Pennsylvania
FAMM’S Pennsylvania State Director Maria Goellner to testify at House Democratic Policy Committee hearing
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Tripp Laino, 202-999-4273
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FAMM’S Pennsylvania State Director Maria Goellner to testify at House Democratic Policy Committee hearing
HARRISBURG – FAMM’s Pennsylvania State Director Maria Goellner will testify at the House of Representatives Democratic Policy Committee hearing on Thursday, “Judging Justice – The Mechanics of Criminal Sentencing.” The hearing can be live streamed here.
“Pennsylvania is a national leader in imposing extreme sentences — but it doesn’t have to be,” Goellner said. “Too many people in Pennsylvania are serving long prison terms that don’t make communities safer. People who do not pose a risk to public safety languish in prison for decades because Pennsylvania’s laws don’t give them a second chance. We must immediately take legislative action to begin to remedy Pennsylvania’s decades-long addiction to extreme sentencing, which harm families, communities, and the economy. They devastate families emotionally, psychologically, and financially.”
FAMM’s report on extreme sentencing in Pennsylvania is available here (executive summary here).
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 a one-size-fits-all punishment structure has led to reforms to sentencing and prison policies at the state and federal level and is paving the way to programs that support rehabilitation for the 94% of all prisoners who 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 safeguard taxpayer dollars and keep our communities safe. Founded in 1991, FAMM is helping transform America’s criminal justice system by uniting the voices of impacted families and individuals and elevating the issues all across the country.