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FJP Co-Executive Director Amy Fettig Testifies in favor of the Maryland Second Look Act before the Maryland House Judiciary Committee
February 18, 2025 (Annapolis, M.D.) — Today, Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP) Acting Co-Executive Director Amy Fettig testified before the Maryland House Judiciary Committee in favor of HB 853 – the Maryland Second Look Act – a crucial bill that would provide incarcerated individuals who have served at least 20 years with an opportunity to petition for a sentence reduction. HB 853 establishes a meaningful process for resentencing individuals who have served at least 20 years in prison. The bill enables State’s Attorneys to petition for sentence reductions, mandates that judges consider victims’ perspectives if they choose to participate, and introduces a rebuttable presumption that individuals aged 60 or older, or those who have served at least 30 years, no longer present a public safety risk. FJP strongly supports the Maryland Second Look Act and urges the House Judiciary Committee to quickly advance this legislation to the full General Assembly.
Fair and Just Prosecution Acting Co-Executive Director Amy Fettig issued the following statement in support of HB 853:
“For too long, our criminal legal system has imposed excessive sentences without meaningful opportunities to reassess them. Maryland has already demonstrated the effectiveness of ‘Second Look’ mechanisms following Unger v. State – which has led to the release of more than 200 formerly incarcerated people who have served 40 or more years in prison. Those released following Unger have a recidivism rate of less than 4% —far below the state’s general recidivism rate of 40% – and many of those that have been released have gone on to serve as community leaders by founding nonprofits and small businesses, or serving as mentors for at-risk youth.
“Research consistently shows that older individuals who have served long prison sentences no longer pose a meaningful risk to public safety, and ‘Second Look’ legislation ensures that people who have already served decades in prison and have dedicated themselves to rehabilitation can be fairly considered for release, rather than remaining incarcerated when they are no longer a threat to public safety. The Maryland Second Look Act does not guarantee release, but it does provide a necessary mechanism for justice where people are transformed and rehabilitated following years of incarceration. Fairness, common sense and fiscal responsibility all require this Second Look.”