Grading the States: the State Compassionate Release Report Card Project
With “Grading the States: the State Compassionate Release Report Card Project,” FAMM issues a report card for every state compassionate release program in the nation. FAMM graded the programs on elements we consider essential to ensuring that the programs benefit those who need them: medically vulnerable, aging, and terminally ill incarcerated people whose continued imprisonment no longer serves the interests of justice.
The majority of states flunk compassionate release. But, we are here to help change that with a toolkit that stakeholders and lawmakers can use to fix failing programs. We hope the report cards spur discussion, concern, and in failed states – outrage and action.
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Find our state report cards here.
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See how your state stacks up to others.
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Read our report on how we arrived at our grading system.
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Use our toolkit to help fix failed and underperforming programs.
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Find your state’s compassionate release policy here.
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Read our summary of state compassionate release programs here.
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Read FAMM’s poll showing that 70% of Americans, across political lines, support compassionate release programs here.
Report: Everywhere and Nowhere: Compassionate Release in the States
“Everywhere and Nowhere: Compassionate Release in the States,” is a comprehensive, state-by-state report on the early-release programs available to prisoners struggling with certain extraordinary circumstances, such as a terminal or age-related illness.
The report takes a deep dive into the regulations and requirements of these programs in each state, including the varying categories of release, eligibility criteria, and reporting. The analysis also reveals a troubling number of barriers faced by prisoners and their families when applying for early release.
The report is accompanied by a comparison chart, 21 recommendations for policymakers, and 51 individual state memos. FAMM updated the state memos in December 2021.