Over 400 Former Federal Prosecutors, Judges and Justice Department Officials Urge Trump to Combat COVID 19 with Criminal Justice Reform

Follow-on to the Bipartisan First Step Act

“History Will Smile on Those Who Take Their Advice”

(Washington, DC) - Over 400 former United States Attorneys, federal judges, Assistant United States Attorneys and Department of Justice officials are calling on President Trump to protect prisons and their surrounding communities from COVID 19 outbreaks through criminal justice reform.

The letter to the President urges him to use his executive power to commute sentences for prisoners who are older, medically vulnerable, and have served almost all of their sentences.  The group makes clear that no prisoner who presents a serious risk to public safety should be considered for release.

The officials call for creation of a bipartisan emergency advisory group to guide the process, and they urge the Bureau of Prisons to take measures to ensure regular testing and health care for correctional staff:

“We write to express our concern that, unless you take immediate action, it will be just a matter of time before there is a COVID-19 outbreak of massive proportions in a federal detention or correctional facility.”

The letter notes that Correctional facilities are “breeding grounds for an infectious outbreak.” Prisoners live in close proximity to each other and have limited opportunities to abide by CDC safety measures like washing and sanitizing their hands.

“We are grateful to these leaders, all of whom have served on the front lines of our criminal justice system, for speaking out during this crisis,” said Holly Harris, the President and Executive Director of the Justice Action Network. “The President has been a stanch supporter of law enforcement, and we hope he sees that the actions these leaders call for are in the best interests of public safety, public health, and the taxpayers. History will smile on those who take their advice.”