About Us

Death By Incarceration:

The sentence of Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP). ... Prison sentences that exceed the normal length of a human life should also be considered a death penalty. Many more people have been sentenced to death than anyone realizes.

The United States is the only nation that sentences people to life without parole for crimes committed as a minor, that means we are the only place on earth where you can be sentenced to die by incarceration before you turn 18. Can’t vote, can’t serve in the military, can’t drink or smoke, but you can go to prison for the rest of your life.

The mission of this podcast is to change the conversation around Juvenile Incarceration, specifically the use of life or extreme sentencing that amounts to a death sentence.

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have banned life sentences without the possibility of parole for juveniles; in a handful of other states, no one is serving the sentence.

There were 2,310 people serving life-without-parole sentences for crimes committed as juveniles (known as JLWOP) at year-end 2016. In its 2017 ruling in Montgomery v. Louisiana, the Supreme Court invalidated all existing JLWOP sentences that had been imposed by mandatory statute. As a result, youth sentenced to parole-ineligible life sentences in 29 states and the federal government are now in the process of having their original sentences reviewed or have been granted a new sentence. In a small fraction of cases, individuals have been released from prison. The post-Montgomery years have surely included a decline in the juvenile life without parole population, though there is not exact count as of yet.

-Josh Rovner, The Sentencing Project

Our Podcast urges changes in both policy and attitudes towards youth sentenced to Death by Incarceration. By highlighting the human beings behind the stories, their lives and most importantly the changes they have made while in prison, we hope to show that everyone deserves a chance to change. Our goal is to never minimize the impact of each individuals crime, and whenever possible we speak to victims families to understand the ripple effect of each persons choices. All of our guests have taken responsibility for what they have done, and have worked to make deep and meaningful change.