Multimedia Resources

Click on the following links. Please note these will open in a new window.

Learning Objective 10.2 Compare the differences between indeterminate, determinate, and mandatory sentencing

Audio Link: Judge Regrets Harsh Human Toll Of Mandatory Minimum Sentences
Summary: The challenges with mandatory minimums are discussed.

Learning Objective 10.3 Explain how federal sentencing guidelines are used

Video Link: Thousands released early from prison under new sentencing guidelines
Summary:  Video highlights the release of thousands under the new sentencing guidelines.

Web Link: United States Sentencing Commission
Summary: The Commission, a bipartisan, independent agency located in the judicial branch of government, was created by Congress in 1984 to reduce sentencing disparities and promote transparency and proportionality in sentencing. The Commission collects, analyzes, and distributes a broad array of information on federal sentencing practices, continuously establishing and amending sentencing guidelines for the judicial branch and assisting the other branches in developing effective and efficient crime policy.

Learning Objective 10.4 Identify the current methods of execution and legal challenges to capital punishment

Video Link: 2015 Was A Historic Year For The Death Penalty In America
Summary:  Fewer people were sentenced to death than at any time since the 1970s.

Audio Link: Supreme Court Strikes Down Florida's Death Penalty System
Summary: The U.S. Supreme Court today struck down Florida's death sentencing system as unconstitutional. Florida ranks second in the nation in the number of death row inmates. There are currently 390 men and women awaiting execution in the state, and today's Supreme Court decision casts doubt on all those sentences.

Web Link: Death Penalty Information Center
Summary: The Death Penalty Information Center is a national non-profit organization serving the media and the public with analysis and information on issues concerning capital punishment. Founded in 1990, the Center promotes informed discussion of the death penalty by preparing in-depth reports, conducting briefings for journalists, and serving as a resource to those working on this issue. The Center releases an annual report on the death penalty, highlighting significant developments and featuring the latest statistics. The Center also produces groundbreaking reports on various issues related to the death penalty such as arbitrariness, costs, innocence, and race. We offer a wide variety of multimedia resources, such as our free, online educational curricula and our podcast series, DPIC on the Issues.