On March 26, 2019, 2L and Prisoner and Reentry Clinic (PARC) student Alexandra North testified at a hearing of the DC Council to advocate in favor of the "Second Look Amendment Act of 2019," which would allow rehabilitated prisoners to seek a sentence reduction in court. In recognition of emerging brain science about the risk-taking behavior of young adults, the proposed legislation would allow people sentenced to lengthy prison terms when they were under 25 years old to petition a court for early release. Ms. North's testimony focused on a PARC client who would have the opportunity to request a judicial review of his sentence under the proposed law. He was sentenced to 47 years to life in prison when he was only 20 years old and has since demonstrated extraordinary rehabilitation during his nearly three decades of incarceration. Alongside direct client representation, this policy advocacy allows PARC students a holistic view of the post-conviction landscape for DC residents navigating the criminal justice system.
Watch Ms. North's testimony below.