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Scholars and policy makers wish to eliminate many collateral consequences to promote successful offender reentry. Current proposals to reduce collateral consequences of conviction typically involve the participation of criminal justice practitioners. This study surveyed criminal justice practitioners in Ohio to assess their perceptions of the percentage of offenders affected by particular collateral consequences and the magnitude of the impact of these consequences. The findings suggest that, although there is variability in perceptions across different categories of restrictions, justice officials believe relatively few offenders are affected by collateral consequences, and the perceived impact is relatively small. Efforts to eliminate collateral consequences may not have their intended effect on offender reentry.

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In 2007, after years of dissatisfaction with the 100-to-1 disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine, the U.S. Sentencing Commission amended the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, reducing by two levels the base offense level assigned to threshold quantities of crack cocaine. The amendment was subsequently made retroactive, which required the federal courts to process approximately 20,000 prisoner motions for sentence reduction. Using data collected from a case study of one particular district as well as a survey of representatives from the 94 federal judicial districts, this study examines the process of "crack retroactivity" implementation. The authors found that court communities varied greatly with respect to their organizational arrangements, procedures, and motivations. Although U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services played an important role in every district, how and why districts organized to respond to crack retroactivity varied. The study findings also indicate that sentencing procedures may be another mechanism through which location affects sentencing outcomes.

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