To close National Victims’ Rights Week, I interviewed United States Congressman Ted Poe about his work chairing the Congressional Victims’ Rights Caucus. Poe observed that victims’ restitution can come in several different forms. Money is obviously one of those forms, but it’s not the only one. Click here to listen to the podcast.
CPAC Hosts a Panel on Overcriminalization
February 14, 2012 By
On Saturday morning, at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, DC, three signatories to the Right On Crime Statement of Principles spoke on a panel about overcriminalization. The panel was moderated by RoC signatory Pat Nolan of Prison Fellowship, and it also featured comments from signatories Eli Lehrer of the Heartland Institute and David Keene, formerly of the American Conservative Union. Mary Schmid Mergler of The Constitution Project was also a panelist.
The panelists discussed several notorious examples of overcriminalization, including the current case involving the Gibson Guitar Corporation. Listen to the full panel discussion here.
Discussing Overcriminalization with Stacy Powells
January 20, 2012 By
On January 18th, I discussed overcriminalization on KMMT Radio in California with Stacy Powells. The complete interview can be heard by clicking below:
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Successfully Cutting Crime and Costs in Texas
January 14, 2012 By
Texas has, in many ways, become a model for the nation. The Legislature has reformed both the adult and juvenile justice systems to cut costs, provide more effective responses to criminal behavior, and protect public safety. There is more work to be done, however, to further reduce crime, empower and restore victims, and control corrections spending. This panel at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s 2012 Policy Orientation discusses how Texas got tough and smart on crime and how the state can take the next steps in its criminal justice transformation. Panelists included former Harris County District Judge Caprice Cooper, Adam Gelb of the Pew Center on the States, and Texas Representatives Jerry Madden and Marisa Marquez. Marc Levin of Right On Crime served as moderator.
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Criminal Law vs. Free Enterprise: What’s the Verdict?
January 14, 2012 By
Criminal laws, both state and federal, have dramatically increased in scope, expanding to cover traditionally non-criminal behavior such as ordinary, non-fraudulent business activities. In Texas, there are more than 1,700 statutory criminal offenses, including 11 felonies relating to harvesting oysters. Further, many such laws are overly vague and broad and do not require a culpable mental state for conviction. This panel at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s 2012 Policy Orientation discussed the distinction between valid criminal sanctions and the criminalization of capitalism. The panelists included Texas Rep. Bill Callegari, Shannon Edmonds of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, and Tim Lynch of the Cato Institute. Marc Levin of Right On Crime served as the moderator.
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Have You Committed a Felony Today?
December 5, 2011 By
On November 1, the Heritage Foundation and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers partnered to host a training for Capitol Hill staffers titled “Have You Committed a Felony Today?” The training was presented by criminal defense attorneys Ross Garber and Timothy O’Toole.
Testimony Before Select Committee of the California Assembly
December 5, 2011 By
On November 17, I testified before the California Assembly’s Select Committee on Delinquency Prevention and Youth Development. The full two-hour hearing can be viewed here. (My testimony ends at the 51 minute mark.)
The Federalist Society’s Panel Discussion on School Bullying Initiatives
December 5, 2011 By
In recent years, school bullying initiatives have become a particularly controversial area of juvenile law. On November 10, 2011, at the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention in Washington, DC, five prominent scholars spoke about the issue in a provocative panel discussion moderated by Stuart Taylor, Jr. of National Journal:
Hans Bader, Senior Attorney and Counsel for Special Projects, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Todd Gaziano, Commissioner, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and Senior Fellow in Legal Studies, The Heritage Foundation
Fatima Goss Graves, Vice President for Education and Employment, National Women’s Law Center
Eugene Volokh, Gary T. Schwartz Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law
William R. Yeomans, Fellow in Law and Government, American University Washington College of Law
Right On Crime Launches in Georgia
October 5, 2011 By
Last week, Right On Crime officially launched in the state Georgia. In the process, Right On Crime caught the attention of legislators throughout the state, generated significant media attention, and added two prominent Georgia conservatives to the Statement of Principles: Ralph Reed of the Faith and Freedom Coalition and Larry Thompson, the former U.S. Deputy Attorney General under President George W. Bush.
The launch featured comments from David Keene, the former Chairman of the American Conservative Union, Kelly McCutchen of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, and Marc Levin of Right On Crime. You can listen to audio from the Georgia launch by clicking below:
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Smart-On-Crime Legislatures
May 5, 2011 By
This panel from the American Legislative Exchange Council’s 2010 States and Nation Policy Summit features four national experts on overcriminalization: U.S. Congressman Louie Gohmert, James Dunlop of Jones Day, Timothy O’Toole of Miller Chevalier, and Shana-Tara Regon of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The panel is moderated by Texas Representative Jerry Madden.
Smart-on-Crime Legislatures: Fighting Overcriminalization and Restoring the Proper Federal-State Equilibrium on Criminal Law and from American Legislative Exchange Co on Vimeo.