The Conservative Case for Reform
The defense of society from internal and external threats is a legitimate public good, and public safety is recognized by virtually all Americans as a legitimate use of government power and funds. Americans must ensure that government performs its public safety responsibilities effectively and efficiently.
For too long, however, American conservatives have ceded the intellectual ground on criminal justice. Liberal ideas came to occupy the space, and in many respects, they were misguided ideas. They often placed the blame for crime upon society rather than upon individuals. They also failed to effectively monitor many criminal justice programs to determine whether they were truly providing taxpayers with the results commensurate with their cost. Now, the criminal justice arena is starved for conservative solutions for reducing crime, restoring victims, reforming offenders, and lowering costs. Rightoncrime.com makes the case for conservative criminal justice reform.
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Protecting Public Safety and Reducing Costs in Louisiana
Posted in Louisiana, Priority Issues, Prisons, ROC Blog, State Initiatives: May 16, 2012 by Vikrant P. Reddy
Right On Crime is distributing a short policy brief in Louisiana to encourage legislators and Governor Jindal to pass significant criminal justice reform during the state’s legislative session.
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New Report on Prosecutorial Regulation of Corporations
Posted in Other, Priority Issues, ROC Blog: May 16, 2012 by Jeanette Moll
Low level criminal cases against individual defendants can sometimes be dismissed in lieu of a fine, or due to community service performed prior to the trial date, usually as recognition that the individual defendant’s debt to society has been paid and a trial is unnecessary.
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FOCUS Act Debated in House Committee
Posted in Overcriminalization, Priority Issues, ROC Blog: May 11, 2012 by Jeanette Moll
This week, H.R. 4171, the Freedom from Over-Criminalization and Unjust Seizures Act of 2012, or the FOCUS Act, was heard in committee. This legislation is designed to restore the Lacey Act to its original purpose.
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Sobering Centers: Cutting Jail Populations, Costs, and Crime
Posted in Priority Issues, ROC Blog, State Initiatives, Substance Abuse, Texas: May 11, 2012 by Marc Levin
Almost 19,000 arrests in Houston each year are for public intoxication alone. While certainly this offense is an important tool to keep streets clean and crime free, public intoxication is almost always a non-violent offense handled most appropriately with detoxification rather than secure confinement.
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