Increasingly, police, prosecutors, and correctional officials are supporting mandatory minimum sentencing reform. Police and prosecutors recognize that using mandatory minimum prison sentences for nonviolent offenders drains limited funds from law enforcement budgets. Correctional officials are advocating for reform because mandatory minimum sentences have produced dangerously overcrowded prisons that undermine rehabilitation. Law enforcement are supportive not only of reforming mandatory minimum sentences, but also of using smarter, more cost-effective probation, treatment, and rehabilitative sentencing options that reduce crime and keep the public safe.
How Federal Mandatory Minimums for Nonviolent Drug Offenders Make us Less Safe
Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates: Why We Don’t Need Mandatory Minimums to Get Guilty Pleas (speech, July 22, 2015)
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Announces Support for Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Reform
DOJ Inspector General’s Report on Performance Challenges: BOP Budget Growth (Dec. 2013)
Attorney General Holder’s Mandatory Minimum Charging Policy Memo to Federal Prosecutors
A. G. Holder’s Memo to Federal Prosecutors Making Revised Charging Policies Retroactive
A. G. Holder Announces Expansion of DOJ’s Revised Mandatory Minimum Charging Policies
American Correctional Association’s Resolution Supporting Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Reform
America Correctional Association’s Public Correctional Policy on Sentencing
Council of Prison Locals, American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO, Statement to U.S. House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, supporting federal mandatory minimum sentencing reform
Law Enforcement and Victim Support for S. 1410/H.R. 3382, the Smarter Sentencing Act:
S. 1410 Potential Impact and Cost Savings
Summary of the Smarter Sentencing Act, S. 1410
Why Law Enforcement Support the Smarter Sentencing Act
Association of Prosecuting Attorneys
International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO
American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO
National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women
General Resources:
What the Public Thinks: public opinion polls show that the public supports reducing sentences and using smarter, more cost-effective punishments for nonviolent drug offenders
Current Sentencing Reform Efforts in Congress
Current Sentencing Reform Efforts in Florida, Massachusetts and other states
Factsheet: Alternatives to Incarceration in a Nutshell
Congress’ misguided criminal justice priorities have allowed thousands of violent criminals to escape punishment, and denied justice to their victims. By Kevin Ring; Originally appeared in The Federalist Last week, Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas gave a speech on criminal justice reform in which he mixed the banal—“Criminals are not victims. Criminals are criminals”—with the fatuous—the United… Read more »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Leila McDowell, lmcdowell@famm.org, 202-822-6700 Today, U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Mike Lee (R-UT) unveiled changes that will be made to the bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act (S. 2123) in an effort to win more votes and cosponsors for the proposal. FAMM President and… Read more »
