The Political Dynamics of Justice Reform in The U.S.
The Political Dynamics of Justice Reform in The U.S.
The Political Dynamics of Justice Reform in The U.S.
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should have the discretion <strong>in</strong> some cases to lock up teenagers for status <strong>of</strong>fenses,<br />
<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g truancy and curfew violations. Eventually, he was conv<strong>in</strong>ced to accept a<br />
seven-day limit on deta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g kids for these k<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>of</strong> crimes—which is also a compromise<br />
for youth advocates who had sought an outright ban.<br />
<strong>The</strong> new juvenile justice bill, like the First Step Act, is far from comprehensive. It<br />
budgets relatively little money—$80 million spread among the states—to fix problems<br />
as entrenched as racial disparities fac<strong>in</strong>g teens <strong>in</strong> the court system.<br />
But those who have worked on the legislation for years are surprised it passed the<br />
same week that a chance for a vote f<strong>in</strong>ally came along on a crim<strong>in</strong>al justice bill many<br />
believed would never see the light <strong>of</strong> day, either.<br />
“You know, this is part and parcel <strong>of</strong> Wash<strong>in</strong>gton,” said Lewis <strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>terview. “You<br />
come here and you serve with 434 other type-A personalities <strong>in</strong> the House and 100<br />
folks over <strong>in</strong> the other chamber and if you th<strong>in</strong>k you’re gonna get everyth<strong>in</strong>g you want,<br />
you’re <strong>in</strong> the wrong bus<strong>in</strong>ess.”<br />
________<br />
<strong>The</strong> Marshall Project<br />
Nonpr<strong>of</strong>it Journalism About Crim<strong>in</strong>al <strong>Justice</strong><br />
15 July 2015<br />
‘<strong>Justice</strong> and Redemption Go Hand <strong>in</strong> Hand.’<br />
A Closer Look At <strong>The</strong> President’s Speech<br />
On Crim<strong>in</strong>al <strong>Justice</strong> <strong>Reform</strong>.<br />
Whether or not you agree with President Obama about the need for crim<strong>in</strong>al justice<br />
reform, it is undeniable that the speech he delivered <strong>in</strong> Philadelphia on Tuesday to the<br />
annual convention <strong>of</strong> the NAACP broke new ground. Many presidents have spoken<br />
before, and some with great ardor, about law and order. But no sitt<strong>in</strong>g president has<br />
ever publicly spoken at such length and <strong>in</strong> such detail as Obama now has about the<br />
persistent problems <strong>of</strong> crime and punishment <strong>in</strong> this country.<br />
Po<strong>in</strong>tedly <strong>in</strong>vok<strong>in</strong>g the names <strong>of</strong> prom<strong>in</strong>ent Republicans like Senators Rand Paul <strong>of</strong><br />
Kentucky and John Cornyn <strong>of</strong> Texas, part <strong>of</strong> a bipartisan groundswell for smarter law<br />
enforcement, the president called for mean<strong>in</strong>gful change at virtually every juncture: from<br />
the first <strong>in</strong>teraction with police <strong>of</strong>ficers to prosecutorial charg<strong>in</strong>g discretion to the prison<br />
sentences imposed by judges to the conditions <strong>of</strong> conf<strong>in</strong>ement to the need for job<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g for those who are about to be released. Here are key passages from an<br />
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