Posted: February 22, 2012

The following information is provided as a service to TDCAA members who would like to contact their members of Congress to support or oppose language creating a National Criminal Justice Commission (link to website of Sen. Webb (D-Virginia), author of bill S. 306 to create such a commission).  For further information on this issue, interested TDCAA members may contact TDCAA directly.

Background

Virginia Sen. Jim Webb (D) introduced the National Criminal Justice Commission Act (S. 306) in 2011 to create a blue-ribbon commission to look at every aspect of our criminal justice system--federal, state, and local--with an eye toward reshaping the criminal justice system from top to bottom.  The 18-month study would be paid for with funds from DOJ's Office of Justice Programs, the same agency that has recently had several grant programs (like prosecutor loan repayment) cut.

Language creating the commission was most recently defeated by a three-vote margin on Oct. 20, 2011, with both Texas senators voting against the measure and Sen. Hutchinson speaking against adoption (click HERE for a video of that address, which starts about 15 seconds in, and see the attachment below for the full text).  The issue is now in limbo until supporters can find another vehicle for passing the measure, such as a FY 2013 spending bill, while opponents try to prevent that from happening.

Latest News

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/66491.html

Opponents

NDAA (National District Attorneys Association) - summary of its position (and see attachment below)
NAPO (National Association of Police Organizations) - summary of its position

Supporters (see Sen. Webb's website, linked above, for more details)

American Bar Association
American Civil Liberties Union
Amnesty International USA
Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth
Church of Scientology
Community Action Partnership
Drug Policy Alliance
Families Against Mandatory Minimums
Fraternal Order of Police
Human Rights Watch
The Innocence Project
International Association of Chiefs of Police
Justice Policy Institute
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
NAACP
National Sheriffs' Association