Telling the Story of Prison at Sentencing

Prison is not just a potential outcome of sentencing; it can and should be an influencer at sentencing.  Where a person will serve their time, how a person will serve their time, and what information follows them into an institution are all integral components of a comprehensive, empathy-based, sentencing presentation. Helping us get set for sentencing is Maureen Baird.  Ms. Baird retired after a distinguished career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), including serving as warden of some of the toughest prisons in the system. Ms. Baird now serves as a consultant and expert witness on all things related to the BOP. IN THIS EPISODE: Hope and fear in the BOP; The counterproductive outcomes of draconian sentencing laws;  The lack of meaningful care and treatment necessary to facilitate rehabilitation; How telling the story of the "where and how" a person will serve their sentence can influence the outcome of a sentencing hearing; Some practical ways to integrate BOP/Prison issues into your sentencing presentation; Sample testimony Maureen has given in sentencing mitigation video subsmissions (28:30); Sentencing and BOP issues for elderly clients and clients with extraordinary mental or physical health issues; Serving time during a pandemic; How to attack the BOP's boilerplate response when lawyers raise the issue of lack of proper care; The essential role the pre-sentence report plays in BOP placement; Understanding the BOP's "security scoring system"; How to craft a meaningful placement recommendation for the judge. LINKS: Maureen Baird @ LinkdIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureen-baird-37637b73/   "Earning Early Release Under the First Step Act" Bloomberg Law, Maureen Baird, Mark Allenbaugh, Alan Ellis: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/earning-early-release-under-the-first-step-act?context=search&index=1 www.prisonology.com FREE RESOURCES:  Visit the podcast page for more information and free resources related to this episode!