Commissioners are nominated by the president and confirmed by the senate. Almost fifty percent of federal prisoners are serving sentences for nonviolent drug offenses, many unnecessarily taking up huge amounts of prison resources. The case for the smarter sentencing act the heritage foundation. House and senate to address racial and ethnic disparities in federal criminal mandatory minimum sentencing new legislation also promotes consistency with the 2010 fair sentencing act which addresses racial disparities in crack cocaine sentencing and appropriately. The ssa will give judges the flexibility and discretion they need to impose stiff sentences on the most serious drug lords and cartel bosses while enabling nonviolent. The smarter sentencing act would reduce 20year mandatory. The smarter sentencing act of 2015 was a continued effort from the smarter sentencing act of 202014. Smarter sentencing act 2015 nationwide federal criminal. The reforms to federal mandatory minimum sentences are not the only aspects of the smarter sentencing act entirely worthy of consideration and support. In this new session of congress, another version of the smarter sentencing act hereafter ssa has been introduced. The smarter sentencing act was reintroduced in congress in 2015. The smarter sentencing act, which is currently stalled in both chambers, would cut many drug mandatory minimums in half. Oct 12, 2017 the smarter sentencing act ssa introduced on october 5 by sen.
The smarter sentencing act center for prison reform. The smarter sentencing act ssa introduced on october 5 by sen. If the promise of artificial intelligence is to make systems smarter and more efficient, there may be no better candidate than the us criminal justice system. We anticipate that the provisions of the two bills will be blended into a single package by the senate judiciary committee. Conservatives should support fair sentencing act retroactivity. The smarter sentencing act allows certain inmates sentenced under the prefair sentencing act sentencing regime to petition for sentence reductions consistent with the fair sentencing act and current law. Blended sentencing, second chances, and the texas youth commission, talked about the system of user created clips from this video march 17, 2015. Feb 11, 2016 unlike the smarter sentencing act, it does not cut mandatory minimums for drug offenses in half, although it does tighten the requirements for the 10year mandatory minimum. Repeal mandatory federal drug sentences human rights. Letter to add smarter sentencing act to agenda national. There are many laudatory provisions in the bill, but the committees addition of three new categories of mandatory minimums in the amended bill is counterproductive. Chair saris added, based on the reports findings and recommendations, congress should adopt a new, single definition of crime of violence that is.
Lee introduces smarter sentencing act press releases. By supporting the smarter sentencing act, you are ensuring that minority populations are treated justly by the criminal justice and legal system, that future generations in america will be more successful by having the support of both parents at home, ensure that your tax dollars are being spent to help people rather than to penalize them, and. Aug 15, 2014 the smarter sentencing act s zovirax generic. The bill, the smarter sentencing act, is the biggest overhaul in federal drug sentencing in decades. Blended sentencing, second chances, and the texas youth commission, talked about the system of. Amends the federal criminal code to direct the court to impose a sentence for specified controlled substance offenses without. The computer fraud and abuse act, the law thats been at the heart of almost every controversial hacking case of the past decade, is in the news again this month prosecutors recently used the.
The 1th congress held several hearing and heard testimony through 20 and 2014 without passage. Smarter sentencing act 20 nationwide federal criminal. Strong sentencing reform is the key to addressing federal overincarceration, like that proposed in the senate sentencing reform and corrections act s. Mar 17, 2015 darin haerle, coauthor of lost causes. He received a certificate in a culinaryarts program and worked in the prison chapel. However, careful attention must be paid to the infrastructure at the heart of every artificial intelligence system. Smarter sentencing is also being reintroduced in the senate, with another bipartisan group of senators. It would reduce federal mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses and expand the ability of judges to use their own discretion when sentencing defendants, so that judges can consider the unique facts of each case and each individual before them. The smarter sentencing act of 2015 would reduce the mandatory minimum sentencing for controlled substance offenses. Included within the bill is a statement of purpose to focus limited federal resources. It would also reduce sentences of couriers, defined as those whose offense was limited to transporting or storing drugs or money. Lee, durbin introduce smarter sentencing act of 2015. The case for the smarter sentencing act the heritage.
It is very similar to last sessions smarter sentencing act, and again proposes some changes in some drugrelated mandatory minimums, the federal sentencing safety valve, and the. Advocating for the decriminalization of drug use is an important step in smarter drug policy. The bill does not repeal any federal mandatory minimum sentences, but instead reduces prison costs and populations by creating fairer, less costly minimum terms. Attorney general eric holder urges congress to pass bipartisan smarter sentencing act to reform mandatory minimum sentences u. As a diverse group of faithbased organizations, we are writing to voice our support for the smarter sentencing act ssa, a bill that advances more effective and just criminal sentencing. The other law, called the smarter sentencing act, operates in a different and far more limited manner. Congress both the senate and the house has begun to consider the smarter sentencing act of 20. Attorney general eric holder on thursday urged congress to pass the bipartisan smarter sentencing act, introduced by senators dick durbin and mike lee.
The house of representatives version was also known as h. Smarter sentencing act safe justice act sentencing reform. Federal courts successfully and efficiently conducted similar crackrelated sentence reductions after 2007 and 2011 changes to the sentencing. The smarter sentencing act is a commonsense solution that will greatly reduce the financial and, more importantly, the human cost imposed on society by the broken status quo. Some of the smarter sentencing act provisions echo those of the sentence reform and corrections act of 2017, introduced two days earlier.
Amends the federal criminal code to direct the court to impose a sentence for specified controlled substance offenses without regard to any statutory minimum sentence if the court finds that the criminal history category for the defendant is not higher than category two. But judiciary chairman grassley is skeptical, and the smarter sentencing act hasnt gotten. Repeal mandatory federal drug sentences human rights watch. House and senate reintroduce an even smarter smarter.
Smarter sentencing act safe justice act sentencing reform and. Oct 21, 2015 the smarter sentencing act is a commonsense solution that will greatly reduce the financial and, more importantly, the human cost imposed on society by the broken status quo. Catholic leaders express support for smarter sentencing. The smarter sentencing act is one that will reform mandatory minimums that have ruined the lives of so many americans through giving them unfair sentences. Like the smarter sentencing act, his bill would make the lighter crack penalties that congress approved in 2010 retroactive, loosen the criteria for. Read our post about its newest version, or, for other developments, see a list of all our posts on bills in congress. In 2016, the nationwide homicide rate increased by another 7. Earlier this year, the commission voted unanimously to amend the definition of crime of violence in the federal sentencing guidelines, with an effective date of august 1, 2016. The bill does not repeal any federal mandatory minimum sentences, but instead reduces prison costs and populations by creating fairer, less costly minimum terms for nonviolent drug offenders. For now, most of the senate republicans publicly eyeing 2016 bids have cosponsored lee and durbins smarter sentencing act except rubio, who said his office is examining it. Lee, durbin introduce smarter sentencing act of 2015 press. Apr 21, 2015 the smarter sentencing act is an important step in the reform of our broken criminal justice system. So, here is the latest and greatest on the smarter sentencing act of 20 well refer to it as the ssa from this point forward. Smart fy 2016 sex offender registration and notification act.
President, on a number of occasions i have had to take to the senate floor to note my opposition to the socalled smarter sentencing act. Precedents for the sentencing reform and corrections act. The smarter sentencing act is an important step in the reform of our broken criminal justice system. The 1994 crime bill, formally known as the violent crime control and law enforcement act, reframed the u. The fair sentencing act was enacted in response to the disproportionality in. Oct 17, 2017 some of the smarter sentencing act provisions echo those of the sentence reform and corrections act of 2017, introduced two days earlier. Federal sentencing reform american bar association.
New crack statute and the fsas impact sentencing law and policy. The smarter sentencing act is one that will reform mandatory minimums that have ruined the lives of so many. In 2010, congress passed the fair sentencing act fsa, which reduced the sentencing disparity between offenses for crack and powder cocaine from 100. Inside the key federal sentencing developments of 2019 law360.
Dec 10, 2018 if the promise of artificial intelligence is to make systems smarter and more efficient, there may be no better candidate than the us criminal justice system. The smarter sentencing act of 2015 was the reintroduction of the smarter sentencing act of 20 in which both the united states house of representatives and the united states senate had versions drafted. Feb 12, 2015 smarter sentencing is also being reintroduced in the senate, with another bipartisan group of senators. Through numerous cuts and changes, the 1994 crime bill extended this toughness to the treatment of. Fair sentencing act american civil liberties union. Famm applauds bipartisan effort to curb bop costs and overcrowding, restore fairness to federal sentencing. President, a few weeks ago, some were calling for the majority leader to bring the socalled smarter sentencing act to the senate floor for a. Smart fy 2016 sex offender registration and notification. Sentencing, monitoring, apprehending, registering and tracking smart is seeking applications for planning up to three sex offender registration and notification act sorna workshops, a national symposium on sex offender management and accountability, and events surrounding the 10th anniversary of the adam walsh act. Criminal justice champions give new life to reform bills. Leith anderson, nae president, added his name to a letter voicing support for the legislation and requesting that it be included in the markup agendas of the senate and house committees on the judiciary. Opponents of sentencing reform recklessly conflate drug.
Criminal justice friends committee on national legislation. Senate judiciary committee approves major drug sentencing. The ssa will give judges the flexibility and discretion they need to impose stiff sentences on the most serious drug lords and cartel bosses, while enabling nonviolent. The current federal prison systems population and cost has significantly expanded over the past several decades. The most controversial hacking cases of the past decade. The bill is a modest first step in reforming our nations broken sentencing policies. The smarter sentencing act of 2015 would decrease the application of mandatory minimums for certain drug offenses, but its enactment faces difficulties. It has been necessary because there are so many misconceptions about that legislation and federal drug sentences and prisoners. Introduced in house 103020 smarter sentencing act of 20 amends the federal criminal code to direct the court to impose a sentence for specified controlled substance offenses without regard to any statutory minimum sentence if the court finds that the criminal history category for the defendant is not higher than category two. Third, the smarter sentencing act would reduce the aforementioned mandatory minimum sentencing levels from 51020 years to 2510 years, unless death or serious bodily injury resulted, in which. The senate version of 202014, called s 1410, was introduced by richard durbin dil and patrick leahy dvt. Unlike the smarter sentencing act, it does not cut mandatory minimums for drug offenses in half, although it does tighten the requirements for the 10year mandatory minimum. Senate, with an even larger number of cosponsors from both parties the bipartisan senate bill s. Senate, with an even larger number of cosponsors from both parties.
April 15, 2016 the bipartisan united states sentencing commission commission voted unanimously to amend the federal sentencing guidelines, including significant changes pertaining to immigration policy, compassionate release and animal fighting. Call or write congress add to list react to this bill with an emoji. Support for smarter sentencing act national association of. Introduced in senate 02122015 smarter sentencing act of 2015. Opponents of sentencing reform recklessly conflate. Another flaw of the smarter sentencing act chuck grassley. Attorney general eric holder urges congress to pass. The ssa focuses on frontend reform, making commonsense changes to sentencing laws. Creates a new 5year mandatory minimum for acts relating to. Instead of compassion and rehabilitation, the focus shifted towards being tough on crime.