The Political Dynamics of Justice Reform in The U.S.

North Dakota
North Dakota has passed two bills reforming the criminal justice system in different
ways. One bill, House Bill 1221, reforms the confidential informant use by the police
restricting juveniles to be an informant, making sure the informant has spoken with a
lawyer and both parties are aware of the safety risks. The other bill, House Bill 1195,
reforms the juvenile sentencing for murder. Instead of being sentenced as an adult, if
they are tried as an adult, they are sentenced as a juvenile so they won't receive the
sentence of life without the option of parole.
Ohio
Most recently, Ohio has passed Senate Bill 97 to increase the amount of time someone
who has committed a crime with a weapon spends in prison by 50%. It also restricts
offenders with a violent background and violent criminal history to buy or use a firearm.
They have also passed a variation of the “ban the box” policy by requiring employers of
the public to not consider the criminal background as the first thing to rule them out.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma has amended classifications for drug possession charges and property
offenses to reflect as misdemeanors under State Question 780. They also approved
State Question 781 to use the money funding offenders in the previous state question
towards rehabilitation instead. In 2016, Oklahoma also held up the “ban the box” policy.
Oregon
Most recent efforts from Oregon is a complain, They Report to you, to make the criminal
justice system clearer to the average person, focus on the reason an offender commits
a crime but also with a prevention and rehabilitative approach.
Pennsylvania
Reform in Pennsylvania has enacted a Senate Bill 100, Criminal Justice Reform Act that
changes laws such as sending offenders who violate parole conditions to a community
correction center instead of prison and to sentencing offenders of misdemeanor level
offenses to prison.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island has passed a human trafficking reform this past year (2017) and a
Juvenile Reinvestment package.
South Carolina
The age for criminal responsibility was increased with Senate Bill 916 to age 17.
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