Life Sentences for Minor Crimes | Jersey News

Jersey City News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 4, 2026 · 2m

New Jersey’s brutal sentencing laws are locking people up for life with no real purpose—like Samuel Ryan, a 23-year-old in 1997 who robbed two stores for $300 and now serves over 30 years behind bars, despite being a model inmate. These “three-strikes” and mandatory minimums, born from the war on drugs, force aging prisoners into their 50s and 60s, costing taxpayers billions while offering zero public safety benefit. With nearly 3,000 inmates over 50 and 1,000 over 60, it’s time to repeal outdated laws like the No Early Release Act and restore parole decisions to the Parole Board. A simple…