Recent statistics indicate that one in 100 Americans are incarcerated. This shocking figure impels us to look closely at our penal system. Tough sentencing rules and release policies have become the norm in the federal system, which is extremely punitive.Life Sentence lets us hear from six formerly incarcerated men and women, some of whom were sentenced as adolescents. They spent from twelve to twenty-six years in prison. Now they must find their way, economically and emotionally, to rebuild their lives after being behind bars, some from the age of sixteen.The film begins as each prisoner prepares for their first parole board hearing. Each is denied and must wait two years until their next hearing. They discuss what brought them to prison, the time spent there, and what it felt like being sentenced to decades of imprisonment. One of the most important opportunities while incarcerated was the ability to receive education. Just before Congress abolished federal financing for college programs in prisons in 1994, all six had completed associate, bachelor and master degrees. Now released, we see how these longtermers contribute to society and their communities, all of them working with other formerly incarcerated people. The film shows the potential of people, including those who have committed criminal acts, if they are given access to education and prepared for careers.Scholars, policy makers and advocates of reform discuss the great obstacles formerly incarcerated people face, including job and housing regulations and discrimination, sentencing policies, and lifetime parole.