Extreme Prison Sentences: Legal and Normative Consequences

Authors

Melissa Hamilton, University of Houston Law Center

Abstract

The article examines the phenomenon of extreme sentences—defined as those exceeding 200 years—in the federal criminal justice system, raising critical questions about their rationale, proportionality, and alignment with traditional theories of punishment. Through an empirical study of 55 such cases, the analysis highlights the role of mandatory minimums, cognitive biases, and an exclusionist mindset in driving these sentences. It critiques the normalization of extreme penalties and their implications for mass incarceration, deterrence, and human dignity.

Disciplines

Law | Legal Education

Recommended Citation

Melissa Hamilton, Extreme Prison Sentences: Legal and Normative Consequences, 38 Cardozo L. Rev. 59 (2025).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/clr/vol38/iss1/4