Project for Opportunity and Safety

Conservatives Highlight the Need for Criminal Justice Reform

At the Republican National Convention, Leading Republican Governors Joined Together to Highlight Their State Work On Criminal Justice Reform 

Click Here To Watch A Video Premiered By The U.S. Justice Action Network Called “Changing Laws, Changing Lives” Which Features “State Justice Reform Efforts Spearheaded By Governors Nathan Deal Of Georgia, Matt Bevin Of Kentucky And Mary Fallin Of Oklahoma.” “Premiered at the Republican National Committee, the U.S. Justice Action Network’s ‘Changing Laws, Changing Lives’ video features state justice reform efforts spearheaded by Governors Nathan Deal of Georgia, Matt Bevin of Kentucky and Mary Fallin of Oklahoma.” (U.S. Justice Action Network, 7/19/16)

In An Op-Ed Published In Fox News, The Governors Of Georgia, Oklahoma and Kentucky Noted Their Support For Efforts In Their States “To Safely Reduce Prison Populations And The Astronomical Cost To Our Taxpayers, While Simultaneously Lowering Crime And Recidivism Rates.” “We are all governors of states that are leading the way. We believe in personal responsibility, government accountability, curbing government overreach and strengthening families. For this reason, we support efforts in our states to safely reduce prison populations and the astronomical cost to our taxpayers, while simultaneously lowering crime and recidivism rates. We urge our fellow governors who haven’t done so already – as well as Congress – to follow our lead.” (Nathan Deal, Mary Fallin, Matt Bevin, “How We Are Transforming Our States’ Justice Systems,” Fox News, 7/19/16)

• Oklahoma, Kentucky And Georgia Join “Many Others, Including Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, And Utah In Adopting Justice Reforms That Are Smart, But Not Soft, On Crime.” “These three states join many others, including Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, and Utah in adopting justice reforms that are smart, but not soft, on crime.” (Nathan Deal, Mary Fallin, Matt Bevin, “How We Are Transforming Our States’ Justice Systems,” Fox News, 7/19/16)
• “Too Many People Are Spending Too Much Time Behind Bars When They Could Be Committing Themselves To Treatment Programs, Continuing Their Employment And Supporting Their Families.” “Too many people are spending too much time behind bars when they could be committing themselves to treatment programs, continuing their employment and supporting their families. For those who have paid their debt to society and are leaving prison, we must offer hope and an opportunity for redemption.” (Nathan Deal, Mary Fallin, Matt Bevin, “How We Are Transforming Our States’ Justice Systems,” Fox News, 7/19/16)

During A Forum At The RNC, All Three Governors “Urged Their Fellow Conservative State Executives To Take Up The Mantle Of Justice Reform, Build On The Momentum That Is Sweeping The Country, And Enact Reforms In Their Own States.” “The Republican governors of Georgia, Kentucky and Oklahoma today urged their fellow conservative state executives to take up the mantle of justice reform, build on the momentum that is sweeping the country, and enact reforms in their own states. Governors Nathan Deal (Georgia), Matt Bevin (Kentucky) and Mary Fallin (Oklahoma) joined Ohio Senate President Keith Faber, GOPAC Chairman David Avella and the U.S. Justice Action Network (USJAN) in issuing the call to action during the forum, ‘Changing Laws, Changing Lives,’ hosted at the Great Lakes Science Center during the Republican National Convention (RNC) underway this week in Cleveland.” (Press Release, “Governors Deal, Bevin, Fallin Join U.S. Justice Action Network and GOPAC to Champion Justice Reform at RNC,” U.S. Justice Action Network, 7/19/16)

• Governor Deal: “As A Former Prosecutor And Judge, I Saw The Failure Of Our System Up Close And Personal…I Knew We Had To Do Something Different Than The Mainstream Approach.” “‘As a former prosecutor and judge, I saw the failure of our system up close and personal,’ Governor Deal said. ‘I knew we had to do something different than the mainstream approach. When I run into the families of people who have made mistakes but have turned their lives around, it’s emotional to me. These people who’ve gone to prison lost everything.’” (Press Release, “Governors Deal, Bevin, Fallin Join U.S. Justice Action Network and GOPAC to Champion Justice Reform at RNC,” U.S. Justice Action Network, 7/19/16)
• Governor Fallin: “If We Can Break That Cycle And Help People Get Back On Their Feet, Help Put That Family Back Together, That’s Going To Make For A Stronger State And A Stronger Nation.” “’Anything we can do to address these societal issues and improve the overall well-being of our state, that is an important cause to me,’ Governor Fallin said. ‘A prison sentence is detrimental to the family and can be generationally detrimental as well. If we can break that cycle and help people get back on their feet, help put that family back together, that’s going to make for a stronger state and a stronger nation.’” (Press Release, “Governors Deal, Bevin, Fallin Join U.S. Justice Action Network and GOPAC to Champion Justice Reform at RNC,” U.S. Justice Action Network, 7/19/16)
• Governor Bevin: “We Aren’t Helping Society If We Do Not Rethink What Incarceration Means, Because There But For The Grace Of God Go All Of Us.” “’America was founded by people who came here for a second chance,’ Governor Bevin said. ‘And in Kentucky, we believe in redemption and opportunity. That’s why we passed a law that allows people who have made mistakes but have paid their debt to society an opportunity to wipe their records clean, find jobs, support their families, and lead crime-free lives. We aren’t helping society if we do not rethink what incarceration means, because there but for the grace of God go all of us. Prison is not and cannot be the only answer.’” (Press Release, “Governors Deal, Bevin, Fallin Join U.S. Justice Action Network and GOPAC to Champion Justice Reform at RNC,” U.S. Justice Action Network, 7/19/16)

This Week, U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley And Tim Scott Also Noted The Need To Pass Sentencing Reform This Year

During A News Conference With Advocates, Senators Grassley And Scott Touted The Need To Pass The Sentencing Reform And Corrections Act, Noting The Legislation’s Wide Bi-Partisan Support. “Grassley and Scott were joined at the news conference by a trio of advocates for sentencing reform: former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker; the Rev. Lee Schott, a pastor who serves at the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women in Mitchellville; and Mike Vasquez, CEO of St. Gregory Retreat Center… Scott said he is optimistic the legislation can pass, given the bipartisan support it is receiving from outside groups such as the conservative billionaire donors the Koch brothers and the American Civil Liberties Union.” (Erin Murphy, “Grassley Pitches Sentencing Reform Bill,” The Gazette, 7/20/16)

• Senator Grassley: “Criminal Justice Reform Is A Step Forward In Healing Wounds By Closing Some Disparities In Sentencing Guidelines That Disproportionately Affect African-Americans And Other Minorities And Helping People Already In The Prison System Become Productive Members Of Society.” (Erin Murphy, “Grassley Pitches Sentencing Reform Bill,” The Gazette, 7/20/16)
• Former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker: The Legislation “Strikes The Right Balance Between The Need To Protect Our Communities And At The Same Time To Free Up Some Of The Slots In Federal Prisons And Federal Law Enforcement Resources So They Can Focus On Violent Criminals.” (Erin Murphy, “Grassley Pitches Sentencing Reform Bill,” The Gazette, 7/20/16)