Oregon — Judges — Galsworthy Criminal Justice Reform Program

Judges

Defendants are regularly condemned to years, decades, or life in prison for minor infractions because of minimum sentencing statutes. If judges had more discretion in sentencing, then sentences could be more proportional to the crime, more specific to the individual defendant, and minimize the negative impact of minimum sentencing laws without inherently needing those laws repealed.

House leader plans effort to overturn Oregon's 'racist' non-unanimous jury law

“Lawmakers plan to introduce two bills in 2019 in an effort to overturn Oregon's non-unanimous jury law, Jennifer Williamson, D-Portland, told The Oregonian/OregonLive. The first would seek a legislative fix to the law that allows juries in most felony cases — aside from murder — to convict defendants with a 10-2 vote, she said. The second would refer the issue to voters, who would then decide whether to overturn an amendment in the state constitution enacted more than eight decades ago.“

The Oregonian

November 8, 2018

SentencingPhillip ReevesNovember 8, 2018The Oregonian, OregonComment

It’s time for Louisiana to strip white supremacy from its constitution

"The ballot question is entirely nonpartisan. The Louisiana Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties have all endorsed the passage of a constitutional amendment requiring jury votes to be unanimous. Even so, powerful forces in the state are resistant to change, with some district attorneys fighting to hold on to the jury rule because it makes it easier for prosecutors to get convictions."

Washington Post

August 13, 2018

Mass IncarcerationAnthony BradleyAugust 15, 2018Washington Post, John Legend, Louisiana, Oregon

Judges

Galsworthy CJR Program

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