Overcriminalization
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Washington, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 115, the so-called “Thin Blue Line Act.” House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) spoke on the House floor in opposition to the bill before its passage. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:
Though troubled and saddened by the recent attacks on law enforcement officials, I believe that H.R. 115, the “Thin Blue Line Act,” is counterproductive to ensuring public safety and only serves to exacerbate concerns with the unfair and unjust federal death penalty.
Washington, DC - Today, the Department of Justice announced the issuance of memorandum from Attorney General Jeff Sessions to all federal prosecutors, establishing new policies for charging criminal offenses and seeking sentences when convictions are obtained. The memorandum explicitly rescinds prior memoranda of the Department of Justice, which includes memoranda issued by former Attorney General Eric Holder. In particular, Sessions’ memo specifically states that mandatory minimum sentences should factor in the determination of which is the most serious crime that can be and the
Mr. Chairman, I welcome this hearing as the Crime Subcommittee continues its oversight of the components of the Department of Justice that advance the Department’s law enforcement mission.
The Bureau of Prisons and the Marshals Service both play important roles in this regard.
It is particularly important that we closely examine the administration of the Bureau of Prisons at this time.
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives held a forum to hear from NFL players about their own experiences and how they hope to improve relationships with minority communities and the police while supporting programs to help inmates successfully re-enter their communities.
Washington, D.C. – As part of the House Judiciary Committee’s bipartisan criminal justice reform initiative, the Committee today approved by voice vote a bill to reauthorize a federal grant program targeted at reducing crime among youth.
Washington, D.C. - Today, House Judiciary Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) released the following statements after the White House announced the commutation of the sentences of 42 individuals:
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Obama Administration announced that 53 jurisdictions—including Detroit, MI—have committed to Police Data Initiative (PDI). As part of President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, the White House launched PDI as a community of practices aiming to improve the relationship between citizens and police through uses of data that increase transparency, build community trust, and strengthen accountability.
H.R. 759, the "Recidivism Risk Reduction Act," is part of the House Judiciary Committee’s criminal justice reform initiative
Statement of the Honorable John Conyers, Jr. Markup of H.R. 759, the “Recidivism Risk Reduction Act"
“I commend the Chairman for bringing H.R. 759 before the Committee today. It is critical, as part of the Committee’s efforts to reform our criminal justice system, that we take action to improve our federal prisons, and I am pleased that today we will consider a bipartisan, substitute amendment to this bill which will establish a better way of operating our prisons.
“The massive growth of our prison population is a crisis in both human and fiscal terms. Over the past four decades, the U.S. prison population has skyrocketed.
“As a longtime champion of reentry and criminal justice reform, I am encouraged by the Committee’s continued bipartisan progress in moving reform legislation and today’s markup of H.R., 3406, the ‘Second Chance Reauthorization Act.’
With its enactment under President George W. Bush in 2008, the Second Chance Act was Congress’ first major bipartisan step toward addressing the Nation’s exploding prison population. I applaud Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner and Danny Davis of Illinois for their longtime efforts in supporting Second Chance legislation.