Supporting prosecutors to ensure justice.
Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing is a law that gives prosecutors the power to review past sentences and determine whether they are still safe and just. As originators of this law, For The People supports prosecutors in enacting legislation, implementing resentencing initiatives, and ensuring successful reentry.
Today, there are people in our prisons who could be safely released. Their continued confinement is not in the interest of justice.
Prosecutors are leaders in public safety and ministers of justice. Now, they have the power to determine whether someone can be safely released from prison—prioritizing public safety, victims, and rehabilitation. They can make changes. They can reunite families. They can ensure justice. They can do this For The People.
Mission & Vision
Meet Our Team
Meet the team of former prosecutors, attorneys, data analysts, system-impacted people, policy experts, and thought leaders behind Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing.
Explore our Work
Learn more about how For The People works with prosecutors, community leaders, incarcerated people, and victims to safely bring people home.
Our Story
In 2018, former prosecutor Hillary Blout wrote and secured the passage of the nation’s first Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing law, allowing prosecutors to evaluate past sentences. Hillary believed that prosecutors should have a voice in reforms affecting public safety and victims. She knew that there were many prosecutors who believed in looking back. She felt that prosecutors should have the ability to bring cases back to court if the sentence no longer served the interest of justice. Whether a sentence stemmed from an outdated policy, or the person rehabilitated over time, some cases simply merit a second look.
Once the first PIR law passed, Hillary founded For The People to lead the implementation of PIR across the country. Today, six states have passed PIR laws thanks to bold leaders in California, Washington State, Oregon, Illinois, Louisiana and Minnesota – with more than 700 people safely resentenced. For The People is a non-partisan national organization that supports prosecutors who are implementing PIR in their jurisdictions.
We do this through training, case review, data analysis, policy and strategy development, victim notification support, and coordination with criminal justice stakeholders. For The People brings together diverse stakeholders—from prosecutors to defense to community—in order to strengthen public safety, foster an ecosystem of accountability, and create real community engagement. Just as we support prosecutors’ offices in enacting and implementing the work of resentencing, we simultaneously work with community leaders and incarcerated people on PIR education, navigating the PIR process, and successful reintegration.
Read the incredible stories of people who have returned home.