WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a packed public hearing of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, a former federal prosecutor and the director of a conservative criminal justice reform group called on U.S. Senators to roll back federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws. These witnesses told committee members that one-size-fits-all penalties do more harm than good, a message … Read More
Read MoreOn August 13, at its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., the American Correctional Association (ACA) passed a resolution supporting legislative reform of mandatory minimum sentencing laws. The ACA is the world’s largest correctional association, with thousands of prison and jail wardens and correctional officers among its membership. The ACA is the latest voice in a … Read More
Read MoreToday was a historic day in our fight for smarter sentencing laws. For the first time in the 20+ years I have been at this, the U.S. Department of Justice has admitted our arguments are right and that eliminating some mandatory minimums will make us safer. (Oh, and it will save us billions of dollars, … Read More
Read MoreWASHINGTON, D.C. – FAMM President Julie Stewart today praised the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an organization comprising conservative state lawmakers from around the country, for approving model legislation to reform mandatory minimum sentencing laws. The model bill, known as Justice Safety Valve Act, would authorize judges to depart from a minimum sentence in certain … Read More
Read MoreWASHINGTON, D.C. — FAMM government affairs counsel Molly M. Gill reacted today to news from U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) that the Committee will hold a hearing on S. 619, the Justice Safety Valve Act, sponsored by Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and Chairman Leahy, in September 2013: “As case after case shows, … Read More
Read MoreWASHINGTON, D.C. — A group of more than 50 former federal prosecutors and judges today sent a letter to Capitol Hill endorsing the Justice Safety Valve Act of 2013, legislation that authorizes judges to depart from a mandatory minimum sentence in cases where the minimum is not necessary to protect public safety and would be … Read More
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