Judiciary Committee Sends Needed Criminal Justice Reforms to Senate

Jun 14, 2021 by AFP

Arlington, Va. – Americans for Prosperity (AFP) applauded the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing three key criminal justice reform bills and urged the Senate to bring them to a floor vote: the First Step Implementation Act, the COVID-19 Safer Detention Act, and the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act. These bills would reform the federal criminal justice system, while enhancing the safety of our communities.

AFP Senior Policy Analyst Jeremiah Mosteller issued the following statement:

“These bills bring needed reform to our criminal justice system and improve public safety by ending an unjust sentencing practice, reuniting individuals with their families, and ensuring medically vulnerable individuals who are not a threat to public safety may serve out their remaining sentence in home confinement. We thank the Senate Judiciary Committee for favorably reporting this legislation and urge the Senate to pass them immediately.”

Background:

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the following bills:

First Step Implementation Act – will allow certain sentencing reforms passed in the First Step Act to be applied retroactively, provide judges with additional discretion to apply the appropriate punishment in criminal cases, and provides for the sealing and expungement of nonviolent crimes individuals committed as a minor, among other things.
COVID-19 Safer Detention Act – will require individualized determination of suitability for compassionate release or transfer to home detention. This is particularly important for persons who are especially vulnerable due to age or medical condition
Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act – will eliminate the ability for federal judges to enhance sentences for conduct which a defendant has previously been acquitted by a jury during trial.

Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing on Needed Criminal Justice Reforms, 5/19/21

Americans for Prosperity Urges Support for COVID-19 Safer Detention Act, 7/30/20

AFP Applauds Senators Grassley and Durbin Standing for Due Process, 9/26/19