Kara Gotsch on the Global Crisis of Mass Incarceration

The journey to justice often begins with a fundamental question: Can people change? For decades, the American criminal legal system has answered “no,” choosing to invest billions of taxpayer dollars in extreme punishment rather than in human transformation and, even worse, choosing to profit from these institutions, creating a confounding conflict of interest at the heart of this topic. This approach has created an unparalleled crisis of mass incarceration, trapping millions in a cycle of punishment and despair that is both racially unjust and statistically ineffective at promoting real public safety.

As an attorney and mediator, I believe every person deserves to be seen beyond their worst mistake. That’s why I was thrilled to welcome Kara Gotsch, Executive Director of The Sentencing Project, to The Legal Lens Podcast. Gotsch is a national leader in sentencing reform, and her organization has spent 40 years fighting for humane, evidence-based solutions.

Our conversation offered a crucial, unflinching look at the facts, from the disturbing rise of life-without-parole (LWOP) sentences to the political agendas threatening to reverse years of hard-won progress. Gotsch’s powerful, data-driven perspective is essential for anyone seeking to understand the climate we are living in. For a deeper, more convenient dive into these critical topics, you can listen to our full 35-minute discussion on The Legal Lens Podcast. You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Simplecast, and everywhere you get your podcasts, or you can listen in below:

Second Chances and the Truth About Mass Incarceration: Kara Gotsch of The Sentencing Project Exposes Threats to Reform

I am confident you will be both enlightened and inspired by this candid and riveting discussion with Kara Gotsch, a leader who has dedicated her life to serving vulnerable populations and whose life mission is rooted in the belief that “we all can change.” Here are timestamps and topics covered:

3:40 – Kara Gotsch’s Personal and Professional Path to Criminal Justice & Sentencing Reform Advocacy
6:10 – The Sentencing Project’s Mission and 40-year history: Youth Justice, Voting Rights, and Sentencing Reform
11:00 – Research and Advocacy Addressing Life Without Parole and the Global Scale of U.S. Prison Sentences
17:00 – The Rising Threats From Tough-on-Crime Political Agendas, Including Federal and D.C. Legislation
33:25 – The Critical Role of Formerly Incarcerated Leaders in Reform and What Hope Looks Like for the Future

Kara Gotsch’s Personal and Professional Path to Criminal Justice & Sentencing Reform Advocacy

Kara Gotsch’s path to leading a national advocacy group began with a fundamental sense of justice, instilled through faith and social commitment.

“I was raised in a household that was very focused on social justice, and faith was the center of our social justice orientation as a family. In high school, I did a lot of advocacy, anti-death advocacy through volunteer organizations. I worked with Amnesty International as a young person, and I worked for an organization through the YMCA called Youth and Government,” remembered Gotsch.

She shared that her passion was both instilled and self-evident early, starting with anti-death penalty advocacy in high school, where she experienced a political setback in the form of a student-written bill to repeal the death penalty being vetoed by the student governor.

“At the time, New Jersey had the death penalty, and as a student, I wrote a bill to repeal the death penalty in New Jersey. I had to work it my way through the student legislature. In the end, I got it through the legislature, but the student governor vetoed the bill, and that was very crushing. I’ve just always had a strong sense of justice, I guess,” said Gotsch.

This early taste of political setback only strengthened her resolve. Her professional career started at the ACLU National Prison Project, driven by the belief that incarceration is a punishment, not torture, and that all people deserve respect and have inherent dignity.

“The punishment is incarceration, and therefore, conditions need to be appropriate. People need access to quality, community standards of care, and that’s not what we have seen in our prisons historically. They are often overcrowded and violent, and the conditions of confinement do not meet constitutional standards. We need to protect people – that’s the bottom line,” said Gotsch.

She also recognized early on that her own sense of privilege came with a duty to improve conditions for vulnerable populations.

“I’ve always been interested in protecting vulnerable populations. As someone who grew up with a lot of privilege, I recognize that that’s a gift, and it’s my duty to try and improve conditions for those folks who don’t have the same privilege that I have,” reflected Gotsch.

This commitment led her to The Sentencing Project, an organization entering its 40th year as a leader in criminal justice research and advocacy.

The Sentencing Project’s Mission and 40-year history: Youth Justice, Voting Rights, and Sentencing Reform

The Sentencing Project is celebrating its 40th year as a criminal justice research and advocacy organization, making it a leading voice in the fight to address mass incarceration.

“We are focused primarily on three issue areas – youth justice, voting rights for people with felony convictions, and sentencing reform,” explained Gotsch.

On voting rights, Gotsch detailed the crisis of felony disenfranchisement, noting that millions of Americans remain locked out of the democratic process, hamstringing their communities.

“About 4 million people in this country cannot vote, and a disproportionate number of the people who cannot vote are African Americans. About one in 19 African American adults of voting age cannot vote because of a felony conviction,” explained Gotsch.

She argued that an engaged electorate, including people who have criminal legal involvement, actually contributes to increases in community safety, suggesting that keeping people engaged in their communities is a form of restorative justice.

Related Podcast Episode: Michelle Hudgins on Voting Rights, Civil Rights, and More

Research and Advocacy Addressing Life Without Parole and the Global Scale of U.S. Prison Sentences

Our discussion then focused on the facts that define America’s failure to embrace humane sentencing. Kara Gotsch said that The Sentencing Project focuses on this reality because they advocate that sentences must be proportionate to the crime committed, not based on political fear.

“The United States leads the world in its use of life imprisonment and extreme sentences. About 200,000 people are serving life sentences in the U.S. That’s more people serving life than who were incarcerated in 1970,” said Gotsch.

Gotsch noted that this staggering population is drawn from the overall prison population of approximately 1.5 million. While the overall prison population saw a long-awaited decline for over a decade starting in 2009, Gotsch stressed that the number of people serving life without parole (LWOP), meaning they will never come home, has continued to rise.

“We are currently going through a political climate that I would call pro-prison and pro-extreme sentencing, which contradicts what we know about what works to reduce crime and protect communities. Long sentences don’t do that because people, as they get older, age out of crime. We’re spending too much money on imprisoning people who aren’t a threat to the community instead of using those resources to invest in communities, prevent crime, and address the root causes,” elaborated Gotsch, emphasizing this is not a smart use of resources.

The Rising Threats From Tough-on-Crime Political Agendas, Including Federal and D.C. Legislation

A grave concern Gotsch shared is the resurgence of the “tough-on-crime” political agenda. After a decade of reform progress, the environment has shifted back to a pro-prison climate.

“I want to say that a lot of this is tied to COVID and the increase in crime we saw during COVID, and I don’t know that that should be a surprise, right? I mean, the world was upended, people were isolated, and mental health concerns increased rapidly. Substance abuse disorders skyrocketed. We saw huge increases in overdose deaths. A result of the increase in crime is, of course, an increase in the prison population,” explained Gotsch.

This dangerous trend is on full display in Washington, D.C., where Congress is using its authority over the District, because it is not a state, to pass a slate of bills designed to repeal progressive local criminal justice reforms. This is a highly “unprecedented” attempt to silence the voices of D.C. voters.

She also detailed bills that have passed the House and are pending in the Senate, including one that would lower the age of majority and allow children as young as 14 to be tried and sentenced as adults.

“When you put young people in the adult system, you ruin their lives. They’re more likely upon release to be recidivate and to perpetuate a life of crime. The adult system is the worst place for a young person, including young people who’ve committed serious crimes. The federal prison system isn’t equipped to handle people as young as 14. They’re more likely to be harmed and assaulted when you put young people in an adult system. They need to be treated as kids for any hope of rehabilitation and helping them turn their lives around,” cautioned Gotsch.

She stressed that this is not just a D.C. issue and, instead, represents a terrifying precedent.

The same tough-on-crime logic is driving proposed federal legislation that would create severe mandatory minimums for people crossing the border illegally, potentially doubling the size of the federal prison population and directly benefiting for-profit prison companies.

This for-profit structure, we agreed, is the “elephant in the room” when discussing this issue.

The Critical Role of Formerly Incarcerated Leaders in Reform and What Hope Looks Like for the Future

Though the times are dire, Gotsch insisted there is reason to believe in change.

“There’s always hope, and that’s the only way I have been able to sustain this work as I have for the three decades that I have. One thing about mass incarceration is that it impacts almost everyone. Nearly everyone knows someone, a friend or family member, who has been incarcerated in their lifetime. And it is through that direct association that people have come to learn and understand the problems and brokenness of our criminal legal system,” explained Gotsch.

This reality, she believes, has created a large, empathetic constituency. The most powerful force, she noted, comes from those who have come out of incarceration and become leaders.

“There’s been a lot of people who’ve come out of incarceration and have become leaders in this movement of change and reform, and that gives me a lot of inspiration and hope,” reflected Gotsch.

She shared a moving personal story of a colleague who served 20 years in prison and was granted release because over 50 people from the community showed up to his hearing to attest to his change.

“The judge was so moved by the community coming together, and that influenced his decision. I have never had so many people from the community say, I believe in this person. We all can change. We are not the worst thing we’ve ever done at 20 years old. We should give people a second chance,” smiled Gotsch.

This inspiring leadership is informing the future of the reform movement, giving Gotsch complete confidence in the future trajectory toward ending mass incarceration and advancing racial justice.

Do You Want to Hear More Powerful Insights from Legal Experts Like Kara Gotsch? Subscribe to and Download the Legal Lens Podcast Today!

Our essential discussion with Kara Gotsch, Executive Director of The Sentencing Project, revealed that we are at a pivotal moment. We must not allow years of progress to be erased by political rhetoric that contradicts evidence and ignores the human capacity for change. The fight for second chances, for voting rights, and for our children is urgent. To follow the essential work of The Sentencing Project, visit their website at www.sentencingproject.org and find them on social media, specifically Instagram, Facebook, Blue Sky, and Threads.

Stay informed, inspired, and empowered. Listen to this episode of The Legal Lens Podcast on Simplecast to hear Kara Gotsch’s full perspective, and subscribe to never miss a critical conversation!

Also, to learn about all things Legal Lens, follow me on Instagram @iamangelareddockwright.

For media inquiries, please reach out to josh@kwsmdigital.com.

This communication is not legal advice. It is educational only. For legal advice, consult with an experienced employment law attorney in your state or city.

Kara Gotsch of The Sentencing Project: Second Chances, the Truth About Mass Incarceration, and Threats to Criminal Justice & Sentencing Reform