That Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley is considering commuting the prison
sentences of two people serving parole-eligible life
sentences in Maryland suggests that grass-roots efforts to reform the laws
governing these sentences are having an impact.
But the release of Tamara Settle and Mark Farley Grant would do nothing to
address the larger issue that keeps the other...

See our Parole Reform post at the Open Society Institute's Audacious Ideas Blog!  We're happy the dialog has been initiated on this important subject. Please visit the blog and add your comments. Include your ideas on how we can improve on the work.

Prison reform in Maryland has not kept pace with other states, and while Maryland had one of the most progressive prison systems in the country prior to 1993, it now lags behind in prison reform. Maryland’s system  had a robust educational and vocational program, with parole expectancy built into the system. A person progressed from maximum security to medium, minimum, prerelease, work release, family...