State and Local Issues — Galsworthy Criminal Justice Reform Program

Galsworthy Criminal Justice Reform Program

State and Local Issues

Because 90% of all prisoners in the United States are in state facilities, the work that states are doing to reduce their prison populations is crucial. Attempting to end mass incarceration necessitates realizing this is a situation requiring not one national solution, but fifty state solutions. Below are current state solutions that could be effectively modeled by other states for meaningful reform.

Bloomberg announces criminal justice proposals aimed at cutting incarceration rates in half

““I'm running for president to fix our country's most difficult problems -- including ending the era of mass incarceration, which has needlessly destroyed millions of lives,” Bloomberg said in the release. “The initiatives we announced today will be an important first step toward building a fairer, better country.” Bloomberg’s plan would implement a national initiative to cut the number of incarcerated youths in half by the end of his first term and put in place federal grants to fund alternative placement programs and risk-assessment tools to limit the number of detained youths waiting for trial. About 53,000 youths are incarcerated away from home, according to the release.“

The Hill

December 3, 2019

2020 ElectionPhillip ReevesDecember 3, 2019The Hill, Michael BloombergComment

Appalachia vs. the Carceral State

“Prosperino’s stepdad, a coal miner, was out of work, and Prosperino’s father was in jail. “We exchanged bad jobs for worse,” said Ada Smith, whose cousin works at U.S. Penitentiary Big Sandy in Martin County. The prison wasn’t underground, but it might as well have been. Both jobs were dangerous. Generations of miners sacrificed their lungs and limbs to King Coal. But prison work wasn’t just hard on the body; it was bad for the human soul to be responsible for another person’s unfreedom.“

The New Republic

November 25, 2019

State ReformsPhillip ReevesNovember 25, 2019The New Republic, KentuckyComment

Gavin Newsom wants to close a California state prison. It won’t be easy

“Closing a state prison is one of the few ways to truly save a lot of money in California’s correctional system, which has a budget of $15.8 billion this year, experts said. A closure also would represent a step toward rehabilitation and away from incarceration in the state’s criminal justice system, since it likely would involve releasing some low-risk inmates. But, as Newsom underscored with his choice of words to the editorial board, it’s difficult.“

Sacramento Bee

November 24, 2019

State ReformsPhillip ReevesNovember 24, 2019Sacramento Bee, California, Gavin NewsomComment

The First Step Act promised widespread reform. What has the criminal justice overhaul achieved so far?

“Nearly a year after the First Step Act's passage, NBC News spoke to over a dozen people, including former and current elected officials, liberal and conservative advocates, and formerly incarcerated individuals, among others, who championed the reforms. They all agreed that the law's effects are tangible, and many believe the bipartisan coalition that produced it appears durable.“

NBC News

November 24, 2019

SenatePhillip ReevesNovember 24, 2019NBC, First Step ActComment

‘Disrupting Prison’ Reform Initiative Expands to Six States

“Three new states have been selected to participate in a model national initiative designed to test whether incarceration strategies used in Germany and Norway can work for young adult offenders in the United States. North Dakota, Colorado and Idaho will join the “Restoring Promise” initiative spearheaded by the Vera Institute of Justice and MILPA Collective, a California-based nonprofit led by former incarcerees, in what organizers called an effort to “disrupt and transform the living and working conditions inside American prisons and jails.”“

The Crime Report

November 19, 2019

State ReformsPhillip ReevesNovember 19, 2019The Crime Report, Vera Institute, MILPA Collective, North Dakota, Colorado, IdahoComment

Opinion: A Sad Last Gasp Against Criminal Justice Reform

“That’s history worth considering as the old foes of reform sing their familiar tune. Governor Cuomo, legislative leaders and Mayor Bill de Blasio, all of whom supported the reforms, should stand proudly behind them. Prosecutors and police unions trying to thwart the will of the voters and undermine the public’s trust in long-overdue reforms should instead get to work making the change.“

New York Times

November 17, 2019

State ReformsPhillip ReevesNovember 17, 2019New York Times, New YorkComment

1A Across America: Mass Incarceration in the Deep South

“Alabama's prison system is the deadliest in the nation. Fifteen inmates died by suicide there in 15 months — from December 2017 to this March. The homicide rate inside that system is six times the national average. The Justice Department has condemned these conditions. This April, the DOJ released a report on the men's section of the prisons that detailed widespread violence, sexual assault, overcrowding and understaffing. How did things get so bad? And what can be done about it?“

NPR

November 14, 2019

Overcriminalization, Mass IncarcerationPhillip ReevesNovember 14, 2019NPR, Alabama, 1AComment

Since you asked: Is it me, or is the government releasing less data about the criminal justice system?

“We’ve heard this question from a few advocates and journalists who, like us, depend on the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and other government data sources for timely information about the justice system. And while monitoring changes in federal data collections isn’t a core part of our work, we have observed a troubling trend: Since 2017, data releases are slowing down.“

Prison Policy Initiative

November 14, 2019

Mass Incarceration, OvercriminalizationPhillip ReevesNovember 14, 2019Prison Policy Initiative, Bureau of Justice StatisticsComment

Rep. Ayanna Pressley Unveils Sweeping Plan to Reshape American Criminal Legal System

“As part of the resolution, Pressley will call for the federal government to provide tax incentives to local governments and states that repeal Truth in Sentencing and Three Strikes provisions and that reduce their prison populations by 2035.“

The Appeal

November 14, 2019

State ReformsPhillip ReevesNovember 14, 2019The Appeal, Ayanna PressleyComment

She slammed a courtroom door on her way out. A Virginia Beach judge sentenced her to 10 days in jail.

“Gaston slammed one of the double wooden doors on her way out. Once she and the other witness were in the hallway, someone yelled. Around the same time, a shout could be heard from the lockup area next to the courtroom where McEachern had been taken. The judge asked a court employee to chase after the two witnesses, but the employee failed to catch up to them. Then, a short time later, Gaston returned to the courtroom to pick up a binder that had been left behind. That’s when Mahan called her to the defense table to explain her behavior.“

The Virginian-Pilot

November 7, 2019

OvercriminalizationPhillip ReevesNovember 7, 2019The Virginian Pilot, VirginiaComment

It's Time to Fight the Democratic Mayors Who Are Champions of the Carceral State

“De Blasio isn’t the only Democratic mayor in a major city branding himself as a progressive while embracing the carceral state. Although the 2020 presidential race has taken center stage in the media, people who care about policing and incarceration need to pay far more attention to mayors like de Blasio, London Breed in San Francisco, and Lori Lightfoot in Chicago. Big-city mayors control the largest police departments in the country and play a pivotal role in deciding what jails are closed or constructed.“

The Appeal

November 4, 2019

State Reforms, Mass IncarcerationPhillip ReevesNovember 4, 2019The AppealComment

More Than 450 Oklahoma Inmates Exit Prison as Part of Mass Commutation

“More than 450 inmates walked out the doors of prisons across Oklahoma on Monday as part of what state officials say is the largest single-day mass commutation in U.S. history. The release of inmates, all with convictions for low-level drug and property crimes, resulted from a bill signed by new Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt. The bill retroactively applied misdemeanor sentences for simple drug possession and low-level property crimes that state voters approved in 2016.“

TIME

November 4, 2019

State ReformsPhillip ReevesNovember 4, 2019Time Magazine, Oklahoma, CommutationsComment

Democratic Candidates Face Questions Seldom Heard On Campaign Trail

“Democratic presidential candidates Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Tom Steyer faced criminal justice questions Monday that are seldom mentioned on the campaign trail, including sentencing reform for people convicted of violent crimes, civil rights for those coming out of prison and restorative justice, during the nation’s first candidate town hall organized by formerly incarcerated people.“

The Marshall Project

October 28, 2019

2020 ElectionPhillip ReevesOctober 28, 2019The Marshall Project, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Tom SteyerComment

Presidential Candidate Pete Buttigieg Releases Criminal Justice Reform Plan

“Pete Buttigieg will cut the nation’s incarcerated population by 50 percent and invest in programs that provide alternatives to jail and prison if he is elected president, according to a criminal justice reform plan his campaign shared with The Appeal on Friday.“

The Appeal

October 26, 2019

2020 ElectionPhillip ReevesOctober 26, 2019The Appeal, Pete ButtigiegComment

How overcriminalization is turning everyday Americans into lawbreakers

“Perhaps nowhere is the absurdity of current law on better display than at the federal level. Educated guesses place the number of laws and regulations with criminal penalties at over 300,000, but no one can say with certainty how many there actually are. If the federal government with its trillions of dollars and millions of employees cannot keep track of all of these criminal penalties, what chance do ordinary people have?“

Washington Examiner

October 21, 2019

OvercriminalizationPhillip ReevesOctober 21, 2019Washington ExaminerComment

5 facts about crime in the U.S.

“Donald Trump made fighting crime a central focus of his campaign for president, and he cited it again during his January 2017 inaugural address. His administration has since taken steps intended to address crime in American communities, such as instructing federal prosecutors to pursue the strongest possible charges against criminal suspects. Here are five facts about crime in the United States.“

Pew Research Center

October 17, 2019

Mass IncarcerationPhillip ReevesOctober 17, 2019Pew Research CenterComment

DOC to send inmates out of state due to growing prison population after SB 91 repeal

“The Alaska Department of Corrections plans to send hundreds of inmates out of state starting early next year. DOC Commissioner Nancy Dahlstrom announced the department will be issuing a request for proposal soon during a teleconference with media outlets late Tuesday afternoon. She cited a growing prison population resulting from the passage of House Bill 49, which repealed and replaced the controversial Senate Bill 91. “

KTVA Alaska 11

October 15, 2019

State ReformsPhillip ReevesOctober 15, 2019KTVA Alaska 11, Alaska, SB 91Comment

2020: The Democrats on Criminal Justice

“The candidates vying to challenge President Trump next November want to move their party left on bail reform, marijuana, immigration and more. Here’s where they stand.“

The Marshall Project

October 10, 2019

2020 ElectionPhillip ReevesOctober 10, 2019The Marshall ProjectComment

Is Mass Incarceration Inevitable? Part 3. What About Violent Crime?

“Reducing the national incarceration rate is a test of our political will. Keeping a lot fewer people behind bars might well lead to an uptick in crime, especially if we release more inmates without paying for the support they need for successful reintegration once they are released (more on this in the next post). And the reform efforts to date suggest that our commitment to reducing the prison population may not be matched by our willingness to take the risks necessary to make it happen. This can been seen most clearly in our treatment of those who commit violent crimes.“

Reason Magazine

October 9, 2019

Mass IncarcerationPhillip ReevesOctober 9, 2019Reason Magazine, Andrew LeipoldComment

Is Mass Incarceration Inevitable? Part 2. Much Smaller is Still Very Large

“In a prior post I suggested that there were significant barriers to reducing the size of America's prison and jail populations, a necessary step if we are to overcome what is now routinely called "mass incarceration." This is the first of three posts dedicated to addressing those barriers.“

Reason Magazine

October 8, 2019

Mass IncarcerationPhillip ReevesOctober 8, 2019Reason Magazine, Andrew LeipoldComment