In the 1990s, Phillip Villanueva attempted to rob a local doughnut shop. With this being his “third strike,” he was sentenced to 25 years to life. While in prison for more than two decades, Villanueva dedicated himself to rehabilitation, participating in programs such as substance recovery, conflict resolution, mentorship, and even training service dogs for veterans. To his surprise, in 2018, a law passed that enabled the very same prosecutor’s office that had once sentenced him to prison to instead recommend Villanueva’s release. This was the key to his freedom.

The law, called prosecutor-initiated resentencing, is a form of “second-look” legislation that enables prosecutors to revisit old cases and propose revised sentences to the court. PIR posits that if prosecutors can recommend a sentence on the front end, then it is only just that they be able to look back, years later, and determine whether that sentence is still appropriate.

There are many benefits to this innovation. When we reunite people like Villanueva with their families, we build stronger communities with present parents, new taxpayers, and good neighbors. Additionally, PIR can redirect substantial taxpayer funds toward crime prevention measures such as substance abuse recovery, education, child care, and mental health support. (In some states, it costs $132,000 a year to incarcerate one person.)........

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