Activists are currently pushing for an end to life sentences as part of the latest wave of criminal justice reform efforts. These activists, often associated with progressive ideologies, have an ultimate goal of abolishing not just the death penalty or life sentences, but all forms of imprisonment. While completely eliminating imprisonment may seem far-fetched to many, these activists are taking a step-by-step approach, chipping away at what they term the carceral state incrementally.
The death penalty has all but disappeared in the United States. Executions have significantly declined over the years, with only 18 murderers being put to death last year. Currently, only 24 states retain the death penalty on their books, while 23 states and Washington, D.C. have abolished it outright. Additionally, three states have imposed an indefinite moratorium on executions.
Polls consistently show that a majority of Americans support the death penalty for murderers. However, when given the choice between the death penalty and life in prison without parole, a majority now opt for the latter. Anti-death penalty campaigners argue that life without parole serves as a viable alternative to executions, permanently incapacitating dangerous criminals while avoiding the moral, ethical, and logistical challenges associated with capital punishment.
Despite personal reservations, some individuals acknowledge that the abolitionist movement has been effective in promoting life without parole as an alternative to the death penalty. States that have recently abolished the death penalty, such as New Mexico, Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland, New Hampshire, Colorado, and Virginia, have replaced it with life sentences that are not eligible for parole.
However, the push to end life sentences without parole is now gaining traction. In Massachusetts, for example, state lawmakers have introduced a bill that aims to eliminate the practice entirely. The proposed legislation would leave no room for ensuring that even the most merciless killers, including terrorists and serial murderers, receive a life sentence. Instead, every inmate would eventually be able to seek parole, undermining the assurance that convicted first-degree murderers would never be released.
Proponents argue that there are too many people incarcerated, that life sentences are costly, and that many inmates no longer pose a threat to society, particularly older prisoners with various health problems. While these arguments may hold weight, opponents of ending life sentences without parole contend that the elimination of the death penalty was conditioned on the understanding that convicted murderers would never go free. Now, with abolition efforts focused on life sentences, that assurance is being called into question.
Some activists are transparent about their ultimate goal, aiming not only to abolish the death penalty and life sentences but to eliminate all forms of imprisonment. This ambitious objective is expected to be pursued gradually, as history has shown with other sweeping social reforms. Examples include the fight for independence, women’s suffrage, and same-sex marriage, which all once seemed implausible but have since become accepted norms.
While it is unclear whether the recent bill introduced in Massachusetts will pass this year, it is unlikely to be the last attempt to eliminate life sentences without parole. The war to abolish punishment itself remains ongoing for progressive activists who view imprisonment as inherently inhumane.
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