more than 4 million who had long since completed their sentences, unable to participate because of state laws disenfranchising them. Florida, a perennial swing state, led the country with 1.5 million people convicted of felonies who could not vote. In recent years, The Sentencing Project has published reports and research on mandatory minimum sentences and their impact on judicial discretion; the increased reliance in the courts on life sentences, often without opportunities for parole; prison closures and repurposing; the impact of racial perceptions in criminal justice policy; the war on drugs and its collateral consequences; juvenile justice issues; women in prison; the children of prisoners and the long-term social impact of mass incarceration policies. Leadership Marc Mauer has been the executive director of The Sentencing Project since 2005. He has authored a number of books, articles, and studies about the criminal justice system. University of Pittsburgh School of Law professor David Harris called Mauer "the go-to guy for any major media organization or any legislative body that wants the truth on what's been happening with our prisons and our jails ... His testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee in October 2015 ... should be required reading for every public official in this country." The Sentencing Project is governed by a 10-member board of lawyers, academics, and practitioners, chaired by American University law professor Cynthia E. Jones. See also Felony disenfranchisement in the United States References External links Official website Project 501(c)(3) organizations Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C. Political advocacy groups in the United States Criminal justice reform in the United States