April, 27 2010, 01:58pm EDT
House Introduces Significant Criminal Justice Legislation
Representatives Bill Delahunt
(D-MA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Marcia Fudge (D-OH) and Tom Rooney (R-FL)
introduced an important bill addressing the criminal justice system in
the House today. Laura W. Murphy, Director of the American Civil
Liberties Union Washington Legislative Office, appeared at a press
conference announcing the bill's introduction to show the ACLU's support
for much needed criminal justice reform.
WASHINGTON
Representatives Bill Delahunt
(D-MA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Marcia Fudge (D-OH) and Tom Rooney (R-FL)
introduced an important bill addressing the criminal justice system in
the House today. Laura W. Murphy, Director of the American Civil
Liberties Union Washington Legislative Office, appeared at a press
conference announcing the bill's introduction to show the ACLU's support
for much needed criminal justice reform.
The bill, the National Criminal
Justice Commission Act, would create a bipartisan commission tasked with
examining the nation's criminal justice system and offering reform
recommendations in a number of important areas designed to prevent,
deter and reduce crime and violence. Identical legislation was
introduced in the Senate last year and passed the Senate Judiciary
Committee in January.
Justice Commission Act, would create a bipartisan commission tasked with
examining the nation's criminal justice system and offering reform
recommendations in a number of important areas designed to prevent,
deter and reduce crime and violence. Identical legislation was
introduced in the Senate last year and passed the Senate Judiciary
Committee in January.
The following can be attributed
to Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:
to Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office:
"Our badly broken justice system is
in desperate need of an overhaul and the National Criminal Justice
Commission Act will put a mechanism in place that can address that need.
Our current criminal justice system is both unfair and unsustainable.
America's minorities have been suffering under our unbalanced criminal
justice system due to unfair statutes, including our disparate crack
powder sentencing guidelines. Judges are forced to use mandatory
minimums as a one-size-fits-all solution to complex cases, forcing too
many Americans to spend too much time behind bars.
in desperate need of an overhaul and the National Criminal Justice
Commission Act will put a mechanism in place that can address that need.
Our current criminal justice system is both unfair and unsustainable.
America's minorities have been suffering under our unbalanced criminal
justice system due to unfair statutes, including our disparate crack
powder sentencing guidelines. Judges are forced to use mandatory
minimums as a one-size-fits-all solution to complex cases, forcing too
many Americans to spend too much time behind bars.
"There is clear evidence that
criminal justice reform is needed and a comprehensive review will likely
achieve bipartisan support. The ACLU looks forward to continuing to
work with both the House and Senate in pushing for meaningful criminal
justice reform."
criminal justice reform is needed and a comprehensive review will likely
achieve bipartisan support. The ACLU looks forward to continuing to
work with both the House and Senate in pushing for meaningful criminal
justice reform."
The ACLU's letter of support for the Senate version of the National
Criminal Justice Commission Act is here: www.aclu.org/racial-justice_prisoners-rights_drug-law-reform_immigrants-rights/aclu-letter-senate-supporting-s-71
The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 and is our nation's guardian of liberty. The ACLU works in the courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.
(212) 549-2666LATEST NEWS
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