Wisconsin Law Journal - Determinate sentencing struck down: California's sentencing scheme violates right to jury

This is a summary of Cunningham v. California, in which the Supreme Court ruled that the state of California's determinate sentencing law violated the 6th Amendment right to a jury.

CATO Institute - Prison Blues: How America's Foolish Sentencing Policies Endanger Public Safety

Excerpt: "Mandatory minimums are the best thing that ever happened to violent criminals, because mandatory minimums prevent today's judges from doing what they want--putting violent thugs away for a long time--and force the prison system to waste precious space on nonviolent offenders."