DC

Contact:
John Norton, 202-999-4268
jnorton@famm.org

FAMM urges the full DC Council to vote on Revised Criminal Code Act

WASHINGTON – The DC Council Committee of Judiciary and Public Safety voted in favor of the Revised Criminal Code Act, the first major revision of all of the city’s sentencing laws in well over a century. FAMM President Kevin Ring testified in favor of this landmark step at a committee hearing in late 2021.

“Today’s vote is a huge first step in modernizing DC’s criminal code,” said Ring. “FAMM is especially encouraged by the extension of DC’s Second Look Law, which would allow everyone to get the opportunity for a second chance after 20 years. We also applaud the committee for eliminating nearly all mandatory minimum prison sentences from the code. Public safety is improved by individualized justice, not one-size-fits-all punishments. We urge the full Council to pass this historic legislation as soon as possible.”

After the full Council vote, Mayor Muriel Bowser would need to approve of the 450-page bill and then it would go to the U.S. Congress for a 60-day review.

For nearly 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’s focus on ending an inflexible and draconian punishment structure has led to reforms to sentencing and prison policies at the state and federal levels and is paving the way to programs that support rehabilitation for the 94% of all prisoners who will return to our neighborhoods one day.