U.S. Senate hearing shows waning influence of police on prison reform

[Little Tich]

Source: Yahoo! News / Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lowering prison sentences for non-violent drug offenders appeared to have few opponents in a U.S. Senate judiciary committee hearing on Monday, a sign of the waning influence of police groups and unions in the debate over prison reform.

The lone dissenter at the hearing, Republican Senator Jeff Sessions, raised concerns of law enforcement groups and argued on their behalf that lowering sentences would lead to higher crime rates.

Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates disagreed, pointing to states that have lowered the sentences of drug offenders without seeing a spike in crime.

Police groups and unions were once seen as a major obstacle to rethinking the policies that led to the United States having the highest incarceration rate in the world.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/progress-sentencing-reform-reveals-waning-police-influence-111205477.html

[pipoman]

1. Who'dathunk...

Police groups and unions were once seen as a major obstacle to rethinking the policies that led to the United States having the highest incarceration rate in the world.

That pretty much sums up the stupid that many have been screaming about for decades...

[davidpdx]

2. These would be just federal crimes

There is lots to do on the state level. The number of "tough on crime" ballot measures that passed between 1993 and 2004 in Oregon not only made sentences tougher, but stripped most forms of rehabilitation. A double whammy.

[riversedge]

3. are you sure?? The article does not say one way or another. But would be great to know.

[riversedge]

4. I do believe you are right....

I went looking for another article and this one just is talking about federal prisons.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/60d11f377b534f35bbeb0a92b95a87ec/obama-administration-backs-bill-reduce-prison-time

[davidpdx]

5. I was pretty sure if they are talking about federal prisons it would have to be a federal crime

As I said in my last post, that's a start, but it just scratches the surface given how many people are doing state time.