Crime

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two years after beginning an intensive, comprehensive review of the federal criminal justice system as the leaders of the Over-Criminalization Task Force, Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) today introduced bipartisan, state-tested legislation aimed at safely reining in the size and associated costs of the federal criminal code and prison system. The Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Effective (SAFE) Justice Act of 2015 takes a broad-based approach to improving the federal sentencing and corrections system, from front-end sentencing reform to back-end release policies. It is also the first bill that addresses the federal supervision system – ensuring that probation does a better job stopping the revolving door at federal prisons.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, June 25th, Representatives Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and Bobby Scott (D-VA) will announce the introduction of the Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Effective (SAFE) Justice Act of 2015. Representatives Sensenbrenner and Scott led the House Judiciary Committee’s Over-criminalization Task Force during the 113th Congress. The task force was charged with assessing the entire federal criminal justice system and making recommendations for improvements. Over the course of 18 months, the task force held ten hearings and heard testimony from numerous stakeholders, including experts in the federal, academic, and nonprofit sectors.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) today announced the introduction of H.R. 2728, the Youth Justice Act of 2015. The legislation would reauthorize the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) of 1974, which has not been reauthorized by Congress in over a decade. The bill reinforces federal safeguards for state juvenile justice systems, by renewing education, safety, and prevention standards for our nation’s youth. The legislation is based on S. 2999, a bipartisan bill that was introduced on December 11, 2014 by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA).

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) issued the following statement on his No vote on S. 178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015: “Human trafficking is abhorrent and a form of modern-day slavery. And as a co-chair of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, I am committed to ensuring that we end this illegal trade and provide the necessary support for survivors. “S. 178 incorporates numerous bi-partisan human trafficking bills that I strongly support and will significantly help curtail this illegal trade and provide additional support for survivors. Unfortunately, the bill includes a provision that unnecessarily expands mandatory minimum sentencing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC), Congressman Trey Gowdy (R-SC) and Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) introduced the Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support, and Education (“Youth PROMISE”) Act (H.R. 2197). The Youth PROMISE Act will provide resources to communities to engage in comprehensive, evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies to decrease violence, gang crime, illegal drug activity and other crime. Under the Youth PROMISE Act, communities facing the greatest youth gang and crime challenges will each form a local council of representatives from law enforcement, court services, schools, social service organizations, health and mental health providers, the business community, and other public and private community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations. The council will develop a comprehensive plan for implementing evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies for young people who are at-risk of becoming involved, or who are already involved, in gangs, or the criminal justice system to redirect them toward productive and law-abiding alternatives.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03) met with William Sabol, Ph.D., Director of the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), on the measures that BJS is taking to implement the reauthorization of the Death in Custody Reporting Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on December 18, 2014. The Death in Custody Reporting Act requires federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to report deaths of individuals that occur in their custody or during the course of an arrest. It is the only post-Ferguson federal legislation to be enacted by Congress to date. Congressman Scott issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s briefing with Director Sabol and other officials from the Department of Justice: