An individual facing prison is much more than their greatest mistake.
FACT SHEET
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All of Complete Picture’s sentencing videos that have been viewed by judges have resulted in a sentence reduction.
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In 50 % of the cases, the clients received no prison time.
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Complete Picture's first six trials for which we prepared video portraits were instrumental in reducing sentences by an aggregate of over 20 years of prison time for the six defendants and saved taxpayers 1.5 million dollars in the costs associated with incarceration.
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In all cases, the respective defense attorneys attributed the judge’s change of heart to the information presented in their videos.
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By averting the human costs of incarceration, Complete Picture's videos also help minimize collateral damage such as children being sent to foster homes and elderly parents to care facilities.
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Complete Picture’s sentencing videos emphasize if the person is ready to engage in mental health care, drug rehab, or job training that can enable their return as a productive member of society.
THE NEED FOR CHANGE IS NOW
COMPLETE PICTURE BENEFITS THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS MEN & WOMEN WHO ARE FACING
YEARS OF INCARCERATION
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American Psychological Association featured an article called "Incarceration Nation" stating that the United States is home to almost 5% of the world’s population and 25% of its prisoners.
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One could mistakingly point to the increased privatization of prisons as a key motivator for mass incarceration, but it’s not that simple. Actually, according to Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2020, published by Prison Policy Initiative, over 91% of our country's prison inmates are incarcerated in publicly-run, publicly-funded facilities.
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In far too many cases, stiff sentences, disproportionate to the crimes committed, are propagated by a broken system that does not provide due process or proper representation to those who cannot afford to hire an attorney and must have a court-appointed public defender.
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In his book "Privilege and Punishment", Sociologist and Standford professor Matthew Clair describes how disadvantaged persons, predisposed to distrust the legal system, often attempt to advocate for themselves. A contentious client-attorney relationship ensues. Eventually, the defendant resists representation or completely withdraws from the attorney. The withdrawal further deepens their disadvantaged position.
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Reentry Resources reports that 95% of people incarcerated in state prisons eventually return to their communities. Having been traumatized by the brutal environment experienced in jail and prison, individuals are much more likely to re-offend.
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A study by The Sentencing Project found that “Overall, African Americans are more likely than white Americans to be arrested; once arrested, they are more likely to be convicted; and once convicted, they are more likely to face stiff sentences.”
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A passage in Bryan Stevenson’s acclaimed book “Just Mercy” brings to light that there are more than three times more seriously mentally ill patients in jails or prison than in hospitals.
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Though prisons are the default "solution," even for lower crimes, they are totally ineffective at rehabilitation, particularly for people suffering from substance use disorder or mental illness.
