Write an Op-Ed
THE TOPIC
The Second Look Amendment Act: a proposed bill which expands eligibility for sentence review to all those who committed crimes before age 25 and have served at least 15 years in prison.
THE QUESTION
Would the Second Look Amendment Act help or harm the criminal justice system? If passed, what effects would the bill have on public health and juvenile justice?
OP-ED CRITERIA
- Writer must be a paid member of PfCJR
- Remain under 750 words
- Answer this month’s question
- Share your perspective on the topic
- Due by February 28, 2020
Submit Piece
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Background
JAMES FORMAN JR: Justice Sometimes Needs A Do-Over
The Washington Post: Forman Jr. argues that the Second Look Amendment Act “offers a promising corrective to the harsh — and ineffective — practices once commonplace in courthouses across America. The bill gives the D.C. Council a chance to restore a measure of fairness to a criminal system often lacking it. If the council is willing to embrace reason over fearmongering, I am confident the Second Look Amendment Act will be recognized as another proud accomplishment.”
THE POST: D.C. Has Gone Too Far on Justice Reforms
The Washington Post: The Post argues that the Second Look Act would be harmful to the criminal justice system. “Out the window would go transparency and truth in sentencing — the assurance to victims and the community that punishment is what it appears to be. By discouraging judges from considering the original crime when they weigh reducing sentences, the council is putting the public at increased risk, unnecessarily.”
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