I am avid supporter of valuable crime prevention procedures to keep our communities safe. However, individuals accused or guilty of criminal actions should be treated with justice and fairness. I work actively to develop and support legislation that ensures a fair administration of justice for all Americans.

We need a criminal justice system that not only removes offenders, but rehabilitates them and provides an opportunity to rejoin society. By working to reduce the recidivism rate, we can reduce the costs and burdens, both financial and social, of incarceration. 

Mandatory minimum sentencing statutes demand that execution or incarceration follows criminal conviction. They cover crimes such as drug dealing, murdering federal officials, and using a gun to commit a federal crime. They restrict judicial sentencing discretion and attach a “one size fits all” penalty for the associated offense. These sentences are often unthinkingly harsh and incompatible with a rational sentencing guideline system.

Rest assured, I will continue do everything in my power to end inequities in the criminal justice system.