DC

For Media Inquiries:
John Norton, 202-999-4268
jnorton@famm.org

FAMM raises concerns about Mayor Bowser’s proposed sentencing legislation during DC Council hearing 

WASHINGTON – FAMM’s Vice President of Policy Molly Gill testified in opposition to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s sentencing legislation being considered today during a DC Council Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety hearing. FAMM believes several gun possession and other sentencing provisions in the bill would be counterproductive in addressing concerns about crime in the city.

“Yes, gun crime and violence in Washington, DC, are serious and real. No, mandatory minimum sentences won’t fix it,” said Gill. “While violent crime is a top concern in this city, we cannot afford to create more tough-sounding sentences that won’t reduce crime but will lock people up regardless of whether they’re actually engaging in violence.”

In addition to the mandatory minimum provisions, FAMM also shared concerns about proposed changes to the Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA), a second-look law that has become a national model. IRAA allows for resentencing and release of people who were under age 25 at the time of their offense, if they have served 15 years in prison and are no longer a danger to the public.

Gill added, “IRAA is not a get-out-of-jail-free card, and we’ve seen no evidence that it is being misused. The Council created IRAA because no one is made safer when we keep rehabilitated people in prison. IRAA isn’t broken, and the Council should reject these proposed ‘fixes.’”

For more than three decades, FAMM has united the voices of affected families, the formerly incarcerated, and a range of stakeholders and advocates to fight for a more fair and effective justice system. FAMM has led the fight to reform extreme mandatory sentencing laws and to promote rehabilitation and dignity for all people in prison, 94 percent of whom will return to our neighborhoods one day.

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FAMM is a national nonpartisan advocacy organization that promotes fair and effective criminal justice policies that safely reduce incarceration, save taxpayer dollars, and keep families together. Founded in 1991, FAMM has secured bold sentencing and prison reform across the country while elevating the voices of directly impacted individuals and families.

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