The Murphy Roadmap: Criminal Justice Reform

Transcription

1 The Murphy Roadmap: Criminal Justice Reform Paid for by Friends of Patrick Murphy.

2 PAGE 2 THE MURPHY ROADMAP: CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

3 The Murphy Roadmap: Criminal Justice Reform We need to restore balance to our criminal justice system. This isn t about partisan politics, this is about doing what s right for our citizens, our families, and our country. Patrick Murphy Our criminal justice system is out of balance. Incarceration rates have skyrocketed and individuals are repeatedly released from prison and then rearrested in the most costly of revolving doors. Too many children s futures are squandered when they fall down a slippery slope that leads to prison instead of college. Too many minority communities are hollowed out by mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines. Trust and cooperation between law enforcement and the communities they protect and serve has broken down. Florida is one of the most diverse states in our country, and that incredible diversity makes us strong. But because of our diversity, our nation s unbalanced criminal justice system affects Florida more than almost any other state. Floridians deserve better. Patrick Murphy is committed to restoring the balance so sorely lacking from our criminal justice system. In the U.S. Senate, Patrick will work to ensure incarcerated individuals have the opportunity to rebuild their lives upon their release. He will empower students to succeed and work to provide schools and communities with the tools that they need to keep our children on a path towards graduating high school and getting a job or going to college. Patrick will work to end racial disparities in our laws, in our courtrooms, and in our neighborhoods. Finally, he will collaborate with law enforcement and our communities to rebuild trust and cooperation. These solutions will make our communities safer, keep families intact, protect African Americans, Latinos, and all minorities from unfair treatment, and ensure that our children succeed, while saving taxpayers money. We can do so much better, and Patrick is ready to work with all Floridians to achieve the balanced and fair system of criminal justice that we all deserve. THE MURPHY ROADMAP: CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM PAGE 3

4 Ensuring a Fair Shot for All Formerly incarcerated individuals, who have served their time and paid their debt, should have the opportunity to reenter our communities and reintegrate into society. However, far too often these individuals face stigmas and institutional barriers that impede their ability to become productive citizens. Patrick strongly believes that removing institutional obstacles to reintegration will provide real opportunity for ex-offenders to rebuild their lives and break the destructive cycle of recidivism. Investing in Prison Education Programs Access to education in prisons is a major determinant of whether incarcerated individuals will succeed after they are released. Education, like GEDs, college degrees, vocational training, and career counseling allows inmates to set goals and grow their skill sets. Patrick believes that investing in education in prisons not only provides inmates with real opportunities for success after incarceration, but also results in long-term savings by reducing recidivism rates. Patrick also supports proposals to use federal grants in corrections facilities for educational offerings. Banning the Box A key component to building a life after incarceration is finding gainful employment. Having a job and achieving financial stability is often the difference between successful reintegration and returning to prison. Despite this, formerly incarcerated individuals are shut out from most employment opportunities due to their criminal record. Patrick supports banning the box and certain credit checks on employment applications to ensure that individuals are judged on their skills and abilities in the first step of the hiring process, and not immediately on their past struggles. He is fighting for the Fair Chance Act in the House, which would accomplish this, and he will continue to push for this legislation in the Senate. Restoring Voting Rights Voting is a fundamental civic duty and an important component of reintegrating formerly incarcerated individuals back into society. However, for millions of ex-felons, this basic right to participate in government is stripped for life. With an estimated 1.5 million Floridians disenfranchised due to felony convictions, Florida excludes more people from voting than any other state in the country. The nationwide total is 6 million that means 25% of the national total lives in Florida. Over 10% of Floridians and nearly 25% of African American Floridians are currently prohibited from voting. Many of these are individuals who were convicted of non-violent crimes, have served their time, and are PAGE 4 THE MURPHY ROADMAP: CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

5 now productive members of society. Florida s lifetime ban on voting impedes ex-felons and distorts our democracy. That is why Patrick supports the Democracy Restoration Act, which will automatically restore voting rights for non-violent ex-felons after they have paid their debt to society. Empowering Students The school-to-prison pipeline disproportionately impacts youth of color. Too often, the criminal justice system grabs ahold of young people, with lifetimes of promise ahead of them, and never lets go. Teachers work hard every day to ensure that their students receive a sound education, yet many lose this fight to an unbalanced criminal justice system, to gangs, and to violence. By providing our schools and our communities with the right tools, we can end the school-to-prison pipeline and help Florida s children reach their full potential. Closing the School-to-Prison Pipeline The futures of too many of our children are being squandered in a pipeline that leads from school to prison. To end this cycle, our teachers and our communities need to lead the charge. They are the ones on the front lines who have the relationships, know the needs of their students, and are best able to motivate and inspire them to stay on the right path. Patrick believes that we must equip our schools and communities with the tools they need to address these issues. He supports reducing excessive suspensions and phasing out zero tolerance disciplinary policies that put kids on the wrong path. He also backs the Full-Service Community Schools Act, which will help implement gang violence prevention and early intervention programs. Promoting Intervention and Mentorship To empower all students to succeed, we must provide opportunities for learning inside and outside the classroom. Too many kids lack role models or mentors who can guide them in their formative years. When students receive direction and guidance from school counselors and community leaders, they are more likely to realize their full potential. Initiatives that keep youth positively engaged diminish the likelihood of truancy and provide students new opportunities to succeed. In Florida s 18th District, Patrick has worked hand-in-hand with community leaders to make the future brighter for disadvantaged kids. Formed in a community riddled by gang violence, Boy Scout Troop 772 is a group of kids and community leaders who came THE MURPHY ROADMAP: CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM PAGE 5

6 together to keep young people off the streets. They now complete service projects and beach cleanups, and Patrick has worked along side them as they improve their community. In 2014, Patrick brought Troop 772 to Washington to prove to them their voices can be heard, and their hard work makes a difference. That s why Patrick supports programs that foster community engagement, such as early intervention, targeted dropout prevention, and mentoring, which help provide opportunities for success to all of our students. Patrick also believes we must increase funding for after-school programs as well as the arts, music, and recreation in schools, in order to positively engage young people. Strengthening Our Communities Trust in law enforcement and the criminal justice system is essential to building safe and strong communities. However, recent events in Florida and around the country indicate a breakdown in this relationship. Law enforcement and the neighborhoods they protect and serve are in conflict. Minority communities continue to be damaged by mandatory minimum sentencing laws and unfair sentencing biases. Both of these dynamics lead to distrust, the absence of accountability, and the miscarriage of justice. Patrick firmly believes that communities are safer and stronger when there is confidence and cooperation between law enforcement, communities, and the justice system. He is committed to strengthening our communities and building trust through accountability, transparency, fairness, and collaboration. Building Trust and Cooperation A trust deficit between the public, law enforcement, and government institutions makes our neighborhoods less safe and creates conflict where there needs to be collaboration. Individuals who distrust law enforcement and government often fail to report suspicious activity and criminal acts, refuse to participate in police investigations, and avoid engaging with their elected officials. That is why Patrick authored the Tracking Reputations Upgrades Societal Trust (TRUST) Act to increase cooperation between police and the communities they serve by measuring community trust in the local police force. The TRUST Act provides an opportunity to improve confidence and accountability in law enforcement, while recognizing heroic law enforcement officers who work cooperatively with those they protect and serve. PAGE 6 THE MURPHY ROADMAP: CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM

7 Body Cameras Body cameras protect community members and police officers by providing a fuller picture of interactions with the public. In the last several months in Florida s 18th District, two unarmed African American men, Corey Jones and Demarcus Semer, were shot and killed in incidents with police officers. In both these incidents, a video recording would be a valuable tool to aid our criminal justice system. Body cameras ensure that the full details of these types of incidents are captured, bolstering accountability and transparency. Unfortunately, far too few communities are utilizing this vital tool. In Congress, Patrick has pushed for the Police CAMERA Act to increase funding for states and local governments to make this critical investment. Sentencing Biases Mandatory minimums have an unfair and disproportionate impact on minorities. These laws exacerbate already high rates of incarceration that have devastated many of our communities. Patrick believes current mandatory minimum sentencing laws distort our legal system and must be addressed. He supports sentencing reform that would reduce the mandatory minimums for most non-violent drug offenders and opposes discriminatory enforcement of federal marijuana laws. THE MURPHY ROADMAP: CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM PAGE 7