Criminal Justice Reform: What Is the First Step Act?

US Congress has in the past attempted to make in enacted criminal laws that would help in making reforms in criminal justice. It saw attempts such as sentencing reforms and corrections act which was introduced in 2015, Senators Chuck Grassley and Dick Durbin introduced it, but the changes failed despite the significant bipartisan support. Criminal justice reforms have been emphasized by both the democrats and the republicans in both houses of representation. However, the first bill saw its passing in December 2018 when Donald Trump finally passed into law the First Step Act which had similar legislation like the sentencing reforms and corrections act. It is a bill that was introduced to bring changes in the criminal system despite having gone through significant setbacks during its making. Criminal justice has been one of the pressing issues in the United States administration. Although Trump was believed to be aggressive towards the criminal justice reforms, he, however, passed them into law. The essay will thus look into the concept of the First Step Act looking into its connection to cultural, civic and social awareness. (German Lopez. 2019)

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Trump in his speech stated that the First Step Act would be historic legislation that will see many African- American under jail jurisdictions reaps benefits. It is a legislation that recognizes social relations especially the family. Under the act, shackling of pregnant women will be banned, and the inmates will be allowed to be close to their families. The reform would allow for the incarceration of inmates within 500miles, therefore, allowing their families and friend to meet them. The bill provides a socially viable connection in criminal justice despite in the past when family members were not allowed to see their loved ones from jail. The law will enable the offenders to quickly reintegrate into society because of the closeness that they would feel because of the regular visits by their families and friends. (Obama, B. 2016).

A series of concern and petitions to ban the shackling of women while giving birth in bed was raised, and the bill honors that because shackling was forbidden. Shackling puts the mother into trauma which directly transfers to the unborn. Such an enactment into law is civic respect to the voice of the citizens. The law will ensure that women hygiene is improved and that sanitary pads are freely available for the women in jail. The bill will increase the number of good time credit in which will see a reduction of prison time for those who have good behavior. The law will have prisoners earn credit over their behavior in the system. Recognition of good behavior will see inmates get out early than it was before where they were no chances given to prisoners despite demonstrating to be well-behaved citizens and law-abiding in the society. The enactment will promote socially accepted norms and cultures such as discipline and wellness because it will be a required character for the prisoners. (Eagly, I. V. 2017).

The bill also will increase the minimum mandatory skirt which will see many people benefit from the legislation. Nonviolent drug offender and those without a prior criminal record will be included in the minimum sentencing. The bill will be 2000 people get the minimum mandatory sentencing from the bill. In the observation of racial disparities which is a tremendous cultural setback in the American history, the bill has the Attorney general and the Bureau of prisons draft auditing and reports regarding cats of racism in the prisons. Congress lacks an apparent oversight over the ongoing in the jails. The bill will have the prison official take reports over racial disparities which will posito9ve step towards appreciating different cultures and races in the country. (Welsh, W. N., & Harris, P. W. (2016).

Even though the First Step Act seemed to have been passed quickly, it had been faced with considerable opposition from some of the republicans. Senator Cotton, a chief Republican representative, was one of the major critics of the bill. Sen. Cotton expressed his concern over passing of the bill stating that it would allow dangerous drug offenders back into the society early. Cotton argued that since the bill would introduce other productive activities into the prisons apart from the hard labor, prisoners would soon get out of the prisons without being subjected to punishment as it was before. He opposed the legislation because according to him prisoners will only be enjoying themselves s and pleasures such as watching television which he deems not to be the proper channel towards handling prisoners.

Sen. Cotton was also opposed to the early release of offenders who were convicted of acts such as rape and attempted kidnap saying that these people are dangerous to the community and its safety. The bill did not have a precise pass from the Congress as it was faced with challenges and setbacks. However, Donald Trump alongside his advisers such as his son in law persuaded him to pass the bill despite many people having a different opinion towards the legislation.

The act will be successful in reforming the justice system because it observes the social, civic and the cultural aspects of the community. The ban on shackling of women, for instance, is of great benefit to the women and the society at large because cases of trauma will be reduced. By increasing the minimum mandatory sentence in the judicial system, many people will have fair hearing and sentencing because the bill proposes a better approach towards awarding of the mandatory minimum sentence. The bill will be of great success to the justice system because prisoners will continue meaningful activities in the prisons that will turn their lives and get back to the society as better citizens and productive members of the community. It is a bill that observes the need for racial disparity in the justice system; this will see that cultural differences are respected and followed. Te approach will give a better reputation to the Justice system towards the fights against cultural differences especially racial discrimination. (Morone, J. A., & Kersh, R. (2018).

Conclusion

The first Step act was a significant move by President Donald Trump and his entire administration in bringing change to the criminal justice system and the society at large. The bill will see that prisoners get a better life because of the activities that the bill proposes. Shackling of women while giving birth will be put to an end bringing justice and humanity to the criminal system. The law was however met with considerable opposition where the parties concerned were arguing over the implication of having prisoners get out of jail early. Sen. Cotton, for instance, disputed the need to add better activities for the convicted arguing that it would not lead to better punishment that the jails are meant to give. The bill was an amendment of the previous sentencing and reforms cat that was brought into Congress in 2015.

References

Eagly, I. V. (2017). Criminal Justice in an Era of Mass Deportation: Reforms from California. New Criminal Law Review: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal, 20(1), 12-38.

German Lopez. (2019). The First Step Act, Explained

Morone, J. A., & Kersh, R. (2018). By the people: Debating the American government. Oxford University Press.

Obama, B. (2016). The President's Role in Advancing Criminal Justice Reform. Harv. L. Rev., 130, 811.

Welsh, W. N., & Harris, P. W. (2016). Criminal justice policy and planning: Planned change. Routledge.