Criminal Justice Reform: The Road Ahead, Washington, DC, December 4, 2018
Justice Action Network co-hosted a serious of discussions with the Washington Post on the future of justice reform. The half-day forum featured leaders from across the country—elected officials, administrators, advocates, law-enforcement, and system-impacted people. From Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf, Rep. Sheryl Delozier, and Corrections Secretary John Wetzel discussed the steps they’d taken to reduce the state’s prison population, and the need for parole reform.
System-impacted advocates Brittany Barnett, Sharanda Jones, and Kevin Ring shared their experiences, the impact of mandatory minimum sentences, and opportunities for clemency. Holly Harris, FreedomWorks’ Jason Pye, and #cut50’s Jessica Jackson shared the story of the First Step Act, which was just days away from a final vote. Senator Mike Lee, Leadership Conference’s Vanita Gupta, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Leiser debated policies on sentencing, bail, and policing. And Senators Chuck Grassley and Dick Durbin talked about their bipartisan commitment to passing the First Step Act.