A worthwhile move on federal prisoners
SPEAKING in support of criminal justice reform, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said recently, “We’re just putting a lot of people in jail for a long period of time who I think need to be back out on the streets working.” Congress has a vehicle to help make that happen.
President Trump last week endorsed the First Step Act, a bipartisan bill that awaits Senate consideration after gaining overwhelming approval in the
House earlier this year. We join those who hope the bill will be considered between now and January.
The First Step Act is designed to give more federal inmates a better chance of being productive citizens, by providing expanded opportunities for job training and education while they’re behind bars. Some well-behaved inmates would have a chance to move to halfway houses earlier.
The bill also deals with mandatory minimum sentences, which hamstring judges and can produce overly harsh results.
Judges may impose more lenient sentences on nonviolent drug offenders who have little or no criminal history. Under the First Step Act, judges would be given more discretion with nonviolent drug offenders who have longer criminal histories, something an official with the U.S. Justice Action Network says is “probably the most significant piece of the legislation, and the one we were most concerned about staying in the bill.”
The First Step Act also would provide retroactive relief for those serving longer stretches for crimes involving crack cocaine than those sentenced for powder cocaine. A 2010 law reduced the disparity, but this bill applies to those sentenced before that law passed.
The First Step Act doesn’t apply to the most violent offenders, but if approved would benefit thousands of inmates. Critics say the bill doesn’t do enough to ease overcrowding or make a significant enough dent in prison spending, but it’s a move in that direction.
To some degree, federal legislators are copying efforts undertaken in many states, which have succeeded in reducing their prison populations. Oklahoma has taken baby steps in this direction in recent years. More work is needed, but it will require funding to pay for the outside services that are vital in helping to keep ex-convicts from reoffending.
Trump said the First Step Act “shows that true bipartisanship is possible,” and added that “redemption is at the heart of the American Idea, and that’s what this is about.”
The Wall Street Journal noted that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McDonnell, R-Ky., hasn’t seemed to show much interest in the bill. Here’s hoping that changes, and the Senate sends the president this worthwhile legislation.