Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Committee Approval of Bipartisan Criminal Justice Reform Bill

Bill is important ‘first step’ toward fair justice system

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act:

 “The Senate Judiciary Committee has taken an important first step toward making our justice system fairer. We simply cannot imprison our way to safety. Commonsense, bipartisan legislation such as the Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act would make federal sentencing fairer and provide access to effective rehabilitation programs in prisons.

“The Senate must pass the bill quickly. The House should adopt a similar approach to reduce racial disparities in our criminal justice system. Our system must not only protect public safety – it must also be just.”

The Leadership Conference recently sent a letter to the Senate in support of the SRCA. That letter is available here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.