Mercy-oriented reentry and reintegration: Lessons from Policy and Practice

In the U.S. criminal justice system, sentencing determinations are frequently divorced from the social history of the individual accused of a crime. Sentencing determinations, from community penalties to imprisonment, are rarely informed by our empirical knowledge about what forces may lead an individual to desist from offending. Yet, this knowledge can help to drive key decisions to grant mercy to individuals at all stages of the criminal justice process, from plea to parole. This chapter argues that the comprehensive social history of individuals accused of crimes can inform our knowledge about their capacity to desist from crime and can and should be presented at sentencing and parole in order to inform a decision to grant mercy.