Nonprofit Quarterly: Ready for Groundbreaking Bipartisan Shifts in Criminal Justice Reform
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“We have the clearest path forward that we have had in years,” Holly Harris, the executive director of the Justice Action Network, told Nicholas Fandos and Maggie Haberman of the New York Times. “This would be the first time that these members have voted on a piece of legislation that turns away from the lock-’em-up-and-throw-away-the-keys policies of the 1990s. That is groundbreaking.”
Though he could not fail to reassure his constituents that he planned to get tougher on the “truly bad criminals,” President Trump made a statement that came close to acknowledging the reality of the situation: “Some people got caught up in situations that were very bad.” He has promised to sign the bill if it comes to his desk, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated that if it receives the support of 60 senators, there’s a good chance he will bring it to the floor for a vote. (Which, let’s all remember, is his job.) The bill also has the support of the Fraternal Order of Police.