Last updated: October 16, 2026
CJI has worked with Pennsylvania’s justice systems since 2019, with the governor, the Supreme Court, legislative leaders, and county officials. The work has covered youth justice policy through a statewide task force, pretrial practice in Lycoming County, and second-degree murder sentencing after the state Supreme Court’s 2026 decision in Commonwealth v. Lee.
At a glance
- Years: 2019–present
- Worked with: the governor’s office, the Supreme Court, legislative leaders, the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Task Force, Lycoming County, and state policymakers and stakeholders
- Where: Statewide, and Lycoming County
- Areas: Sentencing, pretrial practice, youth justice
- What the data show: Average time served in Pennsylvania prisons rose 38% from 2015 to 2024, from about 3.5 to 4.8 years (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Annual Statistical Reports, 2015–2024).
Current campaign
Second-degree murder sentencing
After the Supreme Court’s decision in Commonwealth v. Lee, Pennsylvania has no constitutional sentence for new second-degree murder convictions and no statutory guidance for resentencing. See CJI’s analysis.
CJI’s work in Pennsylvania
Sentencing, 2026–present
In March 2026, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in Commonwealth v. Lee that mandatory life without parole for second-degree murder is unconstitutional under the Pennsylvania Constitution. The legislature did not adopt a new sentence before the Court’s deadline. About 1,100 people are serving life without parole for the offense, as of July 2024. CJI provides data and analysis to state policymakers and stakeholders on sentencing and resentencing options.
- Policy analysis, 2026–present: Compared the bills the legislature considered in 2026, analyzed how other states sentence felony murder, and reported trends in Pennsylvania’s prison population. See CJI’s analysis.
Key publications: Bill comparison: HB 443, HB 1042, and SB 1400 (bill comparison, October 2026), Felony murder sentencing across states (state comparison, October 2026), Pennsylvania prison population spotlight (data brief, October 2026)
Pretrial practice, 2024
Lycoming County examined how its pretrial system works and how it compares with recognized practices and state law.
- Policy analysis, 2024: Assessed the county’s pretrial release, detention, and supervision practices against recognized best practices and Pennsylvania’s current and proposed legal requirements.
Key publications: An assessment of the Lycoming County pretrial system (assessment, September 2024)
Youth justice, 2019–2021
The governor, the Supreme Court, and legislative leaders formed a bipartisan, interbranch task force to study the state’s high rate of youth commitment. CJI provided technical assistance alongside The Pew Charitable Trusts, including data analysis across three state agencies. The task force’s 2021 final report recommended 35 policy changes. The task force projected those changes would reduce the out-of-home youth population 39% by 2026 and free nearly $81 million for reinvestment.
- Policy analysis, 2019–2021: Analyzed data across three state agencies and supported the task force in developing its recommendations. Read CJI’s coverage of the task force’s launch and its recommendations.
Key publications: Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Task Force final report (task force report, 2021)
Publications
See all CJI publications on Pennsylvania
Related national analysis
- JRI: Helping law enforcement keep communities safe, with the Council of State Governments, which includes Pennsylvania among eight states
Contact
- Questions & media inquiries: cjiconnect@cjinstitute.org
- Working with CJI: Talk to CJI about working together.
Sources
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Bureau of Planning, Research and Statistics, Annual Statistical Reports, 2015–2024; Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice Task Force, Final Report and Recommendations, 2021
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