Criminal-justice bills help victims, probationers

As a prior victim of crime, I believe the criminal-justice system should make the people who enter it better and less likely to cause harm when they exit. I also believe there should be less focus on those who don’t cause harm in our communities and more attention on what crime victims need.

Three bills in the state Legislature this year will help crime victims while also improving public safety. SB 1838 by Sen. Shevrin Jones (D-Miami) and HB 1476 from Rep. Felicia Robinson (D-Miami) would provide employment protections for crime victims. The third bill, HB 799, would make our probation system more effective.

When I became a victim of crime, returning to work days later made filing police reports and recovering from the trauma and grief almost impossible. Some crime victims lose their jobs in the wake of victimization, further destabilizing their lives. Providing limited unpaid leave to victims so they access medical or trauma services, apply for victim’s compensation or make burial arrangements helps survivors heal and increases their ability to retain stable employment.

Making probation more effective is also key to improving public safety. HB 799 would expand and expedite the use of sanctions — like mandated mental health or drug treatment — instead of costly prison time when someone under supervision violates a rule of probation or commits a low-level offense but has not caused harm. This will hold people accountable while avoiding a return to prison, which tends to increase the likelihood of future crime.

Joél Junior Morales Orlando