The last time the federal criminal justice system underwent major reform was more than 40 years ago. A broad coalition of organizations, ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union to the Heritage Foundation, agreed on Thursday that the time has come for another overhaul.
With budget cuts on one hand and the expansion of codified crimes and prison populations on the other, among many other problems, the system is “in dire straits,” said Christopher Durocher of the bipartisan Constitution Project during a telephone conference call Thursday morning. The project convened what is called the Smart on Crime Coalition to issue a comprehensive report recommending reforms ranging from mandatory recording of police interrogations to ensuring the adequacy of indigent defense and eradicating prison rape. The report also calls for expanding aid to crime victims, improving access to DNA for innocence claims, boosting the “re-entry” prospects of those who have served their time in prison, and increased use of the presidential pardon and clemency powers.
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