Project for Opportunity and Safety

IACP, County Sheriffs Back Senate’s Sentencing Reform Bill

Today, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) announced its support for the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015, S. 2123. Since its introduction, the legislation has undergone substantive changes and now achieves a proper balance of preserving and expanding mandatory minimums for violent offenders and career criminals, while reducing recidivism, and addressing the burgeoning prison population through thoughtful and careful measures. In addition, the bill does not just stop at sentencing reform and corrections, but also takes a significant step to examine the entire criminal justice system, through the addition of the National Criminal Justice Commission Act, S. 1119.

“The safety of our communities is the paramount priority for law enforcement, and that includes keeping violent offenders off the streets and working with prior offenders on rehabilitation efforts so that when they are released they return as productive and upstanding citizens,” said IACP President Terrence M. Cunningham, Chief of the Wellesley, Massachusetts, Police Department. “I applaud the bipartisan efforts of the senators who worked to ensure that this legislation met this goal and for their willingness to work with the law enforcement community on this important effort.”

“In addition,” Cunningham continued, “The IACP is particularly pleased with the inclusion of the National Criminal Justice Commission Act. The commission will allow for a long overdue comprehensive examination and report on the state of law enforcement and criminal justice in the United States and we thank Senator Peters for sponsoring S. 1119 and working with the cosponsors of S. 2123 to ensure its inclusion in the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act.”

“Our criminal justice systems faces a number of challenges, but it has been more than 50 years since we last conducted a top-to-bottom review to identify commonsense solutions that will promote fairness in our laws and strengthen faith in our criminal justice system,” said Senator Gary Peters. “I’m pleased that the National Criminal Justice Commission Act is being included as part of the Senate’s sentencing reform legislation, which will help ensure we are administering justice in a fair and equitable way. I’m honored to work with the civil rights community and law enforcement organizations like the International Association of Chiefs of Police to identify the changes we must make to improve public safety, strengthen relationships that will make our communities safer and help law enforcement do their jobs safely and effectively.”

Originally Posted on The Crime Report