Second Look Policy reports can be found in their own special page. Click the button below to check them out.
July 2026
Murder typically refers to an intentional killing. But “felony murder” laws hold people … liable for murder if they participated in certain felonies, such as a robbery, that resulted in someone’s death.
This report evaluates the legal and empirical foundation, and failings, of the felony murder rule, profiles impacted individuals, and highlights recent reform efforts in 13 jurisdictions.
OIG Report AUD № 24–02, Management of Temperature Conditions in Prisons
SEPTEMBER 2025
California Penal Code section 6126(b) authorizes the Office of the Inspector General (the OIG) to conduct audits of the CDCr’s (the department) policies, practices, and procedures. We initiated this audit to review and evaluate the control measures the department has in place to detect and
respond to excessive interior temperatures in its prisons’ housing units.
A Matter of Life: The Scope and Impact of Life and Long Term Imprisonment in the United States
JANUARY 2025
This comprehensive 50-state report examines the prevalence and implications of life sentences across the country, highlighting the disproportionate impact of such extreme sentences on people of color and the inefficacy of punitive measures in improving community safety
Report of Significant Events
2024
Based on the 2024 Board of Parole Hearings Report of Significant Events, read some of the most notable statistics.
Life Without Parole and Felony Murder Sentencing in California Report
JULY 2023
A report of the Special Circumstances Conviction Project. In collaboration with the Felony Murder Elimination Project and the UCLA Center for the Study of Women|Streisand Center
“I JUST WANT TO GIVE BACK”
JUNE 2023
The Reintegration of People Sentenced to Life Without Parole. A report from Human Rights Watch which focuses on the historic release of 143 individuals from California prisons and examines the positive contributions they have made with their second chances.