Project for Opportunity and Safety

State Viewpoints: Now Is The Time To Pass The Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act

New York Times Editorial: “In Congress, however, some recalcitrant lawmakers still cling to outdated or incorrect beliefs about crime and punishment in America. They need to pay close attention to the ingenuity and the record of the states.” (Editorial, “States Lead the Way on Justice Reform,” The New York Times, 5/30/16)

Alaska: Stacey Stone Semmler, Anchorage Republican Women’s Club President, Legal Counsel to Alaska GOP Anchorage

Stacey Stone Semmler: “I Applaud Sen. Dan Sullivan For His Endorsement Of The Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act This Past April.” “I applaud Sen. Dan Sullivan for his endorsement of the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act this past April. This bipartisan legislation will reform the mandatory minimum sentences that have made prison stays longer and costlier but done little to prevent people from re-offending.” (Stacey Stone, “SB 91 Will Cut Prison Population, Help Crime-Reduction Programs,” Alaska Dispatch News, 5/25/16)

• “Thank You, Sen. Sullivan, For Your Support Of Smart, Effective Criminal Justice Policy. Please Urge Sen. Mitch McConnell To Bring The Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act To A Vote.” “Longer prison sentences do not deter crime. They do inflict heavy costs on taxpayers and communities. Thank you, Sen. Sullivan, for your support of smart, effective criminal justice policy. Please urge Sen. Mitch McConnell to bring the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act to a vote.” (Stacey Stone, “SB 91 Will Cut Prison Population, Help Crime-Reduction Programs,” Alaska Dispatch News, 5/25/16)

Florida: Reggie Garcia, Florida Clemency Lawyer

Reggie Garcia: “The Bipartisan Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act Of 2015…Is An Important Step In Making Federal Sentencing Guidelines Fit Crimes.” “The bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015, of which Sen. Bill Nelson is a co-sponsor, is an important step in making federal sentencing guidelines fit crimes. The federal government has a duty to prosecute unlawful persons, but we must ensure that our sentencing practices match the crime committed.” (Reggie Garcia, “Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act Is Smart Justice,” Tallahassee Democrat, 5/25/16)

• “To Achieve Fair And Reasonable Prison Terms, We Must Drive The Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act To The Top Of The U.S. Senate Agenda.” “To achieve fair and reasonable prison terms, we must drive the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act to the top of the U.S. Senate agenda. For this bill to pass, it will need support from both political parties and strong support from taxpayers and the voting public. Regardless of political affiliation, we as Floridians have a duty to seek true justice in all judicial processes, and the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act will help to fulfill that duty. Please contact your senators and representatives to encourage their support.” (Reggie Garcia, “Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act is smart justice,” Tallahassee Democrat, 5/25/16)

Pennsylvania: Joseph Lahr, Career Correctional Officer, Dauphin County Prison

Joseph Lahr: “There Is Wide-Scale Criminal Reform Legislation Currently Pending In The U.S. Senate That Would Restructure The Sentencing Process For Many Non-Violent Offenders And Allow For Countless Dollars To Be Saved On Housing Non-Violent Convicts For Far Too Long.” “As someone who worked nearly my entire career as a correctional officer in Dauphin County prison, I saw firsthand the effects of mandatory minimums and recidivism based upon an inability for many individuals to shake the yoke of being in the system. There is wide-scale criminal reform legislation currently pending in the U.S. Senate that would restructure the sentencing process for many non-violent offenders and allow for countless dollars to be saved on housing non-violent convicts for far too long.” (Joseph Lahr, “Sentencing Reform Needed For Nonviolent Offenders,” Lehigh Valley Live, 5/25/16)

• “It’s Well Past Time That Our Elected Leaders, Both In Harrisburg And In Washington, Take Action To Correct This Problem This Summer.” “However, prisons aren’t overpopulated because of violent murderers and rapists. They are filled with small-time offenders who continually bounce in and out of prison because even when they do get out, they have a hard time finding employment because of their record. It’s well past time that our elected leaders, both in Harrisburg and in Washington, take action to correct this problem this summer.” (Joseph Lahr, “Sentencing Reform Needed For Nonviolent Offenders,” Lehigh Valley Live, 5/25/16)

Virginia: Bryan C. Willingham, Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center

Bryan Willingham: “The Federal Government Can Lead Reform Efforts By Improving Its Own Criminal Code And Incentivizing Best Practices At The State Level Through Grant Requirements.” “Regardless of the fact that the creation and enforcement of many criminal laws falls under the power of individual states, the federal government can lead reform efforts by improving its own criminal code and incentivizing best practices at the state level through grant requirements. Serious proposals to reform our criminal justice system have focused on strategies that can help divert youth away from criminal behavior, prevent and reduce nonviolent incarceration rates, provide treatment from drug addictions, and help ex-offenders successfully re-enter their communities. This past October, Sen. Chuck Grassley and a bipartisan coalition of senators from the Judiciary Committee introduced the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act, S.2123.” (Bryan Willingham, “Letter: A Plea For Justice Reform,” Glouchester- Mathews Gazette-Journal, 5/25/16)

• “We As Virginians Are In Serious Need Of These Same Changes Within Our State Laws And Sentencing Guidelines.” “We as Virginians are in serious need of these same changes within our state laws and sentencing guidelines. Let’s follow our federal government’s lead in this much-needed convergence for sentencing reform by our fighting for improvements right here in our local community. Together we can assure a brighter future, one with hope.” (Bryan Willingham, “Letter: A Plea For Justice Reform,” Glouchester- Mathews Gazette-Journal, 5/25/16)