We must end mandatory minimums if we are serious about fixing the criminal justice system in this country. We cannot play the politics of “piecemilling.” The moral position requires that we demand our politicians deal with establishing justice fully, not just partially.
Having a partial and incomplete prison reform bill that doesn’t address sentencing reform is not a first step—it’s a bad step and a side step.
Any prison reform effort must address and stop the unjust continuation of mass incarceration that has stole and disenfranchised thousands of black, brown and poor white members of our communities.
Mandatory minimums have driven the explosion of our federal prison system populations. Making reforms on the backend of the prison system only will not have any meaningful impact on our mass incarceration problem.
The time to address our prison problem comprehensively is now. Those pushing the so-called “prison reform bill” need to step back and then step up with the nation so we can address the full issue of sentencing reform and prison reform together.
While the bill makes some improvements to the system, it may cause some unintentional harm.
Too many people are excluded including immigrants, it uses risk assessments in an untested and unconventional manner that could exacerbate racial disparities, it will increase privatization of public services in fed prison, & it puts too much discretion in AG and wardens’ hands.
