Opinion: GOP Candidates Silent on Criminal Justice Reform, Ignoring Viable Solutions

Opinion: GOP Candidates Mum On Criminal Justice Reform – Inside Sources

Most Republican presidential candidates are not offering viable solutions to complex policy issues, such as criminal justice reform.

Sen. Tim Scott and Chris Christie have emphasized their bipartisan work on criminal justice reform.

Some Republican candidates are missing in action on the issue, while others are resorting to “tough on crime” rhetoric that does little to reduce recidivism.

The bipartisan First Step Act (FSA) has shown promising results in reducing recidivism rates and enhancing public safety.

Opinion: GOP Candidates Mum On Criminal Justice Reform

Americans deserve a presidential race based on substantive ideas. The United States faces real challenges, and they’re often not the ones on which the conservative base of the Republican Party is focused. Unfortunately, most Republican presidential candidates are resorting to reactionary rhetoric rather than offering viable solutions to complex policy issues. One of those issues is criminal justice reform.

The First Step Act and its Impact

Passed and signed into law in December 2018, the bipartisan FSA made crucial reforms to the federal prison system and outdated sentencing laws. It focuses on reducing recidivism to enhance public safety through earned time credits that individuals in federal prison can earn and accrue. The early results of the FSA show lower recidivism rates, with a significant decrease compared to those released before the law went into effect.

The Need for Better Republican Candidates

While some Republican candidates, like Sen. Tim Scott and Chris Christie, have actively worked on criminal justice reform, others are either missing in action or resorting to ineffective rhetoric. Taxpayers deserve better solutions, especially when large budget deficits are a concern. The FSA has proven to be an effective approach, and candidates should focus on supporting and expanding such reforms for the benefit of public safety and reducing recidivism rates.

Source Credit