintegration opportunities for people released from prison