Racial disparities are present in virtually every part of the system. 

Decades of punitive policies, including harsh mandatory minimum sentences, have resulted in too many people being locked up for too long. Half of people in federal custody are serving sentences over 10 years. There are thousands of people serving federal sentences for crimes that would result in a shorter sentence if they were convicted today. Many are beyond the age of retirement.

We know, though, that progress is possible. The federal prison population declined by almost 30% from 2013 to 2020, driven largely by legislative, administrative, and executive efforts that prioritized safely returning people to their families and communities. Those declines, however, have stalled in recent years, making safely reducing the federal prison population an urgent priority.