truth-in-sentencing

law

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July 17, 2026

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Truth-in-sentencing laws are a type of legislation that generally requires prisoners to serve more than 85 percent of their maximum sentence before becoming eligible for parole. These laws were enacted in several U.S. states starting in the 1980s, partly to qualify for federal funds for correctional facilities. Critics argue that such laws, along with mandatory sentencing, can lead to increased incarceration rates and shift sentencing power to prosecutors, potentially increasing biased sentencing. The goal of these laws is to ensure that offenders serve a substantial portion of their imposed sentence.12

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parole
…retained parole passed so-called “truth-in-sentencing” laws, which generally required that a prisoner serve more than 85 percent of his maximum sentence before becoming eligible for parole (the percentage enabled states to qualify for federal funds to build or expand correctional facilities). Partially as a result of such restrictions on…
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…retained parole passed so-called “truth-in-sentencing” laws, which generally required that a prisoner serve more than 85 percent of his maximum sentence before becoming eligible for parole (the percentage enabled states to qualify for federal funds to build or expand correctional facilities). Partially as a result of such restrictions on…
Read More