The Center For Life
Without Parole Studies

Founder and CEO Susan Lawrence testifying for the Vermont Senate Judiciary Committee on 1/9/2020 in support of S.261, a bill to end life without parole

LWOP: An American Human Rights Crisis - A Movie by Dr Susan Lawrence

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The Center for Life Without Parole Studies

Advocating for a balanced approach to abolishing this cruel and inhumane sentence nationwide.

2851 West Avenue L # 302

Lancaster, CA 93536

Phone: (661) 466-7007

Fax: (661) 793-6601

info@lwopstudies.org

Our Goals:

1) To eliminate the use of LWOP (and “de facto” LWOP—sentences that exceed the human lifespan) in the United States and ensure that all prisoners currently serving LWOP have a meaningful opportunity to demonstrate their fitness for release;

2) To include the voices of those harmed by crime in the conversation about LWOP abolition;

3) To help California LWOP prisoners with low-cost and pro-bono legal services focusing on commutation applications; and

4) To raise awareness of the role of childhood trauma in the creation of LWOP sentences of all types.

The Vermont Initiative

The Center for Life Without Parole Studies is collaborating with Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform (VCJR) to end life without parole sentences in Vermont. Since 2019, Center Founder and CEO Susan Lawrence has been working closely with VCJR Executive Director Tom Dalton and VCJR Intern/UVM Student/Human Rights Activist Skyler Nash on current and projected new legislation to end LWOP in the state.

This leadership team has been instrumental in the introduction of H.382 by Representative Brian Cina and co-sponsored by Representative Barbara Rachelson, and S.261 by Senator Dick Sears and co-sponsored by Senators Philip Baruth and Jeannette White. Please see The Vermont Initiative page for updates on these bills.

Vermont is uniquely positioned to become the first state to affirmatively end LWOP sentences for adults as well as juveniles, taking a strong stand against this human rights violation. Existing progressive criminal justice policies (such as voting rights for incarcerated persons, compassionate release provisions for terminally ill prisoners, and lack of felony murder statutes), as well as its small number of LWOP prisoners (fifteen), make Vermont the ideal state in which to begin this much needed reform.

Restorative justice is the law of the land in Vermont. LWOP is the antithesis of restoration.

Join with us to ensure all people inside prison have hope for the opportunity to one day present their case to the parole board and demonstrate their fitness for release.

OCTOBER 17, 2020 UPDATE: S.261 passed the Senate floor in March 2020, but because of COVID-19 it was not taken up by the House. We stand ready to work with lawmakers to re-introduce the bill in January 2021, when the new legislative session starts. Stay tuned!

From left to right: Tom Dalton, Susan Lawrence and Skyler Nash.