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Section V: Reforms

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Section V: Reforms

After nearly 40 years of continued growth, the U.S. prison population has stabilized in recent years. This is partially a result of declining crime rates, but has largely been achieved through practical changes in policy and practice. Examples include:

  • In 2014, the United States Sentencing Commission unanimously voted to reduce excessive sentences for up to 46,000 people currently serving time for federal drug offenses.
  • Congress passed the Fair Sentencing Act in 2010, which reduced the difference in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine offenses.
  • California voters passed ballot measure Proposition 47 in 2014, which changed certain low-level property and drug crimes from felonies to misdemeanors, which means they have shorter jail times and fines. It will also take some of the money saved by reducing sentences and put it into prevention programs instead.

As promising as these changes may be, we are a long way from solving our national problem of mass incarceration. Some changes that have been suggested include:

  • Eliminate mandatory minimum sentences and cut back on particularly long sentences
  • Shift resources to community-based prevention and treatment programs, especially for substance abuse.
  • Invest in interventions that promote strong youth development and respond to delinquency in age-appropriate and evidence-based ways.
  • Remove barriers that make it harder for individuals with criminal records to turn their lives around.
    • Develop "halfway houses" to help transition to non-prison life.
    • Provide resources for employment and mental health to recently released felons.
    • Prevent employers from considering felony status in whether to hire by closing records, not allowing question about this, and/or writing new laws.
  • Examining and addressing the policies and practices, conscious or not, that contribute to racial inequality at every stage of the justice system.
    • Develop and implement training to reduce racial bias
    • Fully fund agencies that defend the poor
    • Require legislators to prepare an analysis assessing the possible different racial consequences of any proposed law before enacting it

Some have also suggested:

  • Change the implementation (or end) the War on Drugs.
  • End private, for-profit prisons.

Questions to consider:

  • Which of the policy changes suggested do you think could be effective in ending, or at least lessening, mass incarceration? Why?
  • Which of the policy changes suggested do you think would be ineffective or even harmful? Why?
  • Are there any policy changes not suggested here?

DMU Timestamp: March 12, 2020 00:41





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