Statistics
Felony Murder Elimination Project
works to understand the pervasive impact of felony murder in the United States.
Through a comprehensive investigation into historical charging and sentencing data we have found that:
In California, felony murder charges were used in 52% of all cases resulting in a life without parole sentence (LWOP).
1. Felony murder is pervasive
2. Felony murder is racist
42.7% of individuals in California serving life without parole for felony murder are Black - yet Black people make up only 5% of the state’s overall population.
3. Felony murder harms youth
Of the people currently serving life without parole through felony murder:
66% were under the age of 26 at the time of their offense
51% were under 23 years of age
36% were under the age of 21
71% were first-time offenders
NINETEEN is the most common age to be convicted of felony murder and sentenced to LWOP.
To learn more, read a report we co-produced with the UC Sentencing Project:
Life Without Parole and Felony Murder Sentencing in California
Across the US, states are waking up to the devastating impact of felony murder laws:
Figure 1: Sentencing Laws for Felony Murder, 2022
LWOP is mandatory minimum for all felony murder convictions for adults
LWOP is mandated for certain felony murder convictions
LWOP is permitted for certain felony murder convictions
LWOP is not a sentencing option for felony murder
No felony murder law
In Michigan,
0
%
of women serving life without parole were convicted under the state’s felony murder statute.
In Minnesota
1/3
of individuals incarcerated for murder in 2021 were convicted under the felony murder doctrine. Like California, Minnesota mandates life without parole for certain felony murder convictions.
As of 2024,
0
people are currently incarcerated for felony murder in Pennsylvania.
There are at least
0
