Hearings
Witnesses
Ms. Karen R. Harned
Executive Director, National Federation of Independent Business, Small Business Legal Center
Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin
President, American Action Forum
Witnesses
The Honorable Jeh Johnson
Secretary of Homeland Security, United States Department of Homeland Security
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Mr. Paul Misener, Vice President of Global Public Policy, Amazon.com, Inc.
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Ms. Mei-lan Stark, Immediate Past President, International Trademark Association
Statements for the Record:
Dear Colleague:
Over the past two decades, tensions between police and communities of color have grown as allegations of police brutality and racial profiling by law enforcement agents have increased in number and frequency. The tragic police-involved shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and the local police department's response to the protests are just the latest examples of the challenges faced in reforming police practices.
Collateral consequences impair opportunities for employment, housing, public benefits, educational loans, and family connections. Although studies show that there are over 45,000 state and federal collateral consequences of conviction, judges in the United States are not required to warn convicted individuals of all of these consequences. These collateral consequences make re-entry, transition, and success difficult, if not, impossible. They also disproportionately affect women and children, especially those of color.