Prez Joe Biden gave a very lengthy speech this evening (full text here), but it only included a precious few sentences about criminal justice reform. Here are these sentences:
We have all seen the knee of injustice on the neck of Black America. Now is our opportunity to make real progress.
Most men and women in uniform wear their badge and serve their communities honorably. I know them. I know they want to help meet this moment as well.
My fellow Americans, we have to come together. To rebuild trust between law enforcement and the people they serve. To root out systemic racism in our criminal justice system. And to enact police reform in George Floyd’s name that passed the House already.
I know the Republicans have their own ideas and are engaged in productive discussions with Democrats. We need to work together to find a consensus. Let’s get it done next month, by the first anniversary of George Floyd’s death.
The country supports this reform. Congress should act.
Though I was pleased to hear small mention of policing reform by Prez Biden, I was disappointed (though not really surprised) that there was not any other mention of any other criminal justce reform efforts. And this new NPR piece, headlined "Activists Wait For Biden To Take Bold Action On Criminal Justice Reform," picks up this theme. Here are excerpts:
President Biden campaigned on a plan to remake the criminal justice system. He admitted that many of the tough-on-crime positions he staked out 30 years ago just did not work. He said he would focus on drug treatments and on cutting long mandatory prison sentences. NPR's Carrie Johnson has been talking to progressive activists who are waiting for that to happen....
JOHNSON: The Biden White House has been talking regularly with [Inimai] Chettiar and others who want to overhaul the justice system. Kevin Ring advocates for people in prison at the group Families Against Mandatory Minimums.
KEVIN RING: FAMM's been around 30 years. I don't know that we've ever had that kind of outreach from the White House or the Justice Department.
JOHNSON: Ring says he had a guarded optimism about Biden based on his campaign rhetoric.
RING: But there was also some skepticism that he was going to have to tear down the house that he built in some ways through the sentencing laws and prison policies he not only sponsored but bragged about.
JOHNSON: Ring says it's still early, but the White House seems to be trying to lay the groundwork for more foundational change. Kara Gotsch of the Sentencing Project isn't so sure about that.
KARA GOTSCH: The lip service is good, but we need more, more action....
JOHNSON: Other advocates credit the Biden team for supporting bipartisan legislation that would finally equalize the penalties for people caught with crack cocaine. Since the 1980s, offenses involving crack have been punished 100 times more harshly than the powder form of the drug, which has been more popular with white people. Chettiar of the Justice Action Network thinks that bill could become law this year. With Congress so closely divided between the two political parties, the odds of legislation that would transform the justice system are pretty slim. That's why advocates are pushing the White House and DOJ to go big now before time runs out.
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