Sanders' criminal justice plan aims to cut prison population

[Uncle Joe]

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is proposing a criminal justice overhaul that aims to cut the nation's prison population in half, end mandatory minimum sentencing, ban private prisons and legalize marijuana. He says the current system does not fairly treat people of color, addicts or the mentally ill.

"We have a system that imprisons and destroys the lives of millions of people," Sanders told The Associated Press before the planned released of his proposal Sunday. "It's racist in disproportionately affecting the African American and Latino communities, and it's a system that needs fundamental change."

Sanders was promoting the plan during a weekend of campaigning in South Carolina, where the majority of the Democratic electorate is African American. The Vermont senator, who won the support of some younger black Democrats during the 2016 primary, has stepped up his references to racial disparities, particularly during stops in the South and urban areas.

(snip)

Sanders wants to improve relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. To do that, he proposes to end federal programs that provide military equipment to local police forces, establish federal standards for the use of body cameras, provide bias training and require that the Justice Department review all officer-involved shootings.

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https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/article234124857.html

[Uncle Joe]

1. Sanders' criminal justice plan aims to cut prison population

(snip)

As president, Sanders said he would abolish mandatory minimum sentencing and reinstate a federal parole system, end the "three strikes law" and expand the use of alternative sentencing, including community supervision and halfway houses. The goal is to reduce the prison population by one-half.

As president, Sanders said he would abolish mandatory minimum sentencing and reinstate a federal parole system, end the "three strikes law" and expand the use of alternative sentencing, including community supervision and halfway houses. The goal is to reduce the prison population by one-half.

(snip)

"When we talk about violence in society and trying to lower the levels of violence, it is not appropriate that the state itself is part of capital punishment," Sanders said

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"It will cost money but it will pay for itself many, many times over," Sanders said. "Locking people up is very, very expensive."

https://fox17.com/news/nation-world/sanders-criminal-justice-plan-aims-to-cut-prison-population

[Historic NY]

2. Is his state still farming out it prisoners.....

does it still incarcerate a greater number of AA than white folks. He might try working on Vt first. Senator fix your state first.


"Of the seven state prisons in Vermont, none hold more than 400 inmates; Vermont usually transfers healthy inmates to out-of-state prisons, where it is cheaper." https://www.correctionalofficeredu.org/vermont/

[link:https://doc.vermont.gov/information-for-inmate-families-and-friends/inmates-housed-out-of-state/|

[link:https://vtdigger.org/2019/01/27/inside-prison-vermont-inmates-1366-miles/|]

[link:https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/lawmakers-want-reforms-not-new-prisons-to-bring-out-of-state-inmates-home/Content?oid=26153972|]

[ehrnst]

4. In 2006, Sanders was running for VT Senator touting his "tough on crime" voting record:

https://web.archive.org/web/20061018180921/http:/www.bernie.org/truth/crime.html

Look at what he put at the top of the list:

-Voted for the 1994 Crime Bill that Created the COPS Program. [Vote #416, 8/21/94, conference report on H.R.3355, Sanders: Y]
-Voted for $7.5 Billion for Cops on the Beat Program . [Vote #124, 2/14/95, H.R.728, failed 196-235, Sanders: Y]
-Voted for Reauthorization of COPS Program . [Vote #232, 6/17/99, H.R.1501, failed 191-233, Sanders: Y]
-Voted for $300 Million Increase to $1.3 Billion Total for COPS Program . [Vote #386, 8/5/99, H.R.2670, failed 208-219, Sanders: Y]
-Voted for $11.7 Million Increase for COPS Meth Seizure Program . [Vote #233, 7/17/01, H.R.2500, failed 187-227, Sanders: Y]
-Voted for $106.9 Million for the COPS Program. [HR 4754, Vote #330, 7/7/04; CQ Vote Report #330, 7/7/04; Houston Chronicle, 2/3/04; New York Times, 5/25/04; R 74-148; D 131-64; I 1-0]
-Voted for $200 Million for Local Law Enforcement Including $100 Million for COPS . [Vote #244, 6/14/05, H.R.2862, failed 196-230, Sanders: Y]
-Voted for $10 Million Increase in Funding for COPS Program . [Vote #248, 6/14/05, H.R.2862, failed 260-168, Sanders: Y]

So there's that.

[Uncle Joe]

3. Bernie Sanders unveils criminal justice reform plan aiming to curb prison population

(snip)

Sanders is slated to release the plan, which his campaign says is designed to root out institutional racism and corporate profiteering, during a town hall in Columbia, S.C.

"If we stand together, we can eliminate private prisons and detention centers. No more profiteering from locking people up," Sanders will say in a speech unveiling the plan, according to a statement from his campaign. "If we stand together we can end the disastrous 'war on drugs.' If we stand together we can end cash bail. No more keeping people in jail because they’re too poor. If we stand together we can enact real police department reform and prosecute police brutality. If we stand together, there is nothing, nothing, nothing that we cannot accomplish."

Sanders's plan calls for a complete "top to bottom" overhaul of virtually every aspect of the current criminal justice system. Among other provisions, the initiative calls for banning private prisons, legalizing marijuana and expunging past convictions for marijuana-related offenses.

In addition, the plan calls for banning cash bail and civil asset forfeiture. His initiative would also focus on reinstating a federal parole system and "investing in youth diversion programs and alternatives to the court and prison system.

(snip)

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/457873-bernie-sanders-unveils-criminal-justice-reform-plan-aiming-to-curb-prison

[ehrnst]

5. Any idea why he wasn't interested enough in this criminal justice bill to cosponsor

it?

S.1917 - Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2017
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1917/cosponsors