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Judge pauses deadline for federal workers to accept Trump's resignation offer; CA state lawmakers take action to enact safeguards against federal immigration enforcement; Study shows air quality disparities from industrial ag in NC.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

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During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Report: Florida leads nation in life sentences without parole as advocates push for reforms

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Thursday, January 16, 2025   

Florida holds the highest number of people serving life sentences without parole in the country, with nearly 11,000 individuals behind bars indefinitely. Advocates are now raising concerns about the state's reliance on extreme sentencing practices, which disproportionately impact communities of color. A new report from The Sentencing Project highlights these racial inequities and calls for legislative reforms to reduce the use of life sentences.

Celeste Barry, report co-author, said nearly three-quarters of those serving life sentences in Florida have no chance for parole.

"The numbers in Florida grew from 2020 to 2024. We're hoping to see an expansion of the reforms that we're seeing in some other states, such as the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act," she explained.

That's in Oklahoma, where incarcerated individuals can seek reduced sentences by proving that abuse played a role in their crime. Barry also advocates for relief for individuals younger than 25 during their offenses.

Barry noted that racial disparities are evident in life sentencing across the United States, including Florida, where nearly half of the life-sentenced population is Black.

"We see instances of implicit and explicit bias which traffic people of color into the legal system at a higher rate, and additionally can lend to more extreme sentences for Black Americans," she continued.

Last year, bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing recidivism, easing re-entry and alleviating financial burdens on families of the incarcerated was vetoed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who argued the bills rewarded "criminal activity" and favored offenders over law-abiding citizens.


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