A bipartisan bill has already received support of the President trump today, Thursday, December 20, approved in Congress. 358 senators voted in favor, while opposed by only 36 people.
Now there is only a presidential signature on the decree.
What kind of bill it is and why it’s important
If it comes into force, the bill «the First step» (First Step) will be a historic reform of the Federal prison system, affecting the fate of thousands of prisoners.
The bill will:
- to replace a prison sentence house arrest or stay in a «halfway house» (halfway house for persons with physical or mental features of) a greater number of prisoners. This rule will not apply to high-risk prisoners.
- to place prisoners within 500 miles from family members
- to remove handcuffs from prisoners during childbirth
- to increase the time for which it is possible to shorten due to good behavior. This rule will affect about 4 thousand prisoners.
- to oblige the prison on a regular basis to provide inmates female personal hygiene products (pads and tampons)
- to mitigate the punishment for a number of drug-related crime (to reduce the minimum sentence for a third conviction and 25 years for the second — up to 15)
- prohibit to double the sentence for certain crimes related to weapons and drugs
- enable judges to sentence the accused to a term less than the mandatory minor offenses
- to recognize the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 — referred incidents of crack and cocaine as crimes of equal gravity is invalid. This will affect about 2,600 prisoners.
In total, the reform will affect about 180,789 thousand Federal prisoners.
«Congratulations! — commented on the news by the President in his Twitter account Is a great bipartisan achievement. When both parties work together, we make the country safer. It is good for US!»
Advocating for prison reform representatives of public organizations of the ACLU, noted that, although the bill still does not solve the problem of discrimination against prisoners in connection with their previous violations, and citizenship and immigration status, it is still a step in the right direction.
«The first step» is not perfect. said Jesselyn McCurdy, — But the criminal system is going through a crisis, and it is time to act.»
«At stake is human life. We are pleased that won common sense, and the bill was another step closer to join the force.»
