Compassionate release trends in 2020: what the data shows
A 2021 Sentencing Commission report shows which federal districts granted and denied the most compassionate release motions in 2020.
News
Law changes: compassionate release news
COVID-19 survivor with cancer granted release (2021)
A federal judge in California released David Lonich, 66, who has prostate cancer and had already survived COVID-19, to finish his sentence at home.
Should I hire a lawyer for compassionate release?
Thinking of filing for compassionate release on your own? A real motion shows how emotion and weak arguments can sink a request.
Who is eligible for compassionate release?
Anyone in federal prison can ask for compassionate release. Learn what “extraordinary and compelling” means and how the warden request works.
Does rehabilitation help with compassionate release?
Rehabilitation alone is not enough for compassionate release, but it can count with other reasons. Here is how it fits and how to start a request.
How the First Step Act opened compassionate release
Since the First Step Act, people in federal prison can ask a court for compassionate release if the warden says no or doesn’t answer in 30 days.
Can a long sentence be a reason for compassionate release?
In 2021, some federal prisoners used compassionate release to challenge very long sentences. Here is how that worked and what has changed since.
FAMM report: how the First Step Act changed release
A FAMM report explains how the First Step Act moved the final say on compassionate release from the Bureau of Prisons back to federal judges.
Eight ways to shorten long prison sentences
A Prison Policy Initiative report offers ways to shorten long sentences, from parole and second looks to good time and better compassionate release.