Roundup: U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes biggest overhaul of criminal justice system

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, December 19, 2018
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Senate on Tuesday night overwhelmingly approved a sweeping overhaul of the country's criminal justice system, showing bipartisan support for changes including reducing the penalty for drug offenders as well as allowing leniency for current federal inmates.

Shortly after the First Step Act's passage in the Senate by a margin of 87-12, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted, "Congratulations to the Senate on the bi-partisan passing of a historic Criminal Justice Reform Bill...This will keep our communities safer, and provide hope and a second chance, to those who earn it."

The Washington Post described the bill as "handing a rare bipartisan victory to President Trump," and Politico, a news portal focusing on political news, also said it is a win for the president. The 12 against votes, according to The Hill newspaper, were cast by Republicans.

The bill is expected to be endorsed by the House when lawmakers there will likely have a vote later this week. It then goes to Trump's desk, ready to be signed into law.

House Speaker Paul Ryan voiced his support for the bill in a tweet he sent after the Senate vote. "Criminal justice reform is about giving more Americans a chance at redemption. House looks forward to sending it to the president to become law," the Republican said.

The legislation will reduce the so-called "three strikes" penalty for drug felonies from life in prison to 25 years behind bars. The three strikes rule was introduced when former President Bill Clinton was in office, mandating a life sentence for three or more convictions.

In addition, the law also limits the disparity between sentencing for crack and powder cocaine offenses. This change, the Washington Post said, would affect about 2,000 current federal inmates.

Meanwhile, the bill provides incentives for inmates to earn time credits and aims to lower recidivism rates.

A major criticism of the three strikes penalty is that locking the criminals up indefinitely costs a lot of money.

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn said during Tuesday's debate that apart from saving money, the bill also aims to invest in "human potential."

"We're investing in the men and women who want to turn their lives around once they're released from prison," he was quoted by the Washington Post as saying.

The Post also said the reform, which does not cover state jails, will trim altogether 53,000 years of the sentences of current inmates over the next decade, citing data from the Congressional Budget Office. The newspaper added, however, that the figure is disputed by advocacy groups. Enditem

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