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ACTION ALERT! FedCURE's Write Congress Campaign: H.R. 1475


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FedCURE NEWS and Legislative Updates

30 August 2010 [Updated]

FedCURE's H.R. 1475 Campaign: "Top 10 Ideas for Change in America"

Congratulations! It is Official:


FedCURE's Idea "H.R. 1475" is the Winner in the "Top 10 Ideas for Change in America" on Change.org.

Job Well Done! Stay Tuned!

Click on the VOTE Button to Learn More

FedCURE has put out a call for video interviews of people with cases that will benefit from H.R. 1475. 
Please contact FedCURE at:  http://www.fedcure.org/contact.shtml.

Watch live streaming video from fedcure at livestream.com

Enter your donation below:

 
S.1789:   Fair Sentencing Act of 2010
 
 
Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott

Virginia’s Third Congressional District

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Larry Dillard

(202) 225-8351

July 28, 2010

 

Scott Statement on Passage of the Fair Sentencing Act

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security, issued the following statement on passage of S. 1789, the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010: 

“Today, S. 1789, the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, historic bipartisan legislation, was passed by the House of Representatives. This bill will reduce the100-to-1 sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine in federal law to 18-to-1. 

“Under current law, it takes only 5 grams of crack cocaine to trigger a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence, but for powder cocaine it takes 500 grams to trigger the same 5-year mandatory minimum sentence.  S. 1789 moves the threshold amount of crack for a 5-year mandatory minimum sentence from 5 grams to 28 grams and makes a similar reduction to an 18-to-1 ratio for the ten-year mandatory minimum.  

“Studies have shown that there are no pharmacological differences between crack and powder cocaine.  Yet, crack offenders are serving extremely long sentences, while people who have committed more serious drug offenses, or serious violent crimes, are serving shorter terms.  Kemba Smith, a college student in my Congressional District who had a very minor role in a crack conspiracy involving her boyfriend who was a drug dealer, was sentenced to 24 and 1/2 years and served 7 years before her sentence was commuted by President Clinton.   

“And the higher penalties for very small amounts of crack have the bizarre effect of punishing those lower in the drug distribution chain much more severely than the drug kingpins in the chain who distribute the larger amounts of powder from which the crack is produced.  

“The differences in penalties for crack and powder cocaine also have a disparate racial impact.  More than 80% of people convicted in federal court for crack offenses are African American, while only 27% of those convicted of powder cocaine offenses are African American.   

“Although I think the fairest approach would be to totally eliminate the disparity between crack and powder cocaine, the bill we passed today represents substantial progress toward that goal.            

“I would like to thank Senator Durbin and Senator Sessions, as well as their colleagues on both sides of the aisle, for developing this successful bi-partisan compromise.  I would also like to thank House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn for his tenacious efforts to get the bill scheduled for action in the House this week.  And, I would like to thank House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. Maxine Waters, Rep. Mel Watt and Rep Charles Rangel for their long-standing dedication to addressing this unfairness between crack and powder cocaine penalties. 

 “Further, I would like to thank the advocates and organizations that have worked tirelessly for many years to reform the federal crack cocaine law such as Wade Henderson, Nancy Zirkin and Lisa Bornstein from The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Nkechi Taifa from The Open Society Policy Center, Laura Murphy and Jennifer Bellamy from the ACLU, Julie Stewart and Jennifer Stitt from Families Against Mandatory Minimums, Marc Mauer and Kara Gotsch from The Sentencing Project, Jasmine Tyler from the Drug Policy Alliance, Hilary Shelton with the NAACP and Bruce Nicholson with the American Bar Association.” 

# # #

 

1201 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515

Phone: 202-225-8351   Fax: 202-225-8354   Web:  www.bobbyscott.house.gov  

Full Text:  http://www.fedcure.org/documents/S.1789.shtml

 

 
 
H.R.5143

House Passes National Criminal Justice Commission Act

 
07/27/2010

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation authored by Senator Jim Webb and Rep. Bill Delahunt that creates a blue-ribbon, bipartisan  commission charged with undertaking a top-to-bottom review of the nation’s criminal justice system. 
 
“It has been over four decades since we conducted a comprehensive review of our criminal justice system,” said Delahunt. “Today our prison population is expanding at an alarming rate, with costs to the taxpayers that are unsustainable.  The bill passed tonight will assess the current crisis, reverse these disturbing trends and help save taxpayer money. I am proud to have joined with Senator Jim Webb on this issue. His tireless efforts championing this bill will help ensure quick passage.”

“I want to congratulate Congressman Delahunt for guiding the National Criminal Justice Commission Act to success in the House,” said Senator Webb. “This bill will take a long overdue, comprehensive review of our criminal justice system – taking a look at what’s broken and what works.  With tonight’s success, I look forward to swift legislative action in the Senate.”

Despite the fact that crime rates have declined nationally over the past two decades, the U.S. currently incarcerates more than 2.3 million individuals—the highest rate in the world.  Studies show that by 2011, prison expenditures will cost taxpayers almost $75 billion.

In an effort to combat these alarming trends, the commission will study all areas of the criminal justice system, including federal, state, local and tribal governments’ criminal justice costs, practices, and policies.  After conducting the review, the Commission will make recommendations for changes in, or continuation of oversight, policies, practices, and laws designed to prevent, deter, and reduce crime and violence, improve cost-effectiveness, and ensure the interests of justice.  The bill has been endorsed by approximately 100 organizations. In the House, it is co-sponsored by Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D - VA), Marcia Fudge (D-OH), and Tom Rooney (R-FL).

The National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2010, was introduced in the Senate as S. 714 by Senator Jim Webb (D-VA). The bill has received widespread bipartisan support and has 39 cosponsors in the Senate, including Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) and Ranking Member Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Judiciary Committee member Senator Orrin G Hatch (R-U). 

The passage of the National Criminal Justice Commission Act is the latest in a series of legislative victories for Delahunt. Earlier this month, President Obama signed the Financial Services Regulatory Reform Act, which included provisions establishing a Consumer Financial Product Protection Bureau, a legislative proposal that Delahunt introduced last March. 

In May, President Obama signed Delahunt’s Travel Promotion Act. The FY 2011 Defense Department Authorization bill included language allowing no-cost transfers of military bases, such as the South Weymouth Naval Air Station. Over the winter, Congress created the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to investigate the causes of the financial meltdown in the fall of 2008.  This legislation was introduced in the House by Delahunt last fall.

To watch a video of Delahunt's remarks, please click here:  http://www.youtube.com/repdelahunt#p/u/0/8hM0C4pKdU0

URL:  http://delahunt.house.gov/2010/07/house-passes-national-criminal-justice-commission-act.shtml

Full Text and Congressional Record at:  http://www.fedcure.org/documents/HR5143.shtml.

 

 

 
GROUNDBREAKING REPORT

Center for Economic and Policy Research

1611 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 400

Washington, D.C. 20009

202-293-5380

www.cepr.net

The High Budgetary Cost of Incarceration

John Schmitt, Kris Warner, and Sarika Gupta

June 2010

Executive Summary

The United States currently incarcerates a higher share of its population than any other country in the world. The U.S. incarceration rate – 753 per 100,000 people in 2008 – is now about 240 percent higher than it was in 1980.

We calculate that a reduction by one-half in the incarceration rate of non-violent offenders would lower correctional expenditures by $16.9 billion per year and return the U.S. to about the same

incarceration rate we had in 1993 (which was already high by historical standards). The large majority of these savings would accrue to financially squeezed state and local governments, amounting to about one-fourth of their annual corrections budgets. As a group, state governments could save $7.6 billion, while local governments could save $7.2 billion.

A review of the extensive research on incarceration and crime suggests that these savings could be achieved without any appreciable deterioration in public safety.

Other findings include:

• In 2008, one of every 48 working-age men (2.1 percent of all working-age men) was in prison or jail.

• In 2008, the U.S. correctional system held over 2.3 million inmates, about two-thirds in prison and about one-third in jail.

• Non-violent offenders make up over 60 percent of the prison and jail population. Nonviolent drug offenders now account for about one-fourth of all offenders behind bars, up from less than 10 percent in 1980.

• The total number of violent crimes was only about three percent higher in 2008 than it was in 1980, while the total number of property crimes was about 20 percent lower. Over the same period, the U.S. population increased about 33 percent and the prison and jail population increased by more than 350 percent.

• Crime can explain only a small portion of the rise in incarceration between 1980 and the early 1990s, and none of the increase in incarceration since then. If incarceration rates had tracked violent crime rates, for example, the incarceration rate would have peaked at 317 per 100,000 in 1992, and fallen to 227 per 100,000 by 2008 – less than one third of the actual 2008 level and about the same level as in 1980.

 
 
 
FedCURE's Idea to "Increase Federal Good Time Allowances ~ H.R. 1475"
Winner of the "Top 10 Ideas for Change in America for 2010."
 
 
For daily updates and to Subscribe, simply send an e-mail to: FedCURE-org-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
The United States Sentencing Commission
 
 - presents - 
 
The Annual National Seminar
 
on the
 
Federal Sentencing Guidelines

Cosponsored by ABA Criminal Justice Section

June 16 -18, 2010 o Wednesday - Friday o Hilton New Orleans Riverside, New Orleans, Louisiana

 Brochure & Registration:  http://www.ussc.gov/TRAINING/SYMPO2010/2010_Agenda_Annual_National_Seminar.pdf

The United States Sentencing Commission presents the Annual National Seminar on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines  

Hilton New Orleans Riverside 
2 Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA 70140
United States

 

CLICK HERE | PLAY VIDEO

Congressional Black Caucus |
Community Re-Investment Taskforce.
SYMPOSIUM:  Rethinking Federal Sentencing Policy
Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Sentencing Reform Act" Sponsored by:  Harvard and Yale Law Schools.

| Wednesday, 24 June 2009, 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM |

U.S. Capitol Visitors Center,

Orientation Theater South

Washington, DC.

  • Hon. Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court
  • Eric Holder, Jr., Attorney General, Department of Justice
  • FedCURE: Panel 4: Good Time Allowances, Community Corrections and Re-Entry
  • Federal Criminal Justice Policy Makers

Introduction of Justice Stephen Breyer by

Charles J. Ogletree, Jr., Executive Director 

Remarks by

Hon. Stephen Gerald Breyer  
Supreme Court of the United States

 Kate Smith, Acting Dean, Yale Law School

 
 

MAP:  http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/Visit/Image%20-%20Large%20Capitol%20Complex.gif

Press:  ABC, NBC, CNN (Covering Highlights) & FedCURE News (Taped gavel to gavel coverage, plus exclusive follow up interviews with the nation's top CJR policy makers).

VIDEO: To obtain video footage of this event and or fees for video production, contact FedCURE at: http://www.fedcure.org/contact.shtml

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Click here for:  Symposium Information and Presentation Materials

 

30 August 2010 (Last Update)

 

FOIA

Ion Spectrometer Records

Federal Cure (FedCURE) v. Lappin:  No. 07-843, 2009 WL 692159 (D.D.C. Mar. 18, 2009) (Walton, J.)

Re: Records concerning use of ion spectrometer scanning at BOP facilities

• Fee waiver: It is uncontested that the requested information concerns an identifiable operation or activity of the government, and that plaintiff lacks a commercial interest in the information. Plaintiff "analyzes and synthesizes technical information" for its on-line discussion group, and has shown that it will disseminate the requested information "'to a sufficiently broad audience'" of those interested in the subject. The fact that plaintiff does not distribute printed materials is not a bar to its claim, and its "website, [online] newsletter and chat room are an adequate means of disseminating information." Furthermore, plaintiff's "stature as the largest advocacy group for federal inmates . . . lends credence to its position that a substantial number of individuals have and will continue to access its newsletters, chat room services and daily news updates." Finally, given the limited amount of information concerning ion spectrometry currently available, "any dissemination of information regarding the BOP's use of [it] will enhance the public's understanding of the technology."

FedCURE has obtained the records set out below after prevailing in the above styled case against the Federal Bureau of Prisons, to release the records pursuant the FOIA.  See:  http://www.fedcure.org/information/250205-FBOP-FOIA-PA-ION.shtml.  The bureau would not release the records without FedCURE paying $3,976.00 and would not grant FedCURE a FOIA fee waiver and FedCURE sued.  Consequently, the bureau paid $40,742.50 in FedCURE's attorneys fees and $585.64 in other fees and costs.

   

FedCURE invites the public to examine these records and to contribute to the analysis that would provide evidence to support the premise that the Ion Spectrometer machines are unreliable and therefore the Federal Bureau of Prisons must discontinue using the machines at all federal institutions.  Please send your comments and or findings to FedCURE at: http://www.fedcure.org/contact.shtml. 

   

FedCURE Notice:  Ion Spectrometry Device Program ~ Federal Bureau of Prisons: COMPLAINTS | PROCEDURES, see:  http://www.fedcure.org/documents/FedCURE_Notice-Ion_Spectrometry_Device_Program.shtml.

For Bureau Policy and Procedures on the Ion Spectrometry Device Program see:  http://www.fedcure.org/documents/5522_001-IonSpectrometryDeviceProgram.pdf

Please note:  Information has been redacted by the bureau claiming certain FOIA exemptions.  The bureau may have to produce the redacted information at a later date.  Additional records are forthcoming and we will publish here.  

FedCURE

                                                                                                                                       

   fIRST FOIA Production 08 January 2010:

  1. 1-FedCURE_v_Lappin-FOIA-ION-CoverLetter-Production-080110.PDF
  2. 027_98.wpd
  3. 5522_0011 Ionizer Procedures.wpd
  4. Bastrop.PDF
  5. Big Sandy-R.pdf
  6. BIG-05-03326 LOGrcd-R.pdf
  7. BIG-05-03326 LOGrcds-ION-R.pdf
  8. BIG-05-03326 Part 1_IONrcds-R.pdf
  9. BIG-05-03326 Part 2_IONrcds-R.pdf
  10. BIG-05-03326 Part 3_IONrecds-R.pdf
  11. Butner.pdf
  12. Chicago.pdf
  13. CRW-05-0-3326-ION-Rcds-1.pdf
  14. CRW-05-03326-ION-Rcds-2-R.pdf
  15. CRW-05-03326-ION-Rcds-3-R.pdf
  16. CRWFedCure FOIA ION LitigationFORM.doc
  17. Devens-R.pdf
  18. Dublin.pdf
  19. El Reno-R.pdf
  20. Englewood-R.pdf
  21. Fort Worth-R.pdf
  22. Ion Program procedures.wpd
  23. Ion Track Request.wpd
  24. ION.shw
  25. IT3 TM001017r3 IT3 Maintenance .ppt
  26. IT3 TM001018r3 IT3 Administration.ppt
  27. La Tuna-R.pdf
  28. Lewisburg.wpd
  29. Lompoc Low-R.pdf
  30. Lompoc Med-R.pdf
  31. Los Angeles-R.pdf
  32. Marianna.pdf
  33. McCreary-A.xls
  34. McCreary-B.doc
  35. McCreary-C.wpd
  36. Miami-R.pdf
  37. Milan-R.pdf
  38. National Ion Docs Gilmer Set 1-R.pdf
  39. National Ion Docs Gilmer Set 2.pdf
  40. National Ion Docs Lee-R.pdf
  41. NCRO-R.pdf
  42. NERO.pdf
  43. New York-R.pdf
  44. Oakdale FCI-FDC-R.pdf
  45. Otisville-R.pdf

    
                                                                                                                                         

Second FOIA Production 26 March 2010:

         (PDF format)

  1. 04-10-08-IonSpectrometry
  2. 04-24-08-GE-states-corrected-false-positive-is
  3. 08-23-06 BP-100(AF1)Itemizer2fromBMM-to-BMP
  4. FCC-Beaumont(L)(C)-ALCOHOL-ION---01-2004-04-2007
  5. FCC-Beaumont-ION-purchase
  6. FCI-Beaumont-Reports-R
  7. Phoenix-02-R
  8. Phoenix-03-R
  9. Phoenix-04-R
  10. Phoenix-05-R
  11. Pollock-R
  12. Safford
  13. San Diego-R
  14. Schuylkill-R
  15. SEA-05-03326-ION-Records-1-R
  16. SEA-05-03326-ION-Records-2 Manual
  17. SeaTac
  18. Terminal Island-R
  19. Terre Haute-R
  20. Texarkana-R
  21. Three Rivers-R
  22. Tucson-R
  23. USP-Atwater-Jan-2004-R
  24. USP-Atwater-Feb-2004-R
  25. USP-Atwater-March-2004-R
  26. USP-Atwater-April-May2004-R
  27. USP-Atwater-June-2004-R
  28. USP-Atwater-August-2004-R
  29. USP-Atwater-September-2004-R
  30. USP-Atwater-Oct-2004-R
  31. USP-Atwater-Nov-2004-R
  32. USP-Atwater-Dec-2004-R
  33. USP-Beaumont-DOC
  34. USP-Beaumont-DOC(2)-R
  35. USP-Beaumont-DOC(3)-R
  36. USP-Beaumont-DOC(4)-R
  37. USP-Beaumont-DOC(5)-R
  38. USP-Beaumont-DOC000-R
  39. USP-Beaumont-ION-machine-Info-R
  40. Victorville

      (Power Point Presentation)

  1. Slides-I3-Maintenance
  2. Slides-I3-Operator
  3. Slides-IT2-OperMaintenance4-14-02
  4. Slides-V2Administrator
  5. Slides-V2Maintenance
  6. Slides-V2Operator-no-verify-drugs
  7. TM001016r2IT3-Operator
  8. TM001017r3IT3-Maintenance
  9. TM001018r3IT3-Administration
  10. TM001028Rev1Admin
  11. TM001038-rev-2MaintenanceVT2
  12. ION         

                   

 

E-mail your comments to FedCURE:  FedCURE

FedCURE's Federal Criminal Justice Reform's
 
Let us give you a clear picture as to how we see the current landscape of Federal Criminal Justice Reform (CJR) and what we propose by way of reforms.  FedCURE handled the promotion and the five hour filming of the CBC Symposium, Rethinking Federal Sentencing Policy: Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Sentencing Reform Act"  Sponsored by:  Harvard and Yale Law Schools, this past 24 June, in Washington, DC and FedCURE News is producing a series of videos of the symposium to stream here on  FedCURE websites and to air on PBS.  The CBC was in overwhelming agreement on reforms as set out in each of the panel discussions.   See:  http://www.fedcure.org/documents/CBC-Symposium-240609-FedCURE_Panel-4.shtml.   
 
While promoting FedCURE's initiatives, i.e., to establish a hybrid system of parole and good time allowances; and provide reentry opportunities for federal offenders, FedCURE is focusing on increasing Residential Reentry Center (RRC) capacity. An RRC is formerly known as half-way-house or HWH.  Over 60,000 people were released from federal prison last year, of which 20,000 were deported.  Currently, there is no place to put anyone, if parole and good time measures were adopted, as evidenced by the choked implementation of the Second Chance Act regarding CCC placement. Of the 37,635 people in prison who qualified for RRC placement in the last year ending this March, 20% did not go to RRC. 
 
The Second Chance Act (Public Law 110-199)
 
We have always known that there would be problems with the implementation of the Second Chance Act because there is not enough RRC capacity, however, we felt and still do, that it was more important to have the legislation in place as a first measure, then work on increasing RRC capacity.  The bottleneck, so to speak, is that there is not enough RRC capacity to implement the SCA as written, not to mention reducing federal prison sentences by parole or increased good time allowances.  FedCURE has been working behind the scenes, with top policy makers, making proposals to increase RRC capacity.  Our  proposal seeks to engage the nations some 8,600 faith-based and neighborhood partnership organizations (as defined by the White House Office for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, see: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog_post/working_with_faith/) to take on reentry at the point of CCC placement to increase capacity by 40-50 thousand people.   If the communities do not take it on, do not take their people back, then what are we doing?
 
The Fair Sentencing Act of 2009 (Crack Cocaine)
 
Durbin Introduces Bill to Eliminate Sentencing Disparity Between Crack and Powder Cocaine

Thursday, October 15, 2009

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), joined by Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Crime and Drugs Subcommittee Chairman Arlen Specter (D-PA), and seven other Senators, introduced legislation today to eliminate the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine. His bill, the Fair Sentencing Act, would refocus scarce federal resources toward large scale, violent traffickers and increase penalties for the worst drug offenders. According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, restoring sentencing parity would do more than any other policy change to close the gap in incarceration rates between African Americans and whites. The Obama Administration endorsed eliminating the sentencing disparity at a hearing chaired by Durbin in April. 

Press Release:  http://durbin.senate.gov/showRelease.cfm?releaseId=318978

FedCURE Action Alert: 
 
Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced The Fair Sentencing Act - a bill to get rid of the notorious "100-to-1" ratio between crack and powder cocaine penalties (below).  Do your part.  Contact your Congressperson(s) and urge them to support this bill.  Go to:  FedCURE's Contact Congress Page at: http://www.fedcure.org/ContactCongressREP-SEN.shtml

FedCURE's free Listserve and Discussion Group:
 
To learn more and to get involved join FedCURE's free Listserve and Discussion Group, where you can interact with FedCURE staffers and over 2,750 FedCURE subscribers.
 
For daily updates and to Subscribe, simply send an e-mail to: FedCURE-org-subscribe@yahoogroups.com 
To Post a message send to: FedCURE-org@yahoogroups.com 
To Unsubscribe send a e-mail to: FedCURE-org-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com 
To visit the site go to:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FedCURE-org/ 
 
Before jumping in with a question, search the FedCURE archives of over 35,000 posts, to see if it has already been asked and answered. 
 
Please read FedCURE's FAQ at:   http://www.fedcure.org/FAQ.shtml.
 

Tuesday 08 September 2009: Second Session

Friday,  07 August: Senate Breaks for Summer Recess


July 2009 - Schedule of Events:

  • FedCURE and CUREnational are on the hill working on amendments to the Health Care Reform Bill currently being debated in Congress, to cover people in prisons and jails and reentry.  Stay tuned for a FedCURE Report.
  • Wednesday,  22 July
11:00               National Criminal Justice Commission Coalition Meeting (Webb bill)
                        Open Society Policy Center
                        1120 19th Street, NW Suite 800
 
12:00               Reentry Working Group Meeting
                        Open Society Policy Center
 
3:00                 House Crime Subcommittee Hearing
                        "Over-Criminalization of Conduct/Over-Federalization of Criminal Law"
                        2237 Rayburn House Office Building
                        See attachment for witnesses
 
3:15                 House Crime Subcommittee Markup  (hearing will be interrupted for markup)
                        HR 3245 Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act of 2009 (Scott bill)
                        2237 Rayburn House Office Building
                        Attached please find ABA and ACLU letters in support of HR 3245
                        "Crack the Disparity buttons will be available outside of hearing room.

00:00               House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security unanimously passed H.R. 3245, the Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act of 2009, on July 22

.

  • Friday,  31 July: House Breaks for Summer Recess.


 

 
June 2009 - Schedule of Held Events:
 
  • Tuesday, June 9 - 12:30 till 2:00 pm - Goodwill Industries briefing on The Road to Reintegration: Goodwill Industries' Call to Action to Ensure Successful Reentry for People Who are Former Offenders. B-340 Rayburn
  • Tuesday, June 9 - 4:30 till 6:30 pm - Briefing by Congressman Davis on the Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families Act. Speakers include Joshua Dubois, White House Director of Religious Affairs and Rep. Barbara Lee, Chair of the CBC. Room B-369 Rayburn. RSVP to Helen.Mitchell@mail.house.gov 
  • Wednesday, June 10 - 3:30 pm till 5:15 pm - Showing of new documentary THE FARM: 10 DOWN (flyer forthcoming), about the Angola Prison at Open Society, 1120 19th Street, NW, Washington.
  • Thursday, June 11 - 11:00 am - Meeting at Open Society office, 1120 19th Street, NW, Washington on the Democracy Restoration Act to restore voting rights in federal elections. Please RSVP to Garima Malhotra, garima.malhotra@nyu.edu  or  (212...
  • Thursday, June 11 - 2:30 pm - Senate Judiciary Crime Subcommittee hearing on Senator Webb's legislation to create a national commission to make recommendations for criminal justice reform. FedCURE, Mark A. Varca, J.D., Acting Chairman, Subcommittee Testimony:  http://www.fedcure.org/documents/FedCURE-Test-M.A.Varca,ActChr-SCJ-SCD-NCJCA-Hrn.g110609w.pdf
  • Monday, June 15  - Noon till 2:00 - public lobby session on DC anti-gang legislation 
  • Tuesday, June 16 - Noon - Meeting focusing on reentry issues in the District of Columbia. Sandwiches will be served. Please rsvp to Gretchen Rohr at grohr@uls-dc.org 
  • Tuesday, June 16 - 8:30 am - Joseph L. Rauh Lecture at the UDC David E. Clarke School of Law 
  • Thursday, June 18 - Noon - Cato Book Forum: Dred Scott's Revenge, A Legal History of Race and Freedom in America.
  • Wednesday, June 24, 2009,  4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race & Justice Harvard Law School, Congressional Black Caucus Symposium:  Rethinking Federal Sentencing Policy - 25th Anniversary of the Sentencing Reform Act.  U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. Capitol Visitors Center, Orientation Theater South, Washington, DC. (FedCURE on Panel 4 ~ Second Look: A Hybrid System of Federal Parole and Good Time Allowances). Details:  http://www.fedcure.org/documents/CBC-Symposium-240609-FedCURE_Panel-4.shtml
  • Friday, June 26 - All day - Time Banks USA conference in Madison, WI.
  • Saturday, June 27 - Palm Harbor, FL. - A celebration of Dr. Kenny Linn's Life, FedCURE's former Chairman:   A Memorial.  http://www.fedcure.org/bios/linn.shtml.
 
NEW!
 
FedCURE Subscription Donation Program - $7.00 per month reoccurring payments to support FedCURE:

Please go to our Donate & Join page at: http://www.fedcure.org/join.shtml   Select the "SUBSCRIBE" button (FedCURE Reoccurring Payment Subscription).  You will be taken to our secure PayPal page.  Enter your payment information and your done. 

Thank you for supporting FedCURE and its work.  You can feel good about it.

 
FedCURE Action Alert:
  • FedCURE Contact Congress Campaign:

    H.R. 1475 - `Federal Prison Work Incentive Act of 2009' - 'A bill To amend title 18, United States Code, to restore the former system of good time allowances toward service of Federal prison terms, and for other purposes.  Status:  Submitted  by Rep. Danny K. Davis (D. ILL) on 12 March 2009. 

    Action Alert:  Do your part.  Contact your Congressperson(s) and urge them to support this bill.  Go to:  FedCURE's Contact Congress Page at: http://www.fedcure.org/ContactCongressREP-SEN.shtml

 

Pass it ON!  Pass it ON!
 
Removed Action Alert & Update:  FedCURE's 100,000 Letter Writing Campaign
 
Up Date:  
  • FedCURE's "100,000 Letter Writing Campaign" produced almost 24,000 letters to the United States Sentencing Commission.  Albeit, not 100k, we were heard loud and clear.  Your letters worked.  FedCURE was on the docket for the United States Sentencing Commission's public hearing, held in Washington, DC, on 17 March 2009 at 4:30pm.   FedCURE strongly urged the Commission to adopt FedCURE's public comment to amend the Sentencing Guidelines to  incorporate a hybrid system of parole and good time allowances. 
     
    Sadly, on 01 May 2009, the United States Sentencing Commission released its proposed amendments to the guidelines manual, effective 01 November 2009.  See:  http://www.ussc.gov/2009guid/20090501_Reader_Friendly_Amendments.pdf.  You should be mortified to learn that there is not one word about "parole" or "good time allowances"  throughout the 57 pages of amendments; and that there are no reductions in sentences, whatsoever, only increases. 

    Federal Parole and Good Time Allowances Legislation:

    There are now two separate bills:

    1.  A Hybrid System of Parole:   

    FedCURE draft legislation is pending in Rep. Danny K. Davis' office.  FedCURE is also seeking Republican support. Stay tuned. We will post more information as it becomes available.  Please do not clog up the FedCURE discussion group, blogs and or e-mails with redundant questions on the timing of introduction of this bill.
     

    2.  Good Time Allowances:   H.R.1475 - `Federal Prison Work Incentive Act of 2009' 

     

    H.R. 1475 - `Federal Prison Work Incentive Act of 2009' - 'A bill To amend title 18, United States Code, to restore the former system of good time allowances toward service of Federal prison terms, and for other purposes.   Status:  Submitted  by Rep. Danny K. Davis (D. ILL) on 12 March 2009. 

    Action Alert:  Do your part.  Contact your Congressperson(s) and urge them to support this bill:


    T U.S. Senators Directory

    T Senate Judiciary Committee

    T U.S. House Judiciary Committee

    T House of Representatives Mail Labels (word.doc)

    T FedCURE's Contact Congress Page

    Bookmark:  http://www.fedcure.org/documents/HR1475.shtml

    Former bill, H.R. 7089 (same text):

    Full text and status:  http://www.fedcure.org/information/HR7089.shtml. 
    Full text in PDF:  H.R. 7089 in PDF.
    Background: On 11 September 2008, FedCURE attended a meeting in the office of Rep. Danny Davis, which lasted about two hours. In attendance were Rep. Davis' point person for two bills being considered, two ex-Wardens, another Congressperson, the Chief of Staff and Chief Counsel of the U. S. Parole Commission and members and lobbyists for a number of advocacy organizations. All together there were probably twenty or so people in the room. The good time bill will get a minor language tweak and should be ready for submission late next week or early the following week. Basically it restores the old law good time statutes that were repealed (Title 18 USC Sec. 4161-4166). If passed, it would shorten prison sentences measurably for everyone but lifers. We spoke with Rep. Davis one-on-one after the meeting to convince him to introduce the parole bill now as well to keep the momentum going. He has no objection to doing this, but will not introduce it at the same time with the good time bill. Time is short because the House is supposed to adjourn at the end of September. FedCURE will be pushing to get him and his staff member to finalize the parole bill and get it introduced, but there is no guarantee this will happen. We are moving along a lot slower than we would like, but that is the way Washington works and there is little we can do about it. All in all, we are pleased that these issues are front and center on Rep. Davis' agenda and we think we can see major support develop early next year. On 06 May 2008, FedCURE had extensive meetings with Rep. Danny K Davis (D IL) and his key staffers.  The Criminal Justice Tax Relief Act of 2008 (CJTRA) authored by FedCURE has been changed in a couple of significant ways and will probably have a new name.   For now it is titled The Federal Release Revision Act of 2008.  Without going into detail (the devil is always in the details), suffice it to say that increased good time and parole review by the United States Parole Commission for those given over a certain length of sentence are the two focuses of this bill.  FedCURE is very happy at the outcome.   The proposed bill will still affect each and every inmate in some positive way.  Rep. Davis has formed an advisory panel of a number of federal judges, a former Deputy Attorney General, a couple of post-conviction defense counsel, key Judiciary Committee staffers and representatives of the BOP, Parole Commission, Probation Services and other government agencies,  FedCURE is finishing up the rewrite and will be forwarding a copy back to Rep. Davis' staff for distribution of a highlighted talking points bulletin to the Advisory Panel.  The Panel is being asked for a twenty day turnaround for comments at which point another rewrite will doubtlessly take place before it is presented to House Counsel for their dissection  of the details to make sure they conform to whatever statutory changes would have to take place in the event that the bill passes.  All of this takes time and we are aware that time is of consequence.  Rest assured we are pushing as hard as we can to get this bill introduced as soon as possible. On 20 April 2007 FedCURE met with the point person for Rep. Danny K. Davis of Illinois the main sponsor of last year's federal parole bill - H.R. 3072.   FedCURE also spent about one half hour with Rep. Davis.   Subsequently, FedCURE drafted a new bill titled: The Criminal Justice Tax Relief Act of 2008 (CJTRA), which will take a different focus. The CJTRA would establish a hybrid system of parole for all federal offenders. The bill is estimated to save the U.S. taxpayers $4 to $7 billion dollars annualy.   The CJTRA, would, inter alia:
    • Reinstate the old parole statutes and make amendments thereto.
      Make all offenders eligible for parole.
      Increase good time allowances.
      Give jurisdiction to the United States Parole Commission to set release dates in accordance with applicable parole guidelines or the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, whichever is lowest. 
      Provide for reduction in term of imprisonment of elderly offenders.
      Clarify parole procedures. 
      Provide post incarceration supervision.  
      Apply prospectively and retroactively. 
      Extend the life of the United States Parole Commission for twenty years.

    FedCURE Reports:

    Congressional and USSC hearings

          

    • House Committtee on the Judiciary - Hearing on: H.R. 6509, the Reauthorization of the U.S. Parole Commission.
     
    Hearing 16 July 2008: FedCURE, Dr. Kenny Linn, J.D., LL.M., Chairman, Testimony on H.R. 6509: 
     
    • U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittees on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies: 
     
    • United States Sentencing Commission.

    USSC Hearing 17 March 2009:FedCURE, Dr. Kenny Linn, J.D., LL.M., Chairman, Testimony USSC:

    http://www.fedcure.org/documents/USSC-KHLFC-260309.pdf

     
    • Senate Judiciary Crime Subcommittee hearing on S.714 - National Criminal Justice Commission Act 2009:
     
    Hearing 11 June 2009: FedCURE, Mark A. Varca, J.D., Acting Chairman, Subcommittee Testimony:  



     
    The Second Chance Act of 2007
    Public Law 110-199
     
    The Second Chance Act of 2007 - was signed into law by President Bush on 09 April 2008. Public Law 110-199.
    The bill was introduced in the 110th Congress on 20 March 2007 as H.R. 1593.   Just a week after the re-introduction of the bill, 28 March 2007, members of the House Judiciary Committee passed H.R. 1593 out of committee.  During the mark-up of the bill, members voted down several amendments that would have jeopardized the bipartisan support for the bill.  Sen. Bidden introduced S. 1060, an identical bill, in the Senate on 29 March 2007.   On 02 August 2007 the Senate Judiciary Committee passed out the Second Chance Act.  Unanimously. The Second Chance Act passed in the Senate, late Tuesday night (11 March 2008) and awaits the signature of President Bush before it can become law. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 347 to 62 to pass the Second Chance Act on 13 November 2007. The bipartisan bill was passed by voice vote, last night, after the Senate adopted a concurrent resolution (H Con Res 270) that made minor changes to the Second Chance Act, including limiting the federal share of project costs for some reentry programs.
    FedCURE called on President George Bush to sign the Second Chance Act in to law at his earliest convenience. During his State of the Union address in 2004, the president coined "America is the land of second chance, and when the gates of the prison open, the path ahead should lead to a better life." He announced a proposal that would make $300 million in grant money available over four years for prisoner reentry initiatives, including those involving faith-based groups. The President is to be thanked for getting the ball rolling.
    The President signed the Second Chance Act on 09 April 2008 at the White House. Public Law 110-199.
    For updates send an e-mail to:
    FedCURE-org-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
    Gene Guerrero, Director of The Open Society Institute/Open Society Policy Center (SOROS) is the lead lobbying effort behind this legislation.
    Congratulations to Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-Ill., the lead sponsor of The Second Chance Act (H.R. 1593) and Joseph R. Biden, Jr., D-Del., the lead sponsor of a companion Senate measure S.1060.
     
     

    Click Here: FedCURE News and Legislative Updates - Archives 2oo7 to 2oo3

     

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