Criminal Justice

Presidential Candidate Joseph Collins, Jr. has seen firsthand the destructive effects of America’s criminal justice system, specifically the 1994 Crime bill, that has destroyed his community. It is indisputable that the 1994 Crime Bill has had a considerable, and highly unequal, effect on the African-American and Latino community. It contained powerful funding incentives that resulted in an increase of arrests and incarcerations for this population – more than any other demographic in the United States. The punitive measures have led to outdated laws further entrapping African-Americans within our justice system; a dire situation which must be remedied with effective policy reform. We must rewrite these laws with a focus on policies that reduce incarceration while still providing public safety so as to prevent any further deprivation of civil rights among the African-American community.

The Three Strikes Laws, mandatory minimum sentencing requirements, and the preference for settling through plea bargains has incarcerated more individuals than ever – prematurely robbing these people of a future, especially where non-violent offenses were concerned. In addition to creating overcrowded prisons, the outdated laws give individuals an unnecessary criminal history that makes future employment virtually impossible and destroys families. These laws must be addressed through urgent reforms to undo their detrimental consequences on our communities.

Joseph Collins, Jr. will ensure that our criminal justice policies prioritize rehabilitation and restorative justice in place of draconian punishment and should seek to address the root causes of crime rather than perpetuate cycles of incarceration. With the Crime Bill’s powerful funding incentives driving mass incarceration and restrictive sentencing laws, millions of people have been trapped in a never-ending cycle of poverty and mistreatment. It is now time to rectify this situation by rewriting an updated version of the Crime Bill that gave wide latitude to law enforcement to profile minorities and restores civil rights for the many individuals affected by outdated laws and reinstitutes measures of justice that recognize the humanity of all individuals caught up in the criminal justice system. We must reform the criminal justice system to create a judicial system that provides equal justice for all.