DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE RESCINDS TRUMP-ERA SENTENCING GUIDANCE, INSTRUCTS PROSECUTORS TO CONDUCT INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENTS

2017 MEMO DIRECTED PROSECUTORS TO PURSUE HARSHEST POSSIBLE CHARGES WITH LONGEST POSSIBLE SENTENCES  

JUSTICE ACTION NETWORK’S INIMAI CHETTIAR: “THE SESSIONS SENTENCING MEMO WENT AGAINST BOTH COMMON SENSE AND THE BIPARTISAN CONSENSUS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, AND WE WELCOME THE END OF ITS ERA.”

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson rescinded a memorandum from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions mandating that prosecutors bring the harshest possible charges and pursue the longest possible sentences for criminal defendants. Wilkinson indicated that a longer-term policy was being formulated, but directed prosecutors to conduct individual assessments of the merits of each case for the time being. Inimai Chettiar, Federal Director of Justice Action Network, the country’s largest organization focused on bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation and advocacy at the federal and state level, issued the following statement: 

“The Sessions sentencing memo went against both common sense and the bipartisan consensus on criminal justice reform, and we welcome the end of its era,” said Justice Action Network Federal Director Inimai Chettiar. “We hope the Biden administration will act swiftly to ensure that prosecutors around the country follow this new guidance and apply it to cases that are already underway. We also urge the administration to take additional steps to move forward criminal justice reform.”