Judge Beverly Martin said she is leaving the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit with hopes of finding a way to help end “needlessly harsh” prison sentences.

“I certainly leave the court with a mix of emotions. It has been a real privilege to serve for the last 21 years,” Martin told the Daily Report on Wednesday. “Still, most people who find themselves in federal court do not want to be here, and they have problems that are not going to be solved by the courts. I often think about the many incarcerated people who have appeared before me over the years, who are serving needlessly harsh sentences, and whose suffering I was not able to address as a judge. I am not sure what I will do next, but I hope I can help alleviate some of that suffering.”